Best Mid-Century Modern Desks

What do you consider work? I’m not asking about the tasks your boss has set you for the eight hours (if you’re lucky) you have to earn a living.

I’m talking about what you consider your most productive.

When your brain is fully engaged. You’re in The Zone and it feels fantastic to beaver away.

Desks Aren’t Always About Work

For some, that may indeed be the work you do for your career.

If it is you, then hat’s off. You’ve nailed it and you’re doing something you love.

For a lot of people, the daily grind is exactly that. A grind.

In an ideal world, they’d never speak to their colleagues again and the thought of making someone else richer is infuriating.

If that describes you then your idea of work might be writing a novel or even playing video games.

Whatever you prefer, it’s all good with me.

I used to just sit on the sofa with my laptop and write for hours on end.

Anyone that’s done this knows it can get sore on the back and, because you’re slouching, you naturally feel unproductive.

As soon as you get into that mindset, your brain begins to wander onto everything but the work.

As soon as I bought a desk, my ability to generate amazing articles increased ten-fold.

For me, it’s all about creating an environment for my brain to understand that when I’m sitting at my desk, I’m here to work.

And not just work, by the way. I need to produce the best writing I can each time. That’s the only way I can improve and I want to be world class in everything that I do.

This article is all about Mid-Century Modern desks that fit well in any bedroom.

The great thing about Mid-Century Modern pieces of furniture is that they fit into many different design styles.

For the purists who want to keep it all Mid-Century, that’s awesome. You can also mix with Scandinavian furniture.

They’re both airy, with natural organic forms.

Feel confident using Mid-Century in more general minimalist style rooms too.

You do have to be cautious in finding the right products though.

Mid-Century Modern is on everyone’s lips at the moment which leads to retailers copying classic designs with poor build quality.

I’ve done a lot of searching for you and have found some incredible desks that will fit perfectly in the majority of bedrooms. I’d put a bet on to say they’ll look awesome in yours too.

Types of wood

Before I get into it, I’ve written a broad article on the types of wood that desks are usually made from. It’s awesome for those who are interested in multiple design styles.

I’ll quickly run through the types of wood that are commonly used in Mid-Century Modern now though.

• Oak
• Teak
• Rosewood
• Walnut

Oak

One of the most popular species for furniture making but there are actually two types – red and white. They get thier name from the color of the wood once cut.

Oak lasts a very long time. If you buy a well made desk now then you’ll be able to pass this down through the generations until some young wipper snapper decides it’s time for the junk yard sale.

Curse you, Great Great Great Great Grandchild.

Teak

Teak is the bad boy of the furniture making world. The rebel who doesn’t allow the master carpenter to create prize desk without a fight.

Once the desk rises from the ashes though.

Wow.

What a marvel.

Teak is dense and heavy, thus it can withstand and bashes and kicks you may be rude enough to inflict upon it.

I assume you don’t get many rain clouds in your bedroom but if that’s an issue then the naturally occuring oils that Teak wood releases help protect against weather damage.

Rosewood

Rosewood really is a premium piece of wood and you’ll be very lucky to own a desk like this for yourself.

It doesn’t just look good. It smells outstanding too, with a fragrance that can sometimes last for years.

You’ll be working in a cloud of inspiration and produce some of the best results you’ve ever done.

Again, durable. Similarly to Teak, it’s difficult to work with so you need a carpenter who knows what they’re doing.

Ocassionally you’ll find some pieces of wood with a great purple hue to them.

Walnut

Although you don’t see Walnut too much in Mid-Century desks, it has the characteristics that make it suitable for production.

A mixture of durability and still remaining lightweight.

Larger desk are great for making out of Walnut because they can be moved around much more easily.

If you’re someone who moves home or to different parts of the country a lot then this is something to consider.

Beech

Interestingly, Beech isn’t often used for its aesthetic appearance. More often than not it’s added to furniture to increase the structural integrity of the piece.

In Mid-Century design, a lot of furniture have their legs and frames constructed with Beech which is usually a light color ocassionally with a red tone.

The good news is that Beech is comparatively cheaper than the other woods mentioned. Ideal because it’s pretty easy to maintain and keep looking amazing.

Elm

Elm is bendy. If you were a wizard in the Harry Potter universe, you’d want your wand made from Elm.

Imagine splitting and breaking your only connection to the magical world. Disaster.

The grain is distinctive and it’s beautiful. The coloration is brown with reddish hints but tends to be lighter than a lot of other traditionally used woods.

If you have a room that’s on the smaller side, this is a perfect option to create an illusion of a larger area.

Mid-Century modern writing desk

Writing desks are all about keeping it chilled and relaxed. You don’t need any extra compartments, the drawers remain at a minimum.

You just want to have a clear space to be able to get down to the job at hand.

Jet – Belham Living Carter

How it looks: Walnut finish, popular legs, 2 notched drawers, open shelf

How it feels: winning the biggest business deal of your life

It’s time to break out the suit and pour a glass of whiskey. You’re going to need those where you’re going.

As soon as you sit in this chair you’ll transform into one of the Mad Men-inspired advertisers of the 1960s.

Suave, sophisticated and, if left unchecked, ruthless.

God help those who get in the way of your work because you’re damn good at it.

Belham Living have produced a magnificant writing desk with a Walnut finish that weighs 40 lbs. It’s perfect for your home office or even sitting in your bedroom.

Time will melt away as your productivity accelerates from 0-60 in 3.8 seconds.

Small Mid-Century modern desk

If you’re tight for space and looking for a small Mid-Century modern desk to blend in a maintain the correct proportions then I’ve found the one for you.

Small rooms don’t need large desks with unnecessary shelving. Take a look at the MoWdwrk.

Etsy – MoWdwrk

How it looks: American Walnut

How it feels: Whilst everyone’s asleep, you’re busy grinding

What a striking desk this is. It’s a small Mid-Century design but it carries a lot of punch.

If this is in your office, you’ll be drawn back to it again and again. Like a moth to a flame.

There’s definitely a mysterious element to this desk that I can’t quite put my finger on, but then I prefer it that way.

This desk is a desk of research. You’ll want to sit here until the early hours of the morning drilling into every aspect of the topic you’re studying.

Time waits for no man, there’s work to be done.

MoWdwrk handcraft these to order and you can choose from a variety of styles and finishes.

• Width: 105 cm
• Height: 50 cm
• Depth 75 cm

Mid-Century modern corner desk

Corner desks are great for providing extra platform to work if you’re a bit stuck for space.

You get to have two desks in one and if you have a lot of paperwork, this is a Godsend.

West Elm – Industrial Modular Desk Set

How it looks: Mango wood on black metal legs

How it feels: You’re in complete control of your work and the direciton your life is going

Here’s an awesome corner desk from West Elm that you’ll love.

This is amazing, it’s actually made from mango tree so you’ll be bringing the tropics to you door.

I can already hear the live band playing and the hustle and bustle of the bar.

I’ll have a Long Island Iced Tea, please.

I’m sure you’ll agree it’s beautiful but its functionality is huge, especially if you work from home the majority of the time.

A friend of mine runs his own business and does just that.

He usually leaves a lot of his files strewn across the floor in what he calls a controlled chaos but the reality is there’s a heavy emphasis on the chaos.

This is exactly the desk he needs, where there’s space to file everything neatly away. Running a business is hard enough so you may as well give yourself as much relaxation as possible.

You’ll end up doing a significantly better job in the long run.

• Desk size: 64″w x 64″d x 31″h
• Small drawer size (2): 12″w x 17″d x 3″h
• Large drawer size: 12″w x 17″d x 12″h

What have you learned?

Traditional Mid-Century furniture was made from:

• Oak
• Teak
• Rosewood
• Walnut
• Beech
• Elm

However, with improved sourcing and altering tastes, we’re now beginning to see new species utilized in modern takes on the classic Mid-Century style. One of the examples above is the Mango tree.

You’re able to find many different types of desk to suit your needs. From the larger corner and computer desks to more subtle writing desks with minimum storage.

Because of the popularity of Mid-Century Modern, you’re definitely going to find what you need. If there is anything you think would be great to include in this article then please leave a comment below and I will do my best to find a product for you.