There’s something about a roll top desk that dates back to the 19th century and I’ve seen them used for everything from display cases for vintage collectibles to storage for home office supplies. However, a home-based entrepreneur had the best use I’ve ever seen for a roll top desk.
He was a bit of a handyman and built the desk himself. It had a classic look built in oak with drawers on the sides and a beautiful antique looking roll top. Modifications he made included replacing the drawer under the desk with a pull-out keyboard tray that locked into place. The desk was also slightly shorter in height to be ergonomic for the keyboard and slightly wider to accommodate space for a printer and monitor on the desk.
The most interesting change was the drawer and storage space under the desk. To the right was three small drawers and to the left was a door that opened to a place where the computer’s CPU rested. However, since a CPU cannot be enclosed in a closed space because it could easily overheat, he cleverly designed a lattice for the back of the CPU space. There was also an opening in the back of the table where the cabling could exit and run down through the lattice to the CPU. If you needed to insert a CD or DVD or plug something into a USB port, all you had to do was open the CPU door.
The best feature, in my opinion, was that when you stopped working for the day, all you had to do was turn off the computer and lower the desk top. Suddenly his living room was a living room again. The roll top desk was an attractive piece of furniture and I didn’t have to remember unfinished work every time I looked at it. For anyone who has ever worked from home, the home office can be a tough taskmaster, always ready to finish just one more task.
If you are a person who works from home, this could be the solution for the ever-present work reminder that interferes with your personal life. You don’t have to be a carpenter either. It is possible to have a local cabinetmaker build a similar desk or buy one already built. It’s much cheaper than rebuilding a room in your house for a home office.