Step Two: Decide on a Color Scheme, Style, and Finish

The next step is to take the pieces you will need to purchase and assign an expect-to-pay dollar value to each one. Generally speaking, cheap pressboard desks without laminate coverings from places such as Wal-Mart and Office Max range in price from $100 up to $700. I do not recommend pressboard components because when it comes to moving them, they fall apart easily. However, if you find that you cannot afford to pay more, I highly recommend purchasing at the higher end of this spectrum if possible, depending on your need and the amount of time you will be using your office.

There are pressboard desks available that have a sturdy laminate surface. These are more durable and higher quality, specifically if they come with metal end panels or c-legs. It is easy and practical to install a keyboard platform on this kind of desk. They come in many colors, including different wood grains such as oak, walnut, and mahogany, which are more suitable to a home office. These desks can be purchased anywhere from $300 and up, to about $1,000, depending on the layout.

In addition to the middle and lower priced desks, you can also opt for a more expensive wood style. A simple wood desk that is about 30” deep and 70” wide will cost approximately $1,500, depending on the wood finish chosen, and whether or not it is solid wood or some other abstract. Anything larger and more complex could range up to as high as $10,000.

Take a look around your house. Is it more country charm? Is it traditional, like a lawyer’s office, with Queen Anne style legs on the furniture and intricate patterns in the curtains? Is it more modern, with simple rounded edges and clean, straight lines? Or is it ultra-contemporary with sleek silver and primary colors? Your new office suite should reflect your design scheme. There are so many choices out there, that it’s easy to fall in love with something that doesn’t fit with the flow of your home décor. Knowing the tone of your dwelling prior to getting to the store will help prevent you from falling into that trap.

When choosing, be sure you have an opportunity to view all of the possible fabric samples and finishes. There are hundreds of choices available, and the names of these choices are usually quite poetic – everything from Salamander to Chocolate Royale. Bring pictures of your office space with you when you go shopping. It will help you, as well as the salesperson, to limit your options to those fabrics and finishes that will work well within the scheme.