Today we’re looking at comfortable and stylish contemporary home desks for small spaces. Now that so many more people are working from home, I thought I would update and republish a post from more than eight years ago, when I first started this blog.

Good news – as well as being practical and versatile, the latest crop of small desks for home use are very stylish too. Thankfully, gone are the days when desks for the home were simply smaller versions of bland, regulation-issue office furniture. So if you have the space for a home desk, however petite, it can add a lot of contemporary style to your home.

As with all small-space furniture, the best home desks will incorporate storage so all my finds have drawers, cupboards or shelves. From my own experience of hunting for a small home desk, I’ve limited dimensions to 130 cm wide and 60 cm deep. That said, many of the desks below are smaller than that so hopefully there’s one that works for you.

Here are the results – my pick of the best contemporary home desks for small spaces updated for 2023. I hope you find one you like.

Contemporary, compact home desks for small spaces

1. Available from John Lewis & Partners, and part of their ever-growing collection of iconic British contemporary designs, is the Celine desk by Nazanin Kamali for Case Furniture. Petite and elegant, its gentle tapering legs give it a dainty aesthetic, but it’s practical too, with its slim hidden drawer and laptop compartment. Dimensions: 110 cm wide x 55 cm deep.

2. Fans of industrial style will love the handsome Brookland Ladder Desk from Marks & Spencer. The simple, metal-framed desk has a handy drawer and shelf space above. It measures a compact 89.5 cm wide x 55 cm deep.

3. When space is at a real premium then a leaning desk might solve the problem – and it’s wallet-friendly too. Measuring 90 cm wide x 45 cm deep, this Ladder Desk from M&S offers a good amount of desktop space, plus two handy shelves above.

Ideal for small spaces, the stylish, hairpin legs give an open, airy feel to this compact home desk from John Lewis & Partners, shown above in light oak finish. Also available in a dark oak finish, the Hairpin Desk has a drawer and storage shelf and measures 120 cm wide x 55 cm deep.

Don’t be fooled by the slender proportions and sleek lines of the Ercol Treviso desk. This desk gives ample work space on two levels, plus three storage drawers. Designed by Matthew Hilton and exclusive to Heal’s, the Treviso desk is handsomely crafted from either oak or walnut and measures 122cm wide x 53cm deep.

Looking for a elegant home desk to blend into your living area? Try the Marshall Home Desk from Perch & Parrow – it’s sleek, minimal and very unobtrusive. Shown above in bronze it also comes in a silver colourway and measures 130 cm wide x 50 cm deep.

If the mid-century look is your thing, then how about the walnut Soren Narrow Desk? Full of character, with smooth, curved lines, it has two floating drawers and a hardwearing faux leather top. Dimensions are 110 cm wide x 50 cm deep.

The matt grey painted surfaces and dark wood accents of the Lars Desk from Heal’s ooze sophistication and timeless style. The legs and soft-close drawers are solid walnut, and this compact desk would be equally at home as a dressing table in the bedroom or console table in a hallway. Dimensions: 110 cm wide x 60 cm deep.

We love the soft curves and clever concertina doors of the beautifully crafted Glide Desk, also from Heal’s. It’s made from solid oak (except for the tambour doors) and measures 120 cm wide x 50 cm deep.