20 Chic and Inspiring Built-in Desk Ideas

Desks are a must-have for anyone working in the home from kiddos working on school work to adults working from home. Having a dedicated space to complete tasks that minimize distractions is so helpful. I always see tons of home office ideas but what about when you don’t have a whole office space to dedicate? If your home’s layout doesn’t offer a home office maybe you can squeeze in a built-in desk somewhere! Built-in desks are a polished and thoughtfully designed way to maximize space and stay organized in your home. Whether you have just a small corner of your living room to spare, a kitchen nook, or even a blank wall in a kid’s room, built-in desks can provide a practical and stylish workspace. We have compiled a collection of 20 built-in desk ideas perfect for just about any space.

20 Brilliant Built-in Desk Ideas

I love a built-in anything. Built-in bookshelves, built-in nooks, but especially a built-in desk. Built-in desks create a beautiful design element that doesn’t only provide a workspace but also functions as good decorating. Some of the ideas shared here are DIY built-in desk ideas that you can do on your own but all of them are a great source of inspiration if you are considering adding a built-in desk to your home. Let’s dive in!

Built-In Wall Desk

A built-in desk idea that is built along a whole wall that includes shelves is a great way to add a workspace to your home without taking up too much floor space. Additionally, built-in wall desks are perfect for small spaces such as a kitchen nook or a living room. Not only is this built-in a fantastic workspace but it’s also a great design accent. The shelves are perfect for displaying decor accents, books, or decorative vessels for storing office supplies. 

Built-in Desk Ideas for Kids

Built-in desks for kids are a great way to add an organized space for them to do their homework, and store books, trinkets, and more. It’s also a great way of encouraging them to stay organized and make it easier for you to clean up after they’re done with their projects. Built-ins as a design element are great because you can customize them with colorful paint. I love the green-gray huge on this gorgeous built-in. It’s such a fun space for kids to have their own desk space!

Contemporary Wood and White Built-in Desk with Cabinets

This built-in desk adds a bit of contrast and visual interest to your space with its two tones. A built-in desk with white shelving on top and a medium white oak wood tone on the bottom adds depth to the whole room. What I love about this space is that the built-in desk serves as not just a functional work and storage space but it’s also a really beautiful accent wall.

Family Work Station with Built-in Floating Desk

I love the use of a presumably awkward space to make something functional for the whole family. This built-in desk idea is a perfect family-friendly workspace. Crafting a space with a floating desk and two long shelves gives you an effortless yet effective workspace for all your home office needs with a dedicated room. You can use it as a family command center or homework station. This simple desk idea includes open storage shelves and a long enough desk for two. This built-in desk setup is an easy and smart use of space, be sure to check out the tutorial for this built-in desk.

Built In Double Desk Ideas

If you have the space and the need, go for a double desk. Having a built-in desk that works for two people is great! This built-in desk idea, with a long enough surface to sit two and plenty of shelves and drawers, makes it the perfect workspace for families. The blue-green painted drawers contrast beautifully with the wood desktop. 

Simple Yet Functional Built-in IKEA Desk

The only thing better than a DIY desk is a DIY IKEA desk. IKEA has a bunch of great basic bits that work great for creating a custom built-in desk. This built-in desk idea is simple and sleek. If you want an understated workspace this DIY IKEA built-in desk is a great idea.

Inviting and Cozy Bookshelf With a Desk

One thing I love about built-in desks is how creative you can be when incorporating them into your home design. You can add a small desk area to a bookshelf wall like this. It’s a simple way to add a workspace area to an already stylish and functionally designed space. Adding a built-in desk and shelves to your room is an easy way to make a workspace. The vibe of this space is so cozy. I love the warmth of this whole setup.

Traditional Kitchen Desk

Rising to popularity in the 1980s, kitchen desks provide a little workspace for computers or simply a writing space. Perhaps the trend has waned somewhat but a built-in kitchen desk is still a functional choice if you want a small dedicated desk area. Kitchen built-in desks usually are made of the same materials as in your kitchen so just an expansion of cabinetry and counter space to include a little workspace. This built-in desk nook fits perfectly in this space for a very custom look.

Cheerful Lavender Workspace Built-in

Maybe your first thought of built-in desks is something very traditional but this gorgeous lavender built-in shows you that built-in desks can be contemporary! The sweet-painted wall-to-ceiling vision is a gorgeous desk design. This built-in desk idea is the perfect workstation for homework, working from home, or could even work as a craft area. It adds a beautiful touch of color and texture, too. If you want something that has all the built-in desk features but with some added style, try adding a gorgeous shade of paint. I love how this looks.

Built-in Window Desk

Don’t let any space go to waste by adding a built-in desk to your dormer window. This DIY built-in desk is a smart and affordable way to add a workspace, with a view. With a scant number of resources, you can create a similar desk in your own home. It’s a perfect small nook for kids.

Modern Under The Stairs Built-in Workspace

Of all the built-in desk ideas featured here, this one has to be my favorite. This one takes the awkward space under the stairs and uses it to its full potential. By adding built-in cabinets with a fun pop of color in addition to the chunky desk and floating shelves you get plenty of storage and a really gorgeous, unexpected workspace to enjoy.

Bold and Beautiful Corner Desk Idea

If you don’t have room for a home office or a large space to dedicate to built-in desk ideas, try tucking it into the corner. This built-in corner desk is open to the living area yet it’s a great shared workspace. The modern black paint is sleek and bold. The space l-shaped desk has great desk space and storage. I think what makes it stand out is the chunky molding that goes to the ceiling. 

Classic Kitchen with a Hideaway Desk

Sometimes built-in desks don’t need to be the star of the show. This built-in hideaway desk tucks right into the cabinetry and is perfect for a small kitchen area. This built-in desk idea proves that you can still have a workspace that looks polished and custom, even in a tiny space. This built-in desk is tucked away nicely hidden behind folding cabinets. The desk area also boasts shelving for storage and in-cabinet lighting!  

The whole look is sophisticated and beautifully designed forward while being a really great workspace.

Around the Window Built-ins With a Desk

If you have a window that is craving a window seat go a step further and consider this built-in beauty. You get your cozy window seat but you also get the function of additional storage with the shelves and a perfect writing desk or workspace.

Home Office Built-ins

If you have a whole room to dedicate, you can seriously create the home office design of your dreams (or at least the home office of my dreams) with a built-in desk like this one. Forget the traditional office furniture and opt for something sleeker like this beautiful home office desk with built-in cabinets and shelving. What I love most is the marble desktop but it’s closely followed up by the custom cabinets that are great for hiding clutter, shelves above the desk, and the chunky floating shelves to the left of the desk for displaying accessories and baskets that serve as additional storage. Just imagine how productive you could be in a space like this!

Classic Kitchen Desk / Bar Combo

I’m a big fan of multifunctional spaces. If you have some space in your kitchen to add a little nook but aren’t convinced you need all of that space to dedicate to a kitchen desk, consider doing a combination of sorts like a kitchen and beverage bar. This is a smart setup that is multi-functional. I like that the desk height is slightly offset from the beverage bar because it creates a distinct separation between the two spaces. 

Loft Home Office With Built In Wall Unit

Many of the built-in desk ideas I’ve shared here today are really creative ways to add a workspace to your home. This one is more of a home library with desks than anything and I’m here for that brilliance. The art, the books, the bright green accent bookcase, the brass gallery lighting, all of it is so chic that you forget that this is a workspace. It’s simply a beautifully decorated and inspiring space. 

Moody Blue Built-in Double Desk Wall Unit

This gorgeous home office space is a perfect example of how a built-in desk can serve as not just a piece of furniture but as a whole vibe. The moody blue painted shiplap and cabinetry in addition to the wallpapered walls make this inspiring home office worthy of mentioning. I love the way the cabinets down the center of the wall split the desk in two. This creates a definitive separation as well as provides hidden storage all while maintaining the beautiful design of the space.

Simple and Chic Desk Nook

Here’s a built-in desk setup that is perfect for a bedroom nook. This desk shows how stunning a simple workspace can be. The wallpaper, the chunky wood tabletop, the fluted drawer fronts, and the floating shelves are all aspects of this space that are working so well. 

Closet Office with a Floating Desk

The closet office, or “cloffice” as it was known for a while, is a creative way to add a workspace to your home without sacrificing space. This closet office is simple with no frills but has what you need. The beautiful DIY floating built-in desk is the star here. It’s paired with a desk filing cabinet as well as some under-desk baskets for storage.

Wrapping Up Built-in Desk Ideas

So, do you need a workspace? It should be obvious by now that built-in desks can be a great way to add a functional workspace to any room in your home without sacrificing the design (and sometimes space) of the room. From built-in desk ideas for small spaces and nooks (even built-in desks in closets) to whole walls of built-in workspaces, you’re sure to find an idea that works for your space! Hopefully, this gave you some inspiration for adding a built-in desk to your home!