Corner Office Desks
If you are in the market to purchase a corner office desk then you are looking for a desk that is both appealing and functional. You are moving up in the world and it is time to fill that massive new office with a brand new desk. Even for existing office renovations, the very first thing that your clients or employees are going to notice is that desk. A desk is a symbol of authority and is essential for appearance, for meetings, and for a work space. Make sure that your corner office does not just have a desk to fill space, but rather a desk that is the centerpiece of the entire office.
Corner desks also make brilliant focal points for home offices as well. A home office where you meet with clients must have a top of the line desk for business meetings in order to be taken seriously as a company. A $25 desk from Wal-Mart is immediately going to show the client what kind of corners you are willing to take in order to save money. There are some places in business where saving money is essential. However, a liveable working space is more a matter of human rights rather than a place to cut costs. When buying any desk for an office that is going to be used in a professional setting, avoid mdf material at all costs. Compacted wood desks such as mdf desks are not going to be able to stand the test of time as they tend to chip after just a few years.
Choosing a high quality corner office desk can be a bit difficult as there are many companies out there that are trying to sell you a cheap desk at a high price. The traditional and often the top choice of executives is the wooden desk. The most popular types of wood for a wooden corner office desks are oak, maple, and cherry.
Oak desks are the least expensive and are sometimes stained a lighter color. The grains are very noticeable in oak desks unless stained with a darker or reddish color. Most color stains will take just fine to oak wood which is why it is so commonly used. It grows very abundantly so you can get oak more easily and more affordably. It is also an incredibly solid wood that is going to last an incredibly long time. It can always be refinished as long is as the desk is not affected by water damage.
Maple is slightly more expensive than oak. The main difference here being the grain of the wood itself. The grain in a maple corner office desk is going to be much more even grained with a finer texture. Maple is my personal recommendation due to the combination of price and appearance. It can be stained to a cherry color or it can be stained to look like a very high quality light to dark brown wood.
Cherry wood is considered the luxury wood for executive offices. Cherry corner office desks are also very durable, but have that underlying red color undertone ingrained into the wood itself. It has been considered a luxury wood for hundreds of years which is why you will find so much of this wood already used by the 17th and 18th century aristocrats. There is nothing that says "only the finest" like a brand new cherry wood desk.
As you go to different manufacturers you will quickly find that all of them are going to try to sell you the largest desk in the catalog with the highest quality wood. Do not let them sell you your desk until you have at least 5 quotes. The car you drive is incredibly important to appearance; but how much more often are your clients and co-workers going to see your desk compared to your car? Understand that this is a very important purchase. Do not let them sweet talk you into something you are going to regret 3 months down the road.
How the desk is made and where it is manufactured does matter. A hand crafted desk by an artisan craftsman in London is going to cost you way more than manufactured desk out of a sweatshop in China. But remember, there very well may be a large difference in quality as well. The time and effort someone puts into making a desk will show in the life of the desk. Questions that you should keep in mind are the length of time the manufacturer has been in business, the warranty on the desk, how much weight can the desk hold, and how easily is it to create and repair scratches.
When it comes to an executive desk, the details matter. An artisan woodworker is going to be able to give your desk those fine details that cannot be mass produced by a machine. Hand crafted artwork into the wood can drastically increase the price. However, with carving directly into the executive desk itself means that you have a unique, one of a kind, hand-crafted masterpiece. If you were sitting in a top floor, corner office at Microsoft, wouldn't you treat yourself to a masterpiece such as this?
How solid is the desk you are buying? Is it made out of solid Oak or did they grind down oak and glue it together? Find out what methods the manufacturer is using to make your desk. How do the joints come together? Are you getting a desk that stands on 4 legs or are you getting one that is supported all the way across the bottom of the desk. It is your responsibility to find out as quality is the most important factor here.
For a corner office desk, it should not be one that looks like a computer desk. This is a mistake that a lot of people make. Your goal is to hold meetings and entertain clients, not only stick a computer on it. That is definitely not to say that portions of the desk should not be aimed towards electronics, but appearance is everything with these desks. Let the grandeur and spaciousness of the desk be the focal point and not your computer monitor.
Try to avoid buying too large of a desk or too small of a desk. It is rather easy to tell if a desk is dominating the room. If walkways in the office look cramped, then your desk is too big. Telling if a desk is too small can be much more difficult. For a corner office you should expect to have meetings with at least 4 people. If your desk cannot comfortable seat at least 4 people around it for a business meeting then your desk is too small. Just remember that your desk does not have to be domineering for your office to get the respect that it deserves.
When it comes to a corner office desk, quality is the most important factor. These desks are meant to last a lifetime and many of these companies will even offer a lifetime warranty on their desks. If you make your decision correctly, this very well might be a decision you will never have to make again. Remember, there are people out there that are still using their desks from hundreds of years ago. Make sure your corner office desk treats you just as well.