Like Apple Watches, home offices are “personal” — the look and furniture that work well for one person might not seem “right” to another. But the unified metal and glass aesthetic of Apple products works really well with modern office furniture, and there are also some iconic decor items Apple lovers can incorporate into a home office.
I spend a lot of time working from my home office, and have considered it a work in progress ever since I started building it around an aluminum PowerBook many years ago. Below, you’ll find a collection of items that will help you build a beautiful, practical home office that really spotlights your Apple gear, based on a mix of affordable and small investment-worthy choices…
Desk
When I hear the words “Apple-styled office,” I think of two different desk options: something akin to Apple Store tables, or affordable Mac-matching glass. Apple uses naturally light-colored maple wood tables from an architectural woodwork company named Fetzer — they’re large, heavy, and not sold to the general public. A far more affordable alternative that gives you the same squared-off look with a little accent metal is the South Shore Interface Desk ($120, above left) in “Natural Maple” color. As the low price suggests, it’s not genuine maple, but it’s practical, and the satin nickel-finished leg is a nice touch that will look good with any silver Apple gear. The Bush BBF 300 Series Shell Desk Kit ($250, above right) is an all-wood alternative without metal, preserving the same natural maple look.
My personal tastes lean more towards glass than wood, so the first choice for my office was a clear glass and silver metal table akin to the Walker Edison Solo Glass Metal Desk ($73, left) or Techni Mobili Glass Top Computer Desk ($127, right). The lines and curves are the compromises you make for the affordable prices.
If you don’t mind spending more for visually striking designs, the amazing Zuo Caravan Desk ($698, left) does away with metal altogether in favor of roughly 100 pounds of clear glass. And ZM’s Modern Glass Executive Desk with Stainless Steel Legs ($630, right) uses a more conventional metal support system but with very clean lines.
Over time, I personally decided to switch to a minimalist black glass alternative closer to the Lumisource Pia ($128, left). If you want to stick with the same theme but have more workspace, options such as the Walker Edison L-Shaped Glass Desk ($126, center) or Innovex Orbit ($303, right) use distinctive shapes that you may prefer. Based on personal experience, my advice would be to get a nice desk, but absolutely, positively make your chair an investment…
Chair
The most expensive piece of furniture in my office is my chair — the product of a very, very important lesson. I spent years trying to save money on office chairs, and they always had the same life cycle: last for a couple of years, fall apart, get replaced. This cycle seemed inevitable until I started to develop back problems from sitting in these cheap office chairs. I was advised to buy an ergonomic chair, price be damned, and consider it an investment in my long-term health.
After a lot of shopping around — and realizing that there was no way to save money on the widely recommended, super-popular Herman Miller Aeron Chair I’d decided to buy — I reluctantly bought one from a reputable store called Office Designs. It turned out to be the single best office-related purchase I’ve ever made, staying in my office longer than any Mac, desk, or other major item I’ve owned. Years later, it’s still in like-new condition, and my back is in much better shape despite spending hours in the chair every day. You’ll see a lot of options on Office Designs’ site; I recommend buying the one that you actually want (rather than cutting features and going cheaper), because after you get and love a more basic model, you’ll wish you’d spent the extra money on a nicer one. I bought an adjustable model with PostureFit (left), but still covet the chromed Executive version (right).
Trash Can and Pencil Holder
This one used to be a gimme for Apple fans: Rubbermaid makes a large silver Mesh Wastebasket ($16, left) that resembles the classic Mac OS X trash can, and Design Ideas has a small one for $19. My personal one is similar to the Design Ideas version, and note that you will really want a fine mesh like these, because things tend to fall/leak out of coarse mesh cans. But these days, the OS X trash can looks like a clear frosted shot glass. I’ve hunted for even better options, but the closest I’ve found is the InterDesign Franklin Waste Can ($13, right).
For consistency, I chose a desktop pencil holder that matches my trash can; Design Ideas sells a Mesh Pencil Cup for $9. If you want something similar to the clear frost-style trash can, OfficeMax has a Plastic Pencil Cup for $8 shipped.
Posters and Picture Frames
There are a lot of great Apple-related posters available online right now, particularly through Etsy sellers. The original Mac patent diagram ($7-$35), Steve Jobs Stanford quote ($14), and iPhone patent diagram ($25) are just a few of the many Apple-related posters available. eBay also has some classic Apple posters, including the Think Different series. If you want the (highly NSFW, not shown here) poster Apple’s Chief Design Officer Jony Ive reportedly has in his office, it can be yours for $35.
There are many nice poster and photo frame solutions out there. A personal favorite is Jorgen Moller’s classic Posterhanger ($15-$80, left), minimalist aluminum tubes that suspend a poster within a nearly frameless wall mount. (Displays2go sells a similar alternative with a different suspension system.) For a clear acrylic frame in your choice of sizes, Canetti sells the Original Magnet Frame ($14-$70) in up to 8″x10″ versions suitable for sitting on a desktop. Fans of the blond wood look may prefer FrameUSA’s American Maple Corporate Frame ($23), available in a wall-ready 11″x14″ size.
Lighting
There are so many different office lights to choose from that it’s hard to just recommend one, but I have a few suggestions. Satechi sells a handsome metal Flexible LED Desk Lamp ($60, left) with a thin bar of bright LED lights and a USB port in the base for iPhone or iPod charging, as well as a more powerful Smart LED Desk Lamp ($80, center) that actually lets you adjust the white balance of the light, though its rear USB port is underpowered. Home Inspira’s LED Desk Lamp ($55, right) looks a little cheaper than the others, but has additional angle adjustability and slightly higher power to its built-in USB port. All three have excellent (4.5/5-Star or greater) Amazon reviews.
Mac Stands and Speakers
I’ve previously rounded up the best desktop stands for Macs in an earlier How-To guide, so I won’t rehash all of the details here. Just Mobile’s Drawer (center left, $80) and Twelve South’s HiRise for MacBook (center right, $70) remain among my top picks for Mac office accessories. If you prefer to listen to your Mac quietly, the just-released blueLounge Posto ($20, far left) is an attractive yet inexpensive new headphone stand (reviewed here), while Bowers & Wilkins’ MM-1 Speakers (far right; $500/$400 refurb) remain my favorite “turn it up!” office Mac listening solution thanks to their great sound and Mac-matching design.
Apple Device Docks
In addition to Mac stands, I’ve also written up the best iPad docks (which also work with iPhones and iPods), and the best Apple Watch docks. Some of my top picks are Twelve South’s HiRise Deluxe for iPhone + iPad ($57-60), and either Mophie’s elegant $60 Watch Dock or Spigen’s budget $19 S330 Apple Watch Stand. Alternately, SchuttenWorks makes a wood option called Wave ($75) in a curly maple version that’s as close as you’ll come to blond maple, as well as a black version.
Surge Protectors, Cable Managers + USB Power Sources
Organizing all of your under-the-office-desk cables isn’t easy, but it helps to have a good surge protector or power cord manager. Amazon’s best-selling option is this affordable $20 Belkin 12-Outlet Home/Office Surge Protector (far left), which has an 10-foot cord and a lifetime warranty — including $300,000 connected equipment warranty. I recently reviewed a smaller option, blueLounge’s Portiko ($25, center left, available in white or blue), which has two AC adapters and two USB power ports built-in for less demanding offices. The same review mentions three blueLounge cable management solutions, Pixi ($10, center right), CableDrop ($10, far right), and CableDrop Mini ($10), each of which can really help you reduce office cable clutter.
While surge protectors are handy, tightly-packed collections of high-powered outlets, USB ports are rapidly reducing users’ dependence on traditional wall power supplies. The iMac-matching metal $70 Moshi iLynx 3.0 is a USB 3 hub for Macs (reviewed here), capable of providing up to 2.1-Amp power on one dedicated port, while all four ports have high-speed transfer capabilities to a connected Mac. If you don’t need wired connectivity to your computer, Anker’s 60W 6-Port Desktop USB Charger ($36) offers unparalleled charging power and value, as discussed in my review.
Bookshelves and File Cabinets
Depending on whether you’re going for the “Apple Store wood” or glass and metal look, there are different bookshelves you might want to consider. The natural maple-colored South Shore Axess Bookshelf ($54-$69) matches the Interface Desk discussed above, coming in three different sizes, while Convenience Concepts’ Go-Accsense 3-Shelf Bookcases ($56-$58) come in clear or black glass versions matching the other desks.
There are file cabinets to match the bookshelves and desks. South Shore’s Interface 2-Drawer Cabinet ($78) in natural maple is from the same family as the Interface desk, while Techni Mobili makes a Deluxe Rolling Glass Top File Cabinet ($122) in graphite to match black glass desks. The Realspace Zentra Storage File Cart ($150) provides a clear glass top and boxy gray body with integrated shelving and file storage.
Multifunction Printer/Scanner/Copier/Fax Machine
Last but not least, a great multifunction printer is still an office necessity, despite predictions that the business world would be paperless by now. I have been using Brother multifunction laser printers for years (and they’re still working); the recent trend has been towards completely wireless printers with Wi-Fi support for Macs and AirPrint support for iOS devices. So it’s no surprise that Amazon’s top-selling laser printer is Brother’s MFCL-2700DW ($150), which combines a fast 27ppm laser printer with a built-in scanner and FAX machine. Between the USB and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi support, it can handle whatever your wired or wireless needs may be for printing and scanning, as well as operating as a copying machine if needed. Step up to the MFC-9340CDW ($400) if you want color laser printing and are willing to pay the higher price to get it.
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I would really really not recommend a glass desk. They collect fingerprints and “arm-prints” like crazy, and dust is very apparent. I am super OCD about both so I am constantly cleaning the thing. Many glass desks (like some seen above) have round metal supports in the corners that the desk is adhered to. These can some off when assembling or moving the desk, and the desk will then just sit on top and can slide when moving (and makes quite unpleasant screeching noises). I liked the aesthetic in the store, but I would never again get a glass desk! Something simple and lightweight is the best way to go IMO. Just my thoughts and forewarning to anyone else considering!
Also, I really like the HiRise stand and would recommend it!
“Like Apple Watches, home offices are “personal” — the look and furniture that work well for one person might not seem “right” to another”
Thanks, donknotts28. Like most comments on blogs, this is my personal opinion.
I’ve been using glass desks for the last decade (and would definitely not consider myself OCD). Smudges (showing dirt/oil) are the one and only issue I’ve had with them, but I consider that a reasonable tradeoff for the beauty they’ve brought to my home offices. If you buy a good desk, assembling and moving it around won’t be a problem, and I haven’t had problems moving glass desks.
That said, wood desks don’t show smudges as easily, and some people may really prefer them. If you’re going to go “full Apple Store” in terms of look, natural maple is an easy choice.
Although not mentioned i purchased two Allseating Fluid task chair many years ago. Worst chair ever! build quality was poor and so was the customer service. They simply wouldn’t stand by their product even at close the cost of a Mirra or Aeron chair.
Its really important to spend some time in these chairs before buying. all look into their warranties and customer support records. I really wish there was a steelcase or H – Miller dealer in the area that i lived in at the time.
If I could quadruple underline the phrase “consider your chair an investment and don’t try to save a few bucks,” I would. The Herman Miller chairs are like Macs – not cheap but worth every dollar in terms of the quality and longevity they deliver. I wouldn’t trade my Aeron for two, three, or six less expensive chairs.
Great article. Really enjoyed “shopping” these items. I’m moving into a new apartment and this will come in handy when designing a “workspace” in it.
After so much ‘fittnes’ fury you should also add a treadmill type desk!
I have the Aeron for 10+ years, which was the best I thought until I bought the Embody Chair, also by Herman Miller, 3 years ago. Embody, for me, blows away the Aeron in support and overall comfort.
It’s also nearly twice the base price, but certainly also a great chair.
Wasn’t it you who said “don’t try to save a few bucks”?
Yes. It’s the difference between going from “disposable/bad to long-term/great” and “long-term/great to long-term/even better.” Some people call it the law of diminishing returns, and I would suggest that the Aeron is at the point at which returns begin to diminish thereafter.
Can never go wrong with a Herman Miller. (Screw all those ridiculous gaming/racing chairs) I’m not a fan of glass tables though. I understand the appeal. I just can’t get over seeing myself through the table.
IMHO you missed a great one, I own the OneLessDesk and its minimal cold rolled steel is a perfect compliment to my iMac
It’s like parking a porsche in a shack…
Tasteless in my opinion… most of the furnitures looks like something from the last century.
I’d love to see a picture of your setup.
My goal was to provide options for people with different budget levels and preferences. Some of the designs reflect their lower prices, even if they keep with the theme.
Leaving out the SlatePro is a serious omission.
Considering they sponsor just about every Apple-themed podcast on the planet, you have to mention FractureMe as a fantastic, minimalist picture display.
Nice article. Your bit on chairs has convinced me to spend a nice chunk of change on a chair for my wife. She’s a writer and a gamer who spends a lot of time at her desk. Thanks for this.
Great move. If you are considering the Aeron, I have a few more specific suggestions that I didn’t want to put into the article’s body (but can put in the comments if you want them). Just ask if so.
Jeremy, I’m definitely interested in more details. Gimme whatever you got. While it’s a bit of cash, I don’t mind dropping it on the love of my life. Particularly as you state it’s stood the test of (some) time. Sounds like a worthy investment!
When you buy an Aeron, there are customization options that take you from a basic model to an adjustable model, and then different forms of back support. It is especially tempting to cheap out at that stage, because adding the PostureFit back support requires the adjustable model and a price bump. PostureFit also requires you, for some odd reason, to install the special pad yourself (which takes like 2 minutes and involves wires that may induce a little concern during installation). But once that’s done, you never think about it again and get really good back support in a place where it’s particularly needed.
I cut corners on aesthetics, skipping the chrome base and deciding not to go with one of the fancier fabrics. In all honesty, the fabric choice turned out to be for the better — I’m happy with the all-black (but the all-gray one above would be nice, too) rather than a wave or other pattern. But the chromed version would have been a really nice upgrade, which I still wish today I’d just gotten. That’s a purely visual/personal consideration, but one that I think about frequently.
The adjustable arms are the chair’s only annoyance. I would consider getting fixed position ones instead. The leather armpads are a better pick, and make sure you get a size that’s appropriate to both your wife and yourself. B is an easy (and probably best) pick; I’ve gone with C and it’s oversized but comfortable.
A decent Aeron with forward tilt, rear tilt+limiter and the lumbar support can be picked up for about £250 on eBay, if you’re prepared to travel. ‘Specialist’ sellers also buy these, dust them over, take a prettier picture and resell them for £400.
Why did you skip any kind of products of IKEA? They go well with Apple together, elegant, simplistic design, not that expensive but still overall a great quality. Bought my desk from there.
Two reasons. I’m a big fan of their products and agree that they deliver very good value for the dollar if you can pick them up locally. But their shipping costs tend to be pretty crazy, and they keep discontinuing the products that I would have been most inclined to recommend. I’m personally using a very minimalist Ikea black glass desk that I would have loved to share with readers, but it was discontinued years ago, as was the prior clear glass desk (from Studio RTA) I used before that. The options above come close, have reasonable (or free) shipping, and continue to match Apple’s looks.
I’ve moved to a standing desk. It keeps me moving more. (OK, technically, its a cafe-height table that I put a box on to raise my Mac and keyboard a little more). Any chance you can review standing desks? Ergonomically, its better for you.
I sat at a ” Walker Edison Solo Glass Metal Desk” (shown above) for about a year and it was both a little too wobbly when typing and too shallow in depth. When you have an external monitor connected to your laptop, you definitely need a comfortable distance between your eyes and the monitor. Many desks don’t provide that distance. I’m at a standup desk now.
Nice to see an article like this which confirms my own design choices. I’ve had an Italian Frezza glass desk for the last 10 years and it works perfectly with the contemporary styling of the Mac. Rock solid too for my three 27″ Macs.
There’s no substitute for the hi-tech sparkle that a glass surface brings to the Mac – they just don’t look right on wood. Yes, clear glass shows dust and fingerprints, but most clean-livin’ folks do their daily dusting and it never shows. Black glass?… that’s a lot more work, but it would look stunning. Sadly none of those cluttery desks shown appeal to me except the Zuo, and it’s too small.
I’m also a fan of the Aeron. Had my B size Executive chair for over 10 years and the unbelievable thing about this model is that it has never worn and looks like new. The spring is still in the mesh, every function works, the leather armrests which still have their original shape, and this is after I have used it every single day of its life for up to 10-12 hours a time (with breaks).
You can’t say that about most other chairs. I bought my wife the Aeron companion model a couple years ago after each chair she had either broke, wore out or affected her back. It rightly deserves its place in MOMA and on this page.
As a work-in-progress minimalist, none of the other items in the article are useful to me. I’ve been mainly paperless for the best part of 7 years (thanks Evernote!), never print to read, so those ugly laser machines are a waste as are the bookshelves, cupboards and trinket tables. I’m down to a couple dozen books after having over 1,000 in a separate library, and I’ve never missed them since the day I gave them away That $30,000-$40,000-odd ‘investment’ in books was hard to swallow, but the freedom from clutter was immense.
I put my desk setup on minimaldesks.com a couple of days ago if anyone’s interested.
Ken, your setup looks a lot like a hybrid of my old and newer offices. My current desk is highly similar to yours (but black glass), and the carpeting, Aeron, etc look quite as they did in my prior home office space. Really nice look, great chair, love your book philosophy, and wow on the Mac/display array. I bet some 4k replacements are in your future.
I would hope that if I did get 4K displays they would be less problematic than the 5K iMac. My main browser, Chrome, just doesn’t get on with it. And many YouTube videos shudder all the way through. So I end up using the side displays and funnily enough I don’t notice a great deal of difference in quality. If I did more than a few minutes of PhotoShop a day or video editing I might get the most out of the display quality. But 4K videos and photos on it are stunning, no question.
Interesting we share the same design style. In the last 10 years I’ve gone from a standard home office filled with bookcases, sideboards, framed certificates and traditional office products like in/out trays, staplers, pencil jars and envelope openers – to a clutter-free minimal look which is far more productive. I often get asked if I do any work because my office is always clean. But I’ll never go back to that life again, so sadly your informative and well written article is wasted on me!
I was the provider office mesh chair , I am also looking for interior design ideas office working with some furniture . Thank your post . my site: http://noithatphuctan.vn/124/ghe-luoi/ghe-luoi-van-phong
There is no doubt that office furniture is expensive, as they emphasize on style and quality, but there are cheaper options too. One needs to ponder over office needs and then, choose accordingly. There are numerous of office furniture suppliers Pakistan like TORCH that have brought in a wide array of furniture items to cater to the needs and taste of one and all. It shall always be kept in mind that office should have simplistic furnishing.
Super great article. I would say double yes to the lighting. I would really recommend the Lumiy Lightline 1250 or Lightblade 1500S LED desk lamps (www.lumiy.com). Those are the gold standard when it comes to lighting. You see them in nearly every tech company in silicon valley these days They are super bright, durable, and excellent value for money.
awesome article, reminds me of this gem i found recently on how to design your workspace
http://www.designyourworkspace.info