Desk Sill and 20 Genius Ideas for Working or Studying at Home

The remote work format is becoming increasingly popular each year, meaning more and more people prefer working from home. What should you consider when organizing a workspace? What details should you think about in advance? What will help you focus on productive work and stay effective at home?

How to Organize Your Workspace

Designate a separate area where you will only work. Many make the mistake of writing reports at the dining table and making calls from the bed, but these places are meant for other purposes. It's very important to separate life spheres. Otherwise, you will be distracted during important tasks and think about work during rest time.

✓ Look at your apartment with fresh eyes and find free niches or corners. Sometimes a narrow table and chair can fit there.

✓ If you have a bay window in the bedroom or living room, you can also set up a comfortable and bright workspace with natural lighting. Just place a table in the center, a chair, and a couple of drawers for storing documents or stationery.

✓ If you don't want to buy a desk or there's not enough space, expand the windowsill. You'll get a bright workspace with a view of the city.

How to Make a Workspace on the Windowsill

Anastasia Vishnevskaya
Designer, Architect, Artist
Designs white interiors in the style of countryside, loft, and Scandinavian minimalism

Keep the Old Windowsill

To work facing the window, you don't need to do anything with the windowsill. Buy a table of the same color and height and push it closer. It will look like an extension of the windowsill. You can move the table however you want, and in winter, it won't cause condensation on the windows because there is access to the window and no need to create additional gaps for air circulation.

Make a Tabletop

✓ Place wood on the windowsill (pleasant to touch and eco-friendly, but not very reliable) or MDF (more stable and durable, but you'll have to paint it with water-resistant paint or enamel to prevent moisture damage).

✓ When purchasing, consider the height of the material, otherwise there's a risk you won't be able to open the window.

Expand Working Surface

✓ When expanding the windowsill with a countertop, ensure that the overhanging part is no more than half the depth of the windowsill. Otherwise, glue and screws won't withstand strong pressure if you lean on the table with your elbows. The material of the overhanging part must be sturdy to support heavy items.

✓ Choose a strong material so that the side or overhanging part of the windowsill can bear weight when you lean on it or place heavy items on the surface.

✓ To create a large overhang, use console shelves mounted vertically to the wall under the window or floor supports. If there's no space near the window due to a radiator, you can make consoles on both sides.

✓ If the countertop is wider than the window, install a suspended mounting. The shelf can be made of any material that fits your interior style: wooden, MDF, plastic, artificial or natural stone.

To avoid condensation on the windows, there should be gaps or holes in the windowsill. Warm air from the radiator will heat the window area through these.

Replace the Windowsill

Replace the windowsill. If the new surface protrudes significantly, consider additional supports or consoles. Coat the raw material with varnish, paint, or enamel.

If There Is Limited Space

To save space, look into fold-down windowsills. You can buy them at IKEA or other furniture stores. Installation is simple: attach hinges or a folding edge-console to the windowsill. When you lift the table, the console rotates 90 degrees and holds it in place. Ensure the construction is securely fastened to the windowsill material.

Plan for Details

✓ To keep distractions away, consider setting up a screen or shelf to separate the workspace. This is what designers Alexander Malinin and Anastasia Shevelyeva did in one of their projects.

✓ Make sure there are outlets near your workspace. If there aren't any, you can incorporate visible cables into the design by matching their color or creating a contrast. You can paint electrical cords in thematic prints and highlight them in the space or create compositions from them, complemented by wall art.

✓ To avoid distractions from family members, use headphones. Listen to white noise or neutral music if it doesn't distract you.

Plan Storage

If you work from home, you likely accumulate documents, contracts, and important notes. If a child works at the desk, they need space for notebooks, journals, and notes. Organize not just the desk but also the surrounding area. This way, your workspace will always be tidy.

Design: Maria Bezuglova

What You'll Need

✓ Drawers or, if the space is decorated in a Scandinavian style, wicker baskets.

✓ Wall shelves. If you don't want to drill into the walls, hang them on the side edges of drawers.

✓ Wall-mounted folders and narrow metal baskets. The more compartments, the easier it is to maintain order. Label the folders using stickers or labels so you don't get confused and can quickly find what you need.

✓ Tablets with clips. When decorating, use leftover wallpaper or gift wrap.

✓ Pocket envelope. Such a pocket can be placed on the side and made thematic. It's mounted using a rail. A rail is a pipe-like structure with hooks and hangers where you store items. A great option if there's little space but a lot of small items that are needed regularly.

Time-saving Tips to Avoid Small Items Being a Nuisance:

✓ Granular items like buttons, staples for staplers, erasers, paper clips, and flash drives can be stored in ice cube trays, pill bottles, cookie baking molds, or iron tea tins.

✓ For long items like pens, markers, and pencils, use food container dividers.

✓ Magnetic tape helps prevent losing metal items like compasses, scissors, and paper clips. You can place it in a visible spot above the table or hide it from view on the back of a cabinet.

✓ For creating a mood or storing light items, you can hang a metal mesh above the table and hang scissors, glasses, headphones on it.

✓ On a perforated metal panel, you can easily pin lists. Make loops between two holes and hang items or place a compact shelf on top. The panel can be painted in any color to blend with the interior.

✓ In minimalist and Scandinavian interiors, a wooden panel with pegs looks great. Items are mounted differently: pegs are inserted into holes that can act as hooks or supports for shelves.

✓ Don't forget about the rail – a tubular or metal bar with hooks where you hang shelves or individual items. The hooks on the rail are adjustable, making it a functional structure.

✓ Light items can be attached to a rope stretched above the desk using clips or clamps. A great way to create atmosphere at your workspace. It's interesting and beautiful but not very functional.

✓ A marker or chalkboard magnetic board is perfect for planning.

✓ The well-known cork board – an affordable, practical, and eco-friendly option.

Create the Right Atmosphere

Design: Olesya Berezovskaya

Make your workspace inspiring and pleasant. Place photos of loved ones, a figurine from a trip, or a postcard on the table. These little touches will lift your mood during work breaks. But don't overdo it, as the workspace should remain organized.