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Ask HN: Looking to furnish our new office in NYC. Any suggestions, inspirations?

• pasbesoin 17y ago
  I just recently began setting up an inexpensive (cheap) workspace. Here are a couple of items and comments. I'm fussy about desk height particularly with regard to typing/mousing comfort. I wanted a desk having an adjustable height. At IKEA, I found this tabletop. It's large, has a nice writing surface, and has a rounded edge which adds greatly to working comfort. It was the largest, cheapest top they had. It is pressboard, not solid wood. For me, it has a pleasing if a bit "workroom" appearance. Note that, being pressboard, it will not support heavy loads. I simply cannot e.g. sit on it, stand on it, etc. It also might have difficulty with a monster CRT. Check the specified weight limit. Table top: VIKA PERSBO http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50071207 http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50071207 For legs, I got lucky. The following trestle legs, normally $30 each (I seem to remember $20, but the former's what the website says, now) were on sale for $10. Note that they have adjustable height, and that the front and back heights can be adjusted independently to place the surface on a slant, similar to a draftsman's table (though more primitive). The height is adjustable; however, I found that the minimum height is still too high for my typing comfort (I like a lower surface). But, since the trestle is wood, it's quite easy to simple remove an inch or two from the bottom of the legs. If someone else subsequently wants to use the unit at a more standard height, they can simply adjust the surface upwards. Legs: VIKA ARTUR http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20070662 http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20070662 To attach the top to the trestle legs, the trick I learned from an IKEA employee is to use adhesive backed Velcro strips. That is how they construct all their in-store set ups, and it is much more stable than the little "peg fits into hole" method built into the construction and provided hardware. For example: http://www.velcro.com/index.php?page=industrial-strength http://www.velcro.com/index.php?page=industrial-strength Product 90593: http://www.velcro.com/products.php?sortBy=category&catId=51 http://www.velcro.com/products.php?sortBy=category&catId... Refining their approach, mine was to figure out the position the legs would occupy under the top. Figure out where the Velcro strips on the trestle top will be; I left the screw heads visible for possible future disassembly. Make them long enough to allow for some adjustment, e.g. 4 - 5 inches each. Locate where the center of those strips will meet the underside of the top. Apply the complementary Velcro material in strips running perpendicular to this; again, make the strips long enough for some ad hoc adjustment. Position the trestles. Match the top up with one trestle -- it helps to have two people for this. Then adjust the other trestle as you lower the other side. The Velcro holds things together quite well. As an alternative to the trestle legs, IKEA offers a variety of metal legs that screw into the bottom of the tabletop -- the top is even predrilled in a pattern that accommodates many of them. The cheapest of those legs are simple metal tubes, at a fairly standard height, for $5 apiece. It appears they would make an ok table, although not as stable as the trestle legs (which make a quite stable unit). They can be lowered with a hack saw, if needed. IKEA also has adjustable, individual metal post legs, but they feel too wobbly to me. They have higher end leg pairs, including adjustable ones, that may be more stable, but I was doing this on the (extreme) cheap. So, to wrap up this overlong description, I have two of the Persbo tops, with trestles, that I will use in an "L" shaped configuration. The each top is large enough to easily accommodate a multi-monitor set up -- again, though, check weight. Maybe buy and set up one unit, first, to make sure you are happy with the results. If not, you still have a good, cheap work table -- maybe drop the printer and other stuff on it. I feel I went way over the top in my description, but I've been pleased with the results so far, felt it was a good "hack" of my workspace, and enjoy sharing knowledge I've won, of whatever sort. If you do give it a go and it works out for you, let me know. Oh, finally, re IKEA, prices, and "disposable" furniture. IKEA advertises that many of their wood products are from sustainable lumber. But I just saw an article recently that says this isn't necessarily true. They have only something like 8 inspectors checking lumber sources, and this just doesn't cut it. Probably, they are still ending up with a lot of black and gray market lumber, including apparently stuff coming out of Eastern Russia. So... If you buy / use their stuff, treat it like other, more expensive furniture: Maintain it, and if/when you get rid of it, pass it on for further use and do not simply junk it.
  • kvs 17y ago
    Thanks for the info. This seems like a good option. Any ideas on chairs?
    • pasbesoin 17y ago
      Keep your eyes open -- basic office chairs seem to often be on sale at one place or another. And sale prices often seem to knock a significant percentage off the normal price. People can be rather particular about their chairs, though. Make sure whatever you get is comfortable. Some may want to pick or bring in their own. You'll also want to make sure they roll ok on whatever you have as a floor. It gets tiring quickly if every tuck in to and every pushing back and standing up is an effort. Chair wheels are one factor. But if the flooring is just uncooperative, there are plastic chair mats that can help. They can also protect less durable flooring, if that is a concern. With the Persbo table/desk, if you try that route, I would suggest getting just one at first and seeing what you think of it. Tastes and performance needs vary, and I'd hate to steer you wrong if yours don't match mine. You might also look at some of the other table tops, e.g. if you decide you need a harder (laminate) surface or something capable of a higher load. Pay attention to the edges, though. I find that sharp angles on the edges are significantly less comfortable. I tend to lean on the table/desk edge at times, and they really dig in, then. Good luck! P.S. Try typing on the Persbo top, as well, if you can. I realize now that since it's lighter weight, it resonates a bit more with the typing and so makes the typing sound somewhat louder. Especially in a shared workspace, this might bother some people (I know others' typing noise bothers me; however, the workspace I described is my own, private one, so this is not a factor for me in using the Persbo top).
• dc2k08 17y ago
  I like what these guys did with cardboard: http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2009/march/step-into-my-cardboard-office http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2009/march/step-into...