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here's something undeniably chic about a desk floating in the middle of a room—it feels intentional, curated, and, dare I say, powerful. But the logistics of keeping it functional (read: cord-free and clutter-free) can make or break the space. Here are some tips for designing an equally stylish and practical home office while keeping your desk as the stunning focal point it deserves to be.
Minimize the Cord Chaos
Let’s talk about the most significant challenge: cords. If you’re using a laptop and need a second monitor, opt for a monitor that charges your laptop via a single USB-C cable when plugged in (something like this monitor). One cord slinking down the desk instead of two? That’s a huge win.
Lighting can also make or break a space, so the only item I am OK with on a desk with a cord is a desk lamp. You’ll get bonus points if you select a cordless desk lamp (rounded up a few options below!)!
Setting up a realistic view of my desk in the middle of my home office. Please ignore the ribbons behind the laptop, I have children LOL.
A Clever Power Set Up At Your Desk
No matter how many cords you have, you’ll need an extension cord, as no monitor cords are 10+ feet long. So, the overarching rule of thumb is that the monitor and light cords should run to a single extension cord. An important note about your extension cord: did you know most of them have two little screw hooks on the back of them? This is so you can drill screws into the bottom of your desk, and the extension cord socket portion can be affixed to the underside of your desk—out of sight, out of mind.
Now that your extension cord is affixed to the bottom of the desk, you want your monitor and lamp cords running as efficiently and cleanly as possible to the underside of the desk and into the socket part of the extension cord. Use command hooks or cord guides to keep them on track to where they should be going and prevent them from dangling. Ideally, there’s a rug underneath your desk in which you can cut a small hole. I cut mine near one of the legs to discreetly route the cord under the rug to the wall outlet. No tripping hazards, no unsightly wires.
If wires are unavoidable, get a basket like this where they can be hidden.
Do I even need to tell you to go cordless for your mouse and keyboard? That seems obvious!
Setting up a realistic view of my desk in the middle of my home office. I still need to tuck the extension cord closer to the leg of the desk. I am also charging my phone through my computer so there’s an extra white cord coming from my laptop – can you tell I despise cords?!
Storage That Works For You – But Off Your Desk
Since your desk isn’t against a wall (where clutter can conveniently hide), you’ll need a system that keeps essentials within reach but out of sight. If your space has built-ins behind you, use them strategically:
- Designate a charging station for your phone, tablet, and headphones—either in the built-ins or via your computer’s USB ports if storage isn’t an option.
- Keep daily-use items (notebooks, planners) stored neatly in a nice basket so they don’t migrate to the desk surface.
- This is where extra lighting and extras like diffusers can also be kept.
Remember not to clutter the space behind your desk, either—treat it like any other space you’re decorating. Think of colours, textures, scale, etc.
Minimal Intentional Decor in Your Home Office
A floating desk already makes a statement, so don’t overcomplicate things with unnecessary decor. Stick to a few practical yet beautiful essentials:
- A coaster for your drink (water rings are the enemy of a gorgeous desk surface)
- A stylish pencil holder for pens
- Maybe a framed photo or a small plant, but don’t go overboard—less is more here.
A home office should be a space that makes you feel productive, not overwhelmed. By keeping cords streamlined, storage purposeful, and decor minimal, your floating desk setup will look high-end and function like a dream.
If you’re here and you’re like nope – this isn’t going to work for me – head to my first home office for some inspiration.
This spring decor post is sponsored by Wayfair Canada and contains affiliate links. This means I may
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