Not very long ago, no kitchen was considered complete without a built-in desk. It was a place where a homeowner could sit while paying bills, doing the household accounts or annotating a recipe. Then, toward the end of the 20th century, those desks went out of style. They looked like a relic of a simpler and slower-paced era. Home improvement magazines ran articles on how to convert the former desk space into counter space or cupboards.
But now a kitchen with a workstation is a hot commodity. During the lockdown of 2020, nearly all American office workers worked from home. Remote and hybrid workplaces had been gradually gaining traction for decades, but the success of the remote workplace during the lockdowns, combined with ongoing child care and elder care problems exacerbated by the pandemic, prompted many offices to go fully or partly remote. A recent study by Quantum Workplace showed that only about a third (36%) of office workers worked entirely from the office by the summer of 2021.
If you belong to the other two-thirds — or if you’re thinking of selling your home in the near future — you may be wondering how to build a desk into an existing kitchen. It’s easier than it sounds. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Find another place for the fridge
Most kitchens have a break in the counters where a refrigerator can be installed. It’s also the perfect size for a desk. If you move the fridge and build a desk into this space, you’ll have a sheltered workspace away from the cooking area — and one with good lighting and a built-in outlet.
Add a breakfast nook
Working at the kitchen table has been a popular choice throughout the pandemic. Adding a small, multipurpose table in an out-of-the-way spot is the option for households with multiple remote workers.
Extend the counter
If your kitchen counters don’t go the entire length of the room, you have a lot of latitude. You can add a desk extension that suits your needs without having to get rid of any cabinet space.
Forget the chair
Standing desks are increasingly in vogue. Why not turn a section of counter into a standing workstation? It’s certainly cheaper than tearing out a section of counter and rebuilding it at desk height, and you’ll never have to worry about your legs falling asleep over the course of a long workday.
Knock through a wall
In a small kitchen, the best option may be to knock through a wall, creating a multipurpose pass-through. You can then sit on a stool to work or to eat.
If your kitchen doesn’t have a desk — either because it never did or because the desk was converted to counter space in the 1990s — with some effort and ingenuity you can still create a kitchen workstation where you can be relaxed and productive.
Keep in mind that you may need to bring in qualified professionals to help with any changes, especially if plumbing or wiring is involved.
Source: HomeActions