The feng-shui philosophy of design has tons of advice on how to decorate your work desk for the ultimate work success. However, if you don’t have a desk according to your taste, one that really makes you smile when you look at it first thing when you enter the office, then no feng-shui advice could bring you success.

So, before you jump into decorating it, first you should buy the right one; but if you thought that choosing a work desk just by the looks of it was the way to do it, you are terribly wrong. Choosing a work desk should be a carefully thought through process, since you are going to be stuck behind that desk for quite some time. That being said, you’re going to want not just to be ‘wowed’ every time you look at it, but to also feel comfortable using it. This means, you need to consider a few basic things when choosing your work desk:

1. Its purpose

What will you mostly use the desk for? This should be closely related to your profession, so what do you do? Are you an executive doing tons of paperwork and answering phones all day, or are you an architect, buried in large paper formats, pencils and drawings? Have in mind your needs and choose a desk that will be large enough to fit all your necessities so all of them can be within your arm’s reach.

2. Ergonomics and space

A desk can be ergonomic, despite the fact that most people think only chairs can be described as such. An ergonomic desk gives you enough space for your legs to comfortably fit underneath. The standard desk height should be around 77 centimetres. If you work on a computer, then have in mind that the keyboard should be placed at a comfortable height as well. For some users, a keyboard tray would be perfect. Bottom line here, you should have enough space on the desk surface for all your things and still have enough space as a working area.

3. Quality and durability

You can easily test these characteristics of a work desk by looking at the drawers. They can tell you a lot about the quality of the desk. For instance, if the suspension rollers are metal, that shows sturdy suspension. Moreover, if the drawers open easily while they are bearing weight, then that is a sign of a good work desk. Another sign of quality are the desk’s edges; examine them well – you don’t want any fraying. Finally, the desk’s warranty will give you a good idea of the quality and durability of it and whether you can expect it to serve you for a long time or not.