Desk sizes, and the space a home office needs
Updated 10 October 2026
A standard desk is 48 × 24 in (120 × 60 cm) and 28–30 in (71–76 cm) tall; two monitors want 60 × 30 in (150 × 75 cm). Leave 36 in (90 cm) behind the desk for the chair to push back and you to get out — 30 in (76 cm) is the squeeze. The smallest corner that works as an office is about 4 × 5 ft (120 × 150 cm): the desk, the chair, and nothing else.
Standard desk dimensions
| Desk | Width × depth | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Compact / laptop desk | 40 × 20 in · 100 × 50 cm | A laptop and a mug |
| Standard desk | 48 × 24 in · 120 × 60 cm | One monitor, a laptop beside it |
| Large desk | 60 × 30 in · 150 × 75 cm | Two monitors, or one and room to write |
| Executive / double desk | 72 × 36 in · 180 × 90 cm | Two people facing, or one with everything |
| L-shaped desk | 60 × 60 in · 150 × 150 cm, each arm 24–30 in · 60–75 cm deep | A monitor on one arm, paper on the other |
| Standing desk | 48–60 in · 120–150 cm wide; height 24–50 in · 60–127 cm | Any of the above, at elbow height either way |
Desk height is 28–30 in (71–76 cm) and chair seats 16–21 in (40–53 cm): with your elbows at 90° the desktop should be at elbow height, which for most adults is a 29 in (74 cm) desk and a chair at 18 in (46 cm). Knees need 24 in (60 cm) of width and 18 in (45 cm) of depth under the top.
The room around a desk
| Behind or beside the desk | Leave | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Behind the desk, to a wall | 36 in · 90 cm (30 in · 76 cm at a squeeze) | Chair pushed back, you standing up |
| Behind the desk, where people walk past | 48 in · 120 cm | Someone passes behind a seated person |
| Beside the desk, to a wall | 0–6 in · 0–15 cm | Against the wall is fine; a cable gap helps |
| In front of a bookcase or filing cabinet | 36 in · 90 cm | A drawer open, and you at it |
| Eyes to monitor | 20–30 in · 50–75 cm | An arm's length; further for a 32 in screen |
| Window | Desk at 90° to it | Light from the side, no glare on the screen and none behind you on calls |
The smallest space that works
| Setup | Footprint |
|---|---|
| Desk 48 × 24 in against a wall, chair, nothing else | 4 × 5 ft · 120 × 150 cm |
| Desk 60 × 30 in, chair, a bookcase beside it | 7 × 5.5 ft · 210 × 165 cm |
| Two desks 48 × 24 in side by side, two chairs | 8 × 5 ft · 240 × 150 cm |
| Two desks facing across the room, a walkway between | 8 × 11 ft · 240 × 330 cm |
| L-desk in a corner, chair | 6 × 6 ft · 180 × 180 cm |
In a bedroom that is also an office, the desk goes where the bed's 30 in (76 cm) walkway already is — one strip of floor does both jobs — and never across a wardrobe door.
Try it in the room you have. Open Won't Fit with a home office already drawn, set the walls to your measurements, and move the desk until the chair pushes back, the door opens and the window is where the light should be. Free for two rooms, no account.
Open a home office