Ever notice that most desks are ugly and take up way too much space?  For me, a desk is a necessary evil, especially now that I have a huge-monitored Mac desktop and notebook.  Crate and Barrel’s Oak Park Compact Office is a cool solution to the desk dilemma.  The small, solid walnut workspace looks like a Prairie-style console table, but has a pull-out keyboard drawer, file cabinet, and drawer and shelf space for a printer, fax machine, or office supplies.  When the desk is not in use, everything can be neatly concealed.  It’s low enough to the ground to conceal pesky wires, too!

This is a great solution for a small apartment, in which your “home office” might also be your living room and bedroom.  If you just have a notebook computer, even better.  Store it in the keyboard drawer, put some small decorative items on top of your workstation, pull your office chair (preferably an attractive one) to the side, and you’ve got a multifunctional piece of furniture.

The Oak Park Compact Office is on sale now for $999.  Check it out at Crate and Barrel at 650 Madison Avenue at East 60th and 611 Broadway at West Houston.