An L shaped desk works well in an ex council flat when it sits in a true, square corner away from the radiator, leaves at least 90cm of clear floor in front of the chair, and has one return short enough to keep the doorway and window usable. In most of these flats that means a compact unit with arms of roughly 120cm and 100cm, a depth no greater than 60cm, and legs or panels that will not clash with skirting, pipework or a deep window board.
Former local authority homes are often generous in some ways and awkward in others. Rooms tend to be sensibly proportioned, ceilings are usually a standard height, and the walls are solid. At the same time, radiators sit under windows, boiler cupboards eat into hallways, and the second bedroom is frequently a narrow box room. Our range of corner computer desks UK includes many sizes that suit these layouts, and the notes below explain how to choose one with confidence.
A straight desk pushes against a single wall and asks the room to accommodate its full length. An L shaped desk folds that same work surface into a corner, a part of the room that is often wasted. In a box room or a bedroom shared with a bed and wardrobe, turning the corner can free up the middle of the floor and make the space feel less like an office.
The second arm also separates tasks. You can keep a monitor and keyboard on the main run and use the return for paperwork, a printer or a laptop that you dip into occasionally. For anyone working from home several days a week, that separation stops the main surface becoming cluttered.
The shape is not automatically right, though. If the only available corner sits beside the door swing or traps the radiator, a straight desk may serve you better. Look at the whole modern office furniture UK picture before settling on the form.
Corners in older flats are rarely truly square. Plaster build up, thick skirting and the odd boxed pipe can push a desk forward by a few centimetres, which matters when the return arm then meets a door frame. Measure each wall at floor level, at desk height and at about 30cm above the desk. Use the smallest figure.
Check these points as well:
Desks are sold as left hand, right hand or reversible. The terms refer to which side the shorter return arm sits when you face the main run. A reversible design gives you flexibility if you move later, and many tenants and owners in these flats do move between similar properties, so it is worth considering.
Think about the light first. Natural light from the side, rather than directly behind or in front of the screen, is the most comfortable arrangement for screen work. If your window is to the left of the corner, placing the main run on the adjacent wall so the light falls across the desk is usually better than facing straight into it.
Then consider your dominant hand. Right handed people tend to reach for the mouse, notebook and phone on the right, so a right hand return gives them a natural spot for these things. It is a small detail, but you notice it every day.
Ex council flats vary widely, from 1930s cottage estates to postwar maisonettes and 1960s towers, so there is no single size. Still, some patterns are common.
These rooms often measure a little over two metres on one side. A compact L shaped desk with arms of around 100cm by 80cm can work, provided the chair still has space to roll back. Choose a depth of 50cm to 55cm if you mainly use a laptop, and accept that a large external monitor may need a wall arm or riser to keep the surface usable.
If the desk shares a room with a double bed, place it in the corner furthest from the bed so that working and sleeping feel separate. A light finish and slim legs will keep the room from feeling crowded.
Larger living rooms give you more choice. A corner beside the window can hold a full size L shaped desk with 140cm and 120cm arms. A rug under the chair helps define the zone, and a low bookcase on the open side can act as a gentle divider.
A desk in a busy flat takes knocks from shopping bags, children’s toys and the occasional cup of tea. Choose a surface that copes.
Uneven floors deserve their own mention. Older concrete screeds and replaced floorboards can slope slightly. Adjustable feet are a real help here, so look for them in the product details.
Most desks sit at around 73cm to 76cm high, which suits the majority of adults when paired with an adjustable chair. Pull the chair in and check that your elbows rest at roughly a right angle with your shoulders relaxed. Your feet should sit flat on the floor or on a footrest.
The corner itself creates a temptation to sit facing straight into the angle. This puts your screen deep in the corner, often in shadow, and makes the space feel enclosed. Most people find it more comfortable to sit at one of the straight runs with the corner to the side, using it for storage, a lamp or a plant.
A supportive chair matters as much as the desk. Our home office chairs UK include compact designs with low arms that tuck under the surface when you finish for the day, which keeps walkways clear in smaller rooms.
Many L shaped desks come with shelves or a small cupboard built into one end. This is useful, but check that the storage sits on the side you need. A shelf beneath the return can hold a printer, while a closed cupboard hides cables and paperwork when the room has to switch back to being a bedroom or lounge at the end of the day.
If the desk itself is simple, add storage separately. A slim pedestal on castors slides under the main run and can be rolled out when you need it. Wall shelves above the desk use height that is otherwise empty, but be careful drilling into older walls, which can hide cables and pipes. Our home office storage UK range has freestanding options that avoid drilling altogether.
Flats from the postwar decades were wired for far fewer devices than we use now. You may find a single double socket on the wall where the desk goes. A surge protected extension lead fixed under the desk keeps plugs off the floor and away from feet. Cable trays or simple adhesive clips along the rear edge of the desk tidy the rest.
Avoid running leads under rugs, across door thresholds or behind the radiator. If you need more permanent sockets, speak to your landlord or a qualified electrician first.
Not every household has space to give over a corner permanently. Some people rotate between the kitchen table, the sofa and a desk, depending on the day. If you are weighing up whether a dedicated desk is worth it, our piece on living room desks for UK homeworkers looks at how people balance comfort and space in shared rooms.
Flatpack L shaped desks arrive in long boxes. Before ordering, check the lift dimensions if you live above the ground floor, and measure the turn on the stairwell. Assemble the desk in the room where it will live, because a completed L shape rarely fits through a standard internal door.
Lay a blanket or the flattened box on the floor to protect both the desk and your flooring. Work with a second person when attaching the return, since the joint is where most wobble originates. Once it is in place, check it is level and tighten every fixing again after a week of use.
The right L shaped desk for an ex council flat respects the room’s fixed features: the radiator, the window, the door and the sockets. Measure carefully, choose a size that leaves you room to move, and think about light and handedness before you pick a side for the return. Do that, and a corner that previously held nothing much becomes a calm, organised place to work.
When you are ready to compare designs, you can browse our home office collections at Furniture in Fashion, where each product page lists the dimensions you need to check against your own measurements.
In most box rooms, arms of about 100cm by 80cm with a depth of 50cm to 55cm leave enough space for a chair to move. Measure the corner at several heights and use the smallest figure.
Yes, as long as it clears the sill and window board and stays at least 10cm away from the radiator. Position the screen so daylight falls from the side rather than directly behind it.
If you think you might move, a reversible design is sensible because you can switch the return to the other side to suit a new room.
Choose a design with adjustable feet, assemble it in place, and recheck all fixings after the first week. A metal frame also adds rigidity on longer returns.
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