For many of our customers, a beautiful desk from stores like Crate and Barrel, Restoration Hardware, or CB2 can be a great option if they occasionally work from home. Unfortunately for myself and the rest of the interior design team at Design Inside, we spend 8+ hours a day at our desks working intensely. Some flimsy or non-functional desks wont cut it. We have also seen that more and more of our customers are also starting to work from home for a few days out of the week as well. Because of this telecommuting trend, we are seeing increased needs for more robust desk systems for the home office which is why we decided to check out and review the Ikea sit/stand desk.
Sit/Stand Desks Come Marching Into the Market
One of the best changes in desk technology in the past few years is the trend towards Sit/Stand desks. The idea is that instead of sitting all day, these desks give you the option to stand which leads to increased blood flow and better posture. According to JustStand.org, standing for 8 hours would help me burn an extra 322 calories a day. Sure, it’s not a big difference, but it helps me justify grabbing a cold beer from Revolution Brewing. Also, if I were really looking to burn the extra calories while improving my posture, I would have to step it up to a treadmill desk.
The “Functional” Solution
Over the past year, I have been using an after-market sit/stand desk from Ergotron which sits atop an IKEA GALANT desk. I absolutely love the functionality, but it is a massive unit that definitely seems out of place in my home office. It easily transforms from sitting to standing position and can support dual 23″ monitors.
Throughout my year of using a sit/stand desk, I’ve noticed that my lower back doesn’t hurt as much and that I generally stand straighter. Also, standing more has increased my flexibility which has helped me considerably in my Yoga classes as well as when I run with our incredibly hyper Border Collie, Max. Because of the benefits of standing, Katy and I figured that we would have to suffer through the less than ideal looks of this sit/stand desk. I figured that I didn’t have many other options since Ergotron makes some of the best static and moving monitor mounts out there.
IKEA Comes to the Rescue
Fortunately, my luck has changed. The other day while I was at an IKEA in the Chicago area, I spotted the new IKEA BEKANT desk system which included a sit/stand option with a clever cable organization system included. Even more impressive was the fact that the entire desk retails for $489. The Ergotron sit/stand adapter was $399 not including the desk.
The IKEA Sit/Stand Desk is Amazing
As an experiment, Katy and I picked up one of these desks in White with the Birch Veneer Countertop and gave it a try for a few days. The entire design team loved that they could easily adjust the height of the desk with the touch of a button. I loved the fact that I was finally able to find a sit/stand desk that was less than $1000 and didn’t look overwhelming.
Ikea Bekant Desk in Sit Mode
Katy sitting at the Ikea Bekant desk with custom countertop
Ikea Bekant Desk in Stand Mode
Katy standing at Ikea Bekant desk
The BEKANT desk comes in a variety of configurations with different tabletops. Originally, we selected the white tabletop with the white base. Though the desk had a nice clean look to it, we were not in love with the standard countertop. So, we retrofitted the white base with the butcher block countertop which has a warmer and cozier feeling to it. Someday, I’ll try to post a how-to guide on how I did this.
Conclusion
Previously, we owned the IKEAN GALANT desk series and loved the flexibility and durability of the desk system. The BEKANT (which is replacing the GALANT) looks to have the same build quality with an improved cable management system as well as the sit/stand option. We are thrilled with how the one desk turned out for Katy and have plans to build similar desks for the rest of the interior design team. Who knows, I may even get around to building myself a new desk to replace my nerd station Ergotron sit/stand desk.
Let us know what you think about the standing desk trend. Do you think it’s better for your body? Do you think it is a fad? Or, do you think we should all get treadmill desks instead? I’m interested in your thoughts and feelings.
Need Decorating Help For Your Home Office?
Not sure what devices to buy to automate your home? Or, do you have a better suggestion? Leave a comment below and either myself or someone from the interior design team at Design Inside will help you out.
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