(Photo credit: Vikki Hansen)

Back-2-School Desk

As students nationwide gear up to go back to school, what better time to revisit desks of olde. In the 1800’s, children of all ages often studied together in a schoolhouse. The desks were typically made of wood and decorative cast iron. Some even had inkwells built into the tabletop for the students that were learning to write. The desks were designed to be positioned in rows as a single unit had a seat in the front and desktop in the back. The youngest students sat at the front of the classroom and since they couldn’t read or write yet, they didn’t need a writing surface.

Nowadays, walk into most schools and you’ll quickly notice that contemporary desk designs have come a long way in terms of functionality. Our student desk adjusts in height to allow kids to sit or stand or accommodate use by multiple age groups. The work surface also tilts and it’s wheelchair accessible.

If you’re looking to purchase a modern and ergonomic student desk for functional use, you know where to find one 😉 But if you’d like to add an antique desk to your collection and repurpose it for home décor, you’ll find a number of them for sale on online, particularly on eBay. They range in price and condition from as low as $25 to hundreds of dollars. If you are patient, you might also get lucky by scouring estate and garage sales in your local area or even a thrift store.