I Built My Ideal Workspace After Replacing My Desk

Hello to everyone in the cable-hating, desk-tidying industry. I have now stepped into this world myself, so I will report on it in detail.

1. It all started with rethinking the desk

I work at home sitting side-by-side with my wife. Due to various circumstances, I moved the dining table I was using as a work desk to the kitchen where it belongs, and after that, I used an IKEA work table that was free, but it had the following problems:

・The laptop takes up space on the desk
・A width of 150cm is too narrow for two people to use
・Not strong enough to support monitors and monitor arms

Here is the before.

My wife uses a 15-inch laptop, and I use a 13-inch MacBook Air connected to a monitor (I use a Windows desktop for CG production). My wife keeps her computer on the desk permanently, while I take mine out and connect it only when necessary. There is a lot of waste.

For the 150cm-wide work table, the chair mats are 90cm wide, so they overlap when placed side-by-side. Multiple monitors and monitor arms are heavy, and the table wobbling at the slightest movement is also a subtle source of stress.

The workspace is the place where I spend the most time every day, so I decided to take the plunge and replace the desk, and also rethink things like cable management to build my ideal work environment.

2. Curtains with a calm, unbleached look

At this point, I decided to do it thoroughly and started by rethinking the curtains. Originally, they were flashy curtains with red and white patterns, but since they were distracting, I bought white curtains that look like unbleached fabric.

The room has a calm atmosphere, and for some reason, it feels a little wider. By the way, there were fold marks right after installation, but I left them alone because they were shape-memory, and they disappeared. Amazing.

3. A DIY desk with a wooden top and iron legs has excellent stability

Although I searched extensively for ready-made products, I couldn't find a desk that met my requirements, so I decided to DIY it. First, I simulated the size in CG. I planned for two 100cm widths.

I purchased the wooden top from Marutoku, which is familiar in the desk-tidying industry, and the iron legs from Kanademono (THE LEGS / Square x Black Steel). The specifications for the top are as follows.

The deciding factor for choosing Kanademono for the iron legs was the smart tray for mounting a laptop to the underside of the tabletop. The hole positions match the iron legs, allowing them to be installed together using the bolts for the legs. I also love the minimalist design.

My wife's and my laptops can now be permanently mounted to the underside of the tabletop, leaving the desk surface clean and spacious. There is no longer any need to take out the computer every time we use it.

Many people might think an electric drill is necessary for drilling holes in the tabletop, but a hand drill worked fine for me. I recommend using a manual one because it is less likely to fail, as you won't accidentally drill too deep all at once.

The most difficult part, drilling the holes in the tabletop, was completed successfully, and the threaded inserts were installed cleanly. Yay!

When drilling the tabletop, I created a simple diagram to ensure I didn't make any mistakes with the positioning.

I checked the specifications of the bolts that come with the iron legs with the manufacturer before purchasing the threaded inserts. What is important is the "pitch," which indicates the spacing between the screw threads. Be careful, because even if the thickness and length are the same, the bolt and nut will not fit if the pitch is different.

I sanded the tabletop and applied multiple coats of natural, unbleached beeswax wax. It has a gentle, indescribable scent that makes me feel happy (the scent fades gradually). After applying the wax, the color of the tabletop improved dramatically.

The producers of the wax are also wonderful people, and I feel that just finding this amazing product made the DIY project worth it. Being able to choose all the materials freely is one of the good things about DIY.

The finished desk weighs about 18kg and is extremely stable. Even with a monitor and monitor arm attached, it doesn't budge. The texture of the natural wood is also superb. Living in the countryside, nature is more abundant than in the city, but the comfort of a wooden desk is exceptional. Since the width was expanded by 50cm by combining two units, there is now plenty of room on the desk and for my feet.

My room isn't very large, and I thought it would feel cramped if I widened the desk, but perhaps it feels wider because the workspace has become larger.

Desks with wooden tabletops and iron legs are also sold by Kanademono, but by doing it myself, I succeeded in cutting costs by about 23,000 yen, even after deducting the cost of tools. Well, I put in the effort, but if you like DIY, it's fun.

4. Beautiful, high-performance microphone and its companions

The high-end SM7B microphone is a legendary mic used by the likes of Craig Federighi (a big shot at Apple) and Michael Jackson, and the box even says 'Legendary Vocal Microphone'.

The minimalist Compass microphone arm is a perfect match for the SM7B, and its cable-hiding mechanism is a dream for anyone who hates messy cables.

I also discovered the EVO4, a compact, beginner-friendly, and stylish audio interface, through a desk setup magazine and decided to dive in. Thank you so much.

I often see reviews saying the SM7B has low output and requires a booster, but I found it worked fine without one as long as I spoke relatively close to it. If you want to keep it further away so it doesn't appear on camera during Zoom calls, you might need a booster.

The Compass arm is easy to adjust, and it firmly supports the heavy, metal-bodied SM7B. When I attached it to the back of my desk, it managed to clear my 27-inch monitor perfectly.

When I'm not using the mic, I can just swing it outward so it doesn't get in the way. Both the mic and the arm are made of metal with a matte finish, giving them a premium feel. Beautiful.

The EVO4 is USB-C bus-powered, so it can be connected to a MacBook Air or iPad Pro with just a single cable. Luckily, my Windows machine also had a USB-C port, so I didn't need an adapter. I usually keep it set up on my desktop PC.

I also bought some Sony studio monitor headphones a while back. I did this because I learned that if you don't record with proper headphones, you might end up with noise that you couldn't hear yourself, but that people with proper headphones definitely can.

Since they provide a neutral sound, I feel these are headphones for creators rather than for just enjoying music.

Clearly overkill. But the level of self-satisfaction is at an all-time high. My wallet, however...

I've used them for online presentations and Zoom calls, and I've received compliments on the good sound quality. I'll be making the most of them from now on to get my money's worth.

5. A cart to keep my desktop PC off the floor

Until now, my desktop PC was on the floor, but that's not ideal as it tends to collect dust, so I decided to put it on a cart. I couldn't find anything I liked in the PC peripherals category, but I bought IKEA's RÖVARN product as it seemed like it would work size-wise.

The RÅSKOG has storage space, but I can't open the lid because my desktop PC is on top of it. However, I was able to pass cables through the multiple holes in the bottom, so I've utilized it for cable storage. I place my router next to the desktop PC and put the extra LAN cables inside the RÅSKOG.

It's easy to move around thanks to the wheels. The load capacity is an impressive 80kg, so it handles the weight of the desktop PC with ease.

6. Cable management utilizing the iron legs

For cable management, I take advantage of the iron leg material by making full use of magnetic products.

I attach elago cable holders to my Lightning and USB cables and stick them to the iron legs.

I couldn't find a design I liked for a long time, so when I finally found this product, I immediately bought the 3-pack. I didn't need the base, so I thought I wanted more of them, but then...

I discovered a pack with many more later on. And it was cheaper (tears). However, I realized that they stick more strongly with the base than when attached directly to the iron legs, so I started using the bases too.

I use the NZXT PUCK for my headphone hanger. The magnet is super strong, so it doesn't budge under the weight of headphones. It's also great that I can wrap and store longer cables around it. I liked it so much that I bought another one.

The Elecom power strip also has a super strong magnet. I was surprised at how well the design and color blend in, as if it were designed specifically for these iron legs.

I use JOTO sleeves for cable storage. It keeps multiple cables bundled together neatly. I pat myself on the back for the clever trick of using the monitor arm screws as a place to hold cables (lol).

I also use Velcro cable ties to bundle the cables.

The bundled cables are fixed to the iron legs with detachable cable ties. Please be careful when purchasing, as most ties of this type are not reusable.

Since the cable ties I had on hand were a bit short, I connected them together to adjust the length. It would look neater if I cut off the excess, but since it's in a spot that isn't very visible and I'm considering reusing them, I've left them as is.

I could hide the cables even more by fiddling with the underside of the tabletop, but I'm the type who prefers to use the tabletop without modifying it as much as possible, so I chose to secure them with cable ties.

If you want to hide your cables thoroughly, please check out the note by Mr. Ando, a heavyweight in the 'I hate cables' industry.

I would like to unify everything around the cables in black, but I'm still using the white Anker power strip I just bought. Since the USB ports (Type A and two Type Cs) are effective for keeping cables tidy, I prioritize convenience over color. I might replace it if a black power strip with USB ports comes out.

The smart tray for power strips made by Kanademono is the perfect size for the Anker power strip. Since it's on the underside of the tabletop, the cable clutter doesn't enter my field of vision. Under the smart tray, I've stuck on split PUCKs to bundle the Lightning and USB-C cables together.

I used to keep the power strip in a cable box on the floor, but it was in the way when cleaning and tended to collect dust, so it's definitely better not to have it on the floor.

7. Monitor arms to make the desk spacious and easy to clean

My wife uses an Ergotron, and I use an Amazon dual monitor arm. Since the Amazon product is an OEM of the Ergotron, the design and performance are almost the same, but after actually using them, I noticed the following differences.

・Paint (surface finish)
・Logo color

The Amazon arm has a smooth, glossy paint finish, whereas the Ergotron has a textured, matte finish. The Amazon logo is also white and quite prominent, while the Ergotron logo is a dark gray that blends into the product, giving it a more premium feel. If you're getting a single arm, the price difference between the two is small, so I recommend the Ergotron.

Since there is space behind the monitor, being able to admire the design of the monitor and the arm is a point of pride.

My main monitor is an EIZO CS2731, and my sub-monitor is an EV2750. EIZO monitors, which reign as kings in the video and CG industry, are quite expensive, but I feel they possess quality commensurate with that price.

8. Hidden Sword: Demon's Claw

This is a great product idea that lets you install a small storage compartment in the 5-inch bay of a desktop PC. Whoever thought of this is a genius. It stores small items like AirPods and eye drops.

After finishing building my ideal work environment

My ideal work environment is finally complete. There is plenty of room both on and under the desk, allowing me to stretch my legs fully. I even have enough space to place a houseplant in the corner of the desk.

The before shot again.

And the after. When placed together, the two desks look like a single board. After rearranging the seating, I moved to the back.

I didn't have a preference for natural wood, prioritizing desk size and durability instead, but it has an overwhelming sense of freshness, so it was a great choice. This refreshing feel is likely largely due to the beeswax wax.

Considering my CG production environment, I cannot let go of Windows at the moment due to reasons like ease of machine upgrades and software compatibility. However, the power of Apple Silicon Macs is tremendous, and since Cinema 4D, which I use as my main tool, is quick to support Apple, I plan to migrate my main environment back to Mac.

I will report back when I update my work environment again. Thank you for reading until the end!

Reference

I have written more detailed information about the desk DIY on my personal blog. Please take a look if you are interested.

Below is a summary of where to purchase the products introduced in this article and their prices at the time of purchase. The links are consolidated on Amazon (excluding products not available on Amazon). For your reference.

Desk

・Tabletop x2 | Marutoku | 26,200 yen
・Iron Legs (Square x Black Steel) x2 | Kanademono | 39,600 yen
・Smart Tray for Laptop x2 | Kanademono | 11,000 yen
・Smart Tray for Power Strip | Kanademono | 5,500 yen
・Star-M Craft Handle | Amazon | 1,931 yen
・Drill Bit (9mm) + Handle | 646 yen
・Murakoshi Onime Nut M6 x 16 (5-pack) x7 | Rakuten | 1,141 yen
・Unbleached Beeswax Wax 300ml C Type | Amazon | 3,100 yen
・Hand Sander | Amazon | 1,180 yen
・Sandpaper | Amazon | 1,099 yen

Microphone / Headphones

・SM7B | Ikebe Gakki | 50,767 yen
・Compass (microphone stand) | Amazon | 14,000 yen
・EVO4 (audio interface) | Sound House | 14,120 yen
・Hosa XLR microphone cable | Amazon | 1,320 yen
・Studio monitor headphones MDR-CD900ST | e-earphone | 16,500 yen

Cable management

・Elecom power strip | Amazon | 2,590 yen
・Anker power strip | Amazon | 4,290 yen
・elago cable holder | Amazon | 1,919 yen
・NZXT PUCK Black x2 | Bic Camera, etc. | 5,120 yen
・JOTO cable management sleeve 8m | Amazon | 3,099 yen
・Cable ties | Amazon | 1,399 yen
・ELPA cable ties | Local hardware store | approx. 300 yen

Monitor arm / Monitor

・Amazon Basics monitor arm (reference) | Amazon | 12,101 yen
・Amazon Basics dual monitor arm | Amazon | 14,575 yen
・Ergotron monitor arm | Amazon | 13,980 yen
・EIZO ColorEdge CS2731 | Amazon | 127,764 yen
・EIZO FlexScan EV2750 | Amazon | 78,440 yen

Other

・Curtains | Bikkuri Curtain | 24,695 yen
・LÖVA bed canopy | IKEA | 5,289 yen
・AINEX 5-inch bay accessory tray | Amazon | 927 yen