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Elle Decor
March  2005

The 10 Most Dynamic Desks
Photography by Pierre Chanteau
Produced by Alison Hall

It's one of the most straightforward and useful pieces of furniture, so why does it seem virtually impossible to find a good desk? Just look at today's offices, where a vast army of metal and plastic desks is engineered to work first and look great last--and that mission has been accomplished.  Conversely, any number of lovely pieces out there would add charm to a home office, but few are functional.

And in these days of online shopping, e-mail, and telecommuting with bills and bank statements piling up, a practical desk for the home is more crucial than ever.  Sara Bengur, known for her light hand in endowing Modernism with an international flair, and Scott Sanders lauded for his fresh, cleaned-up take on '50s Americana, understand that in order to find the right desk, you must first know what your needs are:  Do you require storage? Lots of legroom? Plenty of workspace? A surface that can take a beating? And, of course, it shouldn't resemble some office-supply overstock.  Here the designers share their thoughts on ten of the most versatile and best-looking desks out there.