Antique desk sales surging amid the pandemic

Antique desk sales surging amid the pandemic

With working from home becoming the new normal, it’s not surprising that we've seen a massive surge in searches for antique and vintage desks here at Antiques Boutique.

It's not just on Antiques Boutique either, Wayfair has seen their shares surge 37% as people shop for desks and chairs to create a perfect environment to work from home. Research from John Lewis has also highlighted the impact of home working, as it found that 28% of people have repurposed a room, to use as a home office. This comes as many people are saying they'll be continuing to work from home for at least a few days a week, even if it is not enforced by government rules. We've done the same in our company, and I've converted a part of my own home into work space, (set apart from my beautiful, yet noisy one year old daughter).

17th century Italian walnut bureau from dealer La Place Antiques

Some desk-seekers have also experienced issues trying to find their perfect work station, with many retailers out of stock and others lacking any sense of individuality and style. People tend to prefer not to have a corporate piece of furniture in their homes, particularly if they don’t have a dedicated room to keep it in – an ugly desk shoved in the corner of living or dining room doesn’t quite strike the right tone.  This helps to explain why a lot of buyers have turned to antique or vintage furniture - especially as antiques have proven longevity which makes them a better and more sustainable investment.

20th century Swedish Oak Writing Table, circa 1940 from Appley Hoare Antiques

The "instagramable" home office

For the discerning home worker who wants to create the perfect "Instagrammable" home office, antique and vintage desks - accompanied by a beautiful chair - have been very much in demand. Mid-century designs in particular have proved popular on our site.

However, for an Instagram home office shot, a lone desk probably won’t suffice. The ideal chair, rug and decorative accessories are also essential to complete the look and to make a creative and productive space. For sellers of antiques and vintage items, it's all about setting up your items with accompanying pieces. Antiques Boutique dealers Georgia Lacey do a great job of setting up their shots with accompanying pieces, such as this Swedish writing desk, which has recently sold. What a calming place to work that would be.

Antique desk accessories

We’ve picked out a few of our favourite decorative accessories and desk accessories to help you create your work space of dreams.

We think this leather fire bucket (one of three available), circa 1790, from dealer Room 8 Interiors could make a perfect waste paper basket next to (or under) your desk:-

This Beaverman Oak Book Through from dealer English Country House Antiques doesn't only have to display books. It could also be used to prop your tablet on your desk whilst it charges, or you could use it for reading notes. It could even store notepads or other important work documents.

This pair of desk cannons from Antiques Boutique dealer Tales from the Rookery would look beautiful on a rustic desk – just like the one they're pictured on.

For a more traditional look, we've picked this French Brass Inkwell from Antiques Boutique dealer Great Grooms.

Banks of drawers - such as apothecary drawers and haberdashery drawers - have also been rising in popularity over the past few months as people look for ways to store stationery, paperwork, and general clutter. This beautiful bank of 19th century seed drawers, from Room 8 Interiors, would look fabulous in a home office.

Moving to lighting, we've browsed through the antique desk lamps category and picked out this 1930’s Dugdills small industrial table lamp from Patricia Harvey Antiques.

And lastly, to wall decoration. We've picked out this original enamel advertising sign from dealer Walters & Williams.

Surround yourself with beautiful things

Antique desks, and antiques in general, are now reaching an audience that may not have necessarily thought about purchasing them before. Our mission is to make the sustainable world of antiques mainstream. With a growing trend of conscious consumers, a rise in ethical concerns has seen more of a demand for antiques and vintage items. Whilst often more expensive than something you can get from IKEA, over time they'll usually increase in value and have already been proven to last. So they're not only better for the environment; they're better value for money in the long term as you won't be replacing them every few years!

So if you're going to be working from home for the long term, why not surround yourself with beautiful things that are built to last?

• Antique desks
• Antique desk accessories
• Antique chairs
• Antique rugs
• Antique desk lamps
• Decorative accessories

French Art Deco Walnut Desk c1930 from dealer The Furniture Rooms