The revolution that personal computers have brought to the world keeps expanding and evolving in ways we never dreamed of just a few decades ago. Internet and broadband makes it possible to correspond, see, and speak to people halfway around the world. In our own personal laptops, we have computers more powerful than the ones that helped put men on the moon. Instead of NASA’s moon-era roomfuls of computers, though, ours can fit in a hideaway computer desk right in our own homes. The question for today, though: where should we put it?

People today are certainly multitasking. They telecommute, they tele-moonlight, they are starting their own businesses…while they take care of a baby, watch the kids, cook dinner; in short, they need the computer to be where the action is. Not only can you have your home office wherever it’s the most convenient, and better still, you can close it all away from prying little fingers.

Then there’s the matter of interior decoration. People work long and hard to make an attractive home, and now their home office can be in any room of the house, and not stick out like a sore thumb. The papers and any clutter is all shut away as well, and the room looks as well-ordered and tidy as it did before the doors were opened.

To the harried and harassed home businessperson, it’s a bit like magic. Open the doors, an office appears. When the work is done, it disappears in a matter of seconds.

Inside the doors is room for your PC and motherboard or laptop, a roll-out shelf for your keyboard or mouse, and different shelves for monitor, phone, shredder, stationery, depending on the model you buy. Roll up your chair and you’re ready to go.

A glance through the Internet shows that there are styles for every interior design. Different shades of wood, different styles, from Early American to modern. For those with the room, there are computer armoires with beautiful styling and tons of room. There are styles that can fit in a tight space, there are even flat packages that do-it-yourselfers can put together on their own.

Of course, there are some caveats. Always measure before you buy; not just your room space but the size of your computer, to make sure it fits inside as well as out. Remember to make allowances for how much space the doors will take up when it’s opened.

Make sure it fits your personal needs. There are models made for left-handers. If you tend toward the claustrophobic, make sure you will have enough personal space for comfort.

Make certain that the space you’ve allocated to your unit is close to electrical outlets. Folk tripping over extension cords doesn’t make good business sense.

The hideaway computer desk could be one of the best purchases you will make in this current computer age. Perhaps, years from now, you will be showing it off and saying, “…and that’s where I made my first million…”

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at 9:06 am and is filed under Buying Guides, furniture.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.