The Convertible Compact Desk by Crate & Barrel

Even if we could afford a mansion we don’t think we could live in one. We’d be missing out on a whole lot of invigorating fun if we lived in a large home.  The furniture version of Tetris, a game we have played for many years in our small two bedroom apartment, has not only kept us fit by providing us with a hearty workout but has also given us  hours of brain stimulating activity, which (crossing our fingers) we hope will ward off senility in our elderly stage of life. So it will come as no surprise to regular Modern Urban Living readers, we have a near fervent obsession with any item that converts, collapses or contorts into something else.

 So imagine our excitement cruising the design scene this morning, to discover another transforming secretaire! The Convertible Compact Desk by Crate & Barrel is every studio and loft dweller’s home office solution. To the untrained eye it may appear to be your average ebony stained poplar dresser but oh no, no, no! This little chest holds a wonderful secret any laptop user will appreciate. When you slide the top panel of the bureau open it becomes a desk with enough room for your laptop and inside the dresser you will find plenty of storage space for all your files and requisite gadgets. The dresser/desk also features nifty cord cutouts so you can charge your IPod, phone or laptop while storing it discreetly in the roomy storage compartments. And when you’re done using the desk, you simply slide the panel back and it is once again a handsome dresser. Working a home office into your small space will not cost you an arm and a leg, at just $500 it’s an economical solution to your home office needs.