Guides

How to Build a Home-Office Corner With Modular Shelving and a Desk

A practical guide to fitting a work-from-home spot into a living room, bedroom corner or small apartment with our Themis desk, shelf and cabinet.

Updated October 30, 20267-min ReadFred Aubé, CEO

Short answer: Start with the wall, not the furniture. Our Themis desk is wall-mounted and measures 32.0 inches wide, 17.0 inches deep and 24.0 inches high, so it takes very little floor space. Add Themis shelf or cabinet modules of the same width for storage, and hide the clutter behind the cabinet doors when the workday ends.

Most small-space offices are not a room of their own. They are a corner that has to go back to being a living room or bedroom at 6 p.m. A modular wall system lets you size the setup to the space and change it later. This guide uses our published measurements so you can plan with real numbers.

What should you plan before buying?

Measure the wall first, then decide what you need to reach from your chair. These points are general planning advice.

Desk height: many people are comfortable with a work surface around 28 to 30 inches from the floor. Our desk is wall-mounted, so you choose its height when you hang it. Sit at a table you already use, measure what feels right, and mount to that.
Desk depth: a deeper desk suits two monitors or lots of paper. Ours is 17.0 inches deep, which suits a laptop, a notebook and a mug better than a large desktop setup.
Lighting: place the desk so daylight comes from the side rather than behind the screen. Add a task lamp if the corner is dark in the evening.
Clearance: leave about 36 inches behind the chair so you can stand up and walk past. In a bedroom or living room, check that the chair does not block a door or a drawer.
Wall type: wall-mounted modules need secure fixings. Check what your wall is made of, and follow the instructions that come in the box.

For wider advice on open shelving in the main room, see our guide to living room storage.

How do Themis modules combine?

Themis is a modular system built from three units: a desk, a shelf and a cabinet. Each is 32.0 inches wide and 24.0 inches high.

Shelf and cabinet: both can be wall-mounted or freestanding, and both can be hung right side up or upside down. The cabinet has doors that slide open.
Desk: the desk is wall-mounted only, and it can also be hung right side up or upside down.
Mixing: shelves and cabinets can be paired with each other, and the desk is designed to pair with both.
Freestanding units: steel connector brackets join two or more shelves or cabinets side to side or one above the other. Anti-tip brackets secure a freestanding unit to a wall stud.
Wall-mounted units: the box includes a mounting poster and wall anchors, and the back has four keyhole mounts. When you hang several units, start with the bottom ones and build upward.

The Themis collection lets you build your own combination and see it before you order.

Themis modules at a glance

Themis modules at a glance

Module	Overall size (W x D x H)	Mounting	Finishes
Themis desk	32.0 x 17.0 x 24.0 in	Wall-mounted only	Walnut, Oak, Dove
Themis shelf	32.0 x 11.0 x 24.0 in	Wall-mounted or freestanding	Walnut, Oak, Dove, plus back-panel colors
Themis cabinet	32.0 x 11.0 x 24.0 in	Wall-mounted or freestanding	Walnut, Oak, Dove, plus door colors
Altitude storage cabinet	32.1 x 9.4 x 9.8 in	Sits inside an Altitude shelf	Walnut, Oak, Black wood, Dove

What are Themis modules made of?

The frame of each side panel is ash wood with a satin stain in Walnut and Oak. The panels, shelves and desk surface are MDF covered with a thin sheet of real wood veneer and lacquer. In Dove, the ash frame and the MDF are painted with a 10% gloss finish.

Shelf back panels and cabinet doors also come in two colored options, Canary and Eucalyptus. Both are paired with Dove on the reverse side, so you can flip them for a different look. These colors come with a Walnut or Oak frame. The Dove finish and its panel color only come together. The desk has no colored panels.

Three layouts using real modules

Each layout below uses a combination we list for the wall-mounted system.

A small nook (a hallway, a landing or the end of a living room)

Setup: one Themis desk and one Themis cabinet.
Why: both are 32.0 inches wide, so the combination is built from modules of the same width. The cabinet hides a laptop dock, paperwork and supplies behind closed doors.
Good to know: with a 17.0-inch deep desk, the nook only needs to be as deep as the desk and the chair.

A living-room wall

Setup: one Themis desk, one cabinet and three shelves.
Why: open shelves hold books and plants so the wall still looks like part of the living room, and the cabinet closes over the work items. Our living room storage guide covers modular shelving and storage for the main room.
Optional addition: the Altitude storage cabinet is 32.1 inches wide, close to the width of Themis. Altitude is a separate collection: its cabinet fits into an Altitude shelf and is not a Themis module.

A bedroom corner

Setup: one Themis desk and two cabinets.
Why: closed storage keeps work out of sight at night. Our small bedroom storage ideas show how to keep the rest of the room calm.
Good to know: in a bedroom, wall-mounting keeps the floor clear, and the desk can be mounted at the height that suits the chair you choose.

For bigger setups, our modules can be combined further. For example, two desks, six shelves and two cabinets is a listed wall-mounted combination for a shared home office.

How do you care for the setup?

These tips are general advice for wood furniture, not a warranty term. See our warranty page for coverage.

Wipe gently: use a soft, slightly damp cloth, then dry the surface right away.
Protect the desk surface: a desk mat or coaster guards the surface from hot mugs and scratches.
Check the fixings: every few months, make sure wall-mounted units are still firm. For freestanding units, confirm the anti-tip bracket is secured.
Hang in order: when you rearrange, hang the bottom units first and follow the instructions in the box.

Our modular furniture guide explains how to plan flexible furniture for small and open spaces.

Our recommendation

If you have a hallway nook or a small apartment: choose one Themis desk and one cabinet. It gives you a desk and closed storage in one compact combination.
If the office shares a living room: choose one desk, one cabinet and three shelves, so the wall reads as a bookcase rather than a workstation.
If the office is in a bedroom: choose one desk and two cabinets, so everything closes away at night.
If you want help planning: we offer a free design consultation where we can talk through your space.

Explore our storage range

Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I set up a home office in a small space with modular furniture?

Measure the wall first, then choose a wall-mounted desk and add storage modules of the same width. Our Themis desk is 32.0 inches wide and 17.0 inches deep, so it keeps the floor clear. A Themis cabinet stores supplies behind closed doors, and shelves add open storage for books or a plant. Because the system is modular, you can add or rearrange modules later if your needs change, without replacing what you already own.

How big is the Themis desk?

The Themis desk measures 32.0 inches wide, 17.0 inches deep and 24.0 inches high overall. It is wall-mounted only, so you choose the height of the work surface when you hang it. Its depth makes it a good fit for a laptop, a notebook and a small lamp. If you use a deep desktop monitor or a lot of paper, plan for a different surface or add a second desk beside it.

Can the Themis desk stand on the floor?

No. The Themis desk is wall-mounted only. The Themis shelf and cabinet can be wall-mounted or freestanding, but the desk must be hung on the wall. If you cannot mount to your wall, you can still use a freestanding Themis shelf or cabinet for storage in your workspace. Secure it to a wall stud with the anti-tip bracket, and use the connector brackets if you join units together. Plan the desk wall first, since the desk is the one piece that cannot move to the floor.

Can I mix Themis shelves and cabinets with the desk?

Yes. The shelf and cabinet pair with each other, and the desk is designed to pair with both. Combinations we list for the wall-mounted system include one cabinet with one desk, two cabinets with one desk, and one cabinet, three shelves and one desk. All three module types share the same 32.0-inch width, which makes them easy to plan together, and you can add more later as your needs change.

What finishes does Themis come in?

The frame comes in Walnut, Oak and Dove. Shelf back panels and cabinet doors are also offered in Canary and Eucalyptus, each paired with Dove on the reverse, on a Walnut or Oak frame. The desk has no colored panels. The Dove finish and its panel color only come together. In Walnut and Oak, the panels and shelves are MDF with a thin real wood veneer and lacquer, and Dove is painted. The frames are ash wood.

Does the Altitude storage cabinet work with Themis?

Altitude is a separate collection, so the Altitude storage cabinet is not a Themis module. It is designed to fit into an Altitude shelf rather than into Themis modules. If you want a similar width on a different wall, the Altitude cabinet is 32.1 inches wide, close to the 32.0 inches of Themis modules. It comes in Walnut, Oak, Black wood or Dove. Check the Altitude product page for current finishes and size before you order, and use Themis modules for the desk setup itself.

How much room do I need around a wall-mounted desk?

As a general guideline, leave about 36 inches behind the chair so you can stand up and walk past. This is general advice, not a product specification. Because the Themis desk is 17.0 inches deep and mounts on the wall, the chair and the walkway decide how much floor you need. Measure the space with your chair pulled out, and mark the desk height on the wall, before you hang the desk.

Explore Our Modular Desks and Shelving

Shop Modular Desks and Shelving Today

On This Page