An armoire desk is a writing-table built within a large cabinet, usually {{convert, 1.5, -, 2.0, m, ft, sigfig=1, abbr=off high. The cabinet is closed by two to four full-height doors, to keep out

dust Dust is made of particle size, fine particles of solid matter. On Earth, it generally consists of particles in the atmosphere that come from various sources such as soil lifted by wind (an aeolian processes, aeolian process), Types of volcan ...

or to give a tidy appearance to a room by hiding the cluttered working surface of the desk. This form of

desk A desk or bureau is a piece of furniture with a flat table (furniture), table-style work surface used in a school, office, home or the like for academic, professional or domestic activities such as reading (activity), reading, writing, or using ...

is usually placed against a wall, like its

antique An antique () is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely to describe any object that i ...

uncle, the

secretary desk A secretary desk or escritoire is made of a base of wide drawers topped by a desk with a hinged desktop surface, which is in turn topped by a bookcase usually closed with a pair of doors, often made of glass. The whole is usually a single, tall ...

Computer armoire desk with shield back chair

Small or home offices are the usual habitat of the modern armoire desk. Corporations and government bureaucracies typically shun the armoire desk, preferring pedestal desks and

cubicle A cubicle is a partially enclosed office workspace that is separated from neighboring workspaces by partitions that are usually tall. Its purpose is to isolate office workers and managers from the sights and noises of an open workspace so that ...

s in most instances. The closest ancestor, in form, of the armoire desk, is the Moore desk. The armoire desk is often called a "computer armoire desk", or a computer desk, since it is used in present times to house a

computer A computer is a machine that can be Computer programming, programmed to automatically Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (''computation''). Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic set ...

and its peripherals. Holes are provided to connect the peripherals located in several nooks above or below the main work surface. Often, the work surface or surfaces, such as a writing area or a

computer keyboard A computer keyboard is a built-in or peripheral input device modeled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or Push-button, keys to act as Mechanical keyboard, mechanical levers or Electronic switching system, electro ...

tray are adjustable to provide an ergonomically sound working environment. Some armoire desks have a fixed work surface, which stays in place when the doors are closed, and moves only for ergonomic adjustments. This kind of armoire desk is a direct descendant of the antique

rolltop desk A rolltop desk is a 19th-century reworking of the pedestal desk with, in addition, a series of stacked compartments, shelves, drawers and nooks in front of the user, much like the bureau à gradin or the Carlton House desk. In contrast to these ...

which was common in corporate or government offices three or four generations ago, since it provides a fast and efficient way to store or hide current work. Other armoire desks have an easily movable, often hinged, work surface which must be cleared of documents and other items in order to close the doors. This kind of armoire desk is a morphological descendant of the famous Wooton desk by its size and by the necessity to constantly store papers to shut it. There is also the alternative of always leaving it open, given the trouble involved. The

fall front desk The fall-front desk is a desk with a main working surface that folds up to cover small shelves or drawers stacked in front of the user. As with its cousin the secretary desk, all working papers, documents and other items have to be stored before ...

or "secrétaire à abattant", and the slant top desk are also related. Unlike all of these earlier relations, however, the modern armoire desk usually does not have a

lock Lock(s) or Locked may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainme ...

. Armoire desks are normally very practical pieces of furniture, despite the use of rich veneers and very complex exterior styling in some of the costlier models. Modern variations of the armoire desk include slide-out surface(s) for a computer keyboard keyboard and mouse pad. Working height is also increased an inch, from 29 inches (73.5 cm) off the floor to 30 inches (76 cm).

References

* Staples catalog (online and on paper) Office Furniture section, ''Armoire'' sub-section. * IKEA catalog (online and on paper) Workstation section, ''Alve'' sub-section. Desks Mechanical furniture

See also

References