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My two-part desk setup (2025)

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Re: My two-part desk setup (2025)

#71

Post by throwaway219450 »

3eb7988a1663 wrote: post #37
lifty wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He’s a software engineer with taste. I know taste is subjective but I happen to like he’s taste.

Ehh, I find it difficult to distinguish between "taste" and "money". The shelving alone is a "contact us for pricing" situation. Premium items coupled with a too-clean-to-be-used work environment and natural light can do a significant lift in the "taste" department.

It reminds me a little of set dressing in movies. Every sophisticated character owns a chemex, but they use a french press to make coffee onscreen. Harks back to the days of Notting Hill when we had to believe that Hugh Grant ran a failing second hand bookstore while living in a well-decorated house in central London. Do we think the author uses his Teenage Engineering pocket operators, or are they window dressing? Do we need Godel, Escher and Bach as the backdrop for a completely unrelated photo?

Re: My two-part desk setup (2025)

#72

Post by bayindirh »

mattlondon wrote: post #67
porphyra wrote: post #24

Wow this guy has the 606 Vitsoe Universal shelving [1] and USM Haller desk [2] A dream setup. [1] https://www.vitsoe.com/us/606 [2] https://us.usm.com/collections/tables-desks

How is this shelving any better than what you can buy from say IKEA? I've got wooden IKEA shelves in my shed and they take serious abuse of big heavy tools, lawn mowers, car batteries, paint cans etc being non-carefully put/clattered away and they're holding up 100% after years. I can't imagine any normal shelves needing to be "well made" to support a few magazines and a toy model Porsche? Or is this just a "because…

I have a study furnished solely with IKEA furniture. Billy bookshelves, Galant tables, a wall shelf, etc.

Tables are really well made. So are the bookshelves. They are sturdy, high quality and withstand to abuse.

There are high quality items, and there are fine and high quality items. What he uses the latter.

Take an example. He uses fountain pens (so do I). Montblanc inks, a Lamy 2000. They are not expensive for what they are, yet they are fine instruments. They are made with care. I have tons of inks, yet Montblanc and a couple of brands really stand out in reliability, writing comfort and color quality. Same for L2000. It’s a very understated but a completely handmade thing, with great attention to detail. It’s even too much pen for that money.

The furniture he uses are the same. Understated, yet fine. It’s not there to make a statement, but to be enjoyed by their owner. I share the same sentiment. I do not buy anything to impress anyone, but to enjoy.

Nobody, sans my wife sees my most prized possessions. I got them to use and enjoy, that’s all.

Re: My two-part desk setup (2025)

#73

Post by bayindirh »

3eb7988a1663 wrote: post #37
lifty wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He’s a software engineer with taste. I know taste is subjective but I happen to like he’s taste.

Ehh, I find it difficult to distinguish between "taste" and "money". The shelving alone is a "contact us for pricing" situation. Premium items coupled with a too-clean-to-be-used work environment and natural light can do a significant lift in the "taste" department.

There’s a chasm between them. I have seen people create great things with no money, and people who slaughtered spaces because they don’t have an eye for anything.

Re: My two-part desk setup (2025)

#74

Post by porphyra »

mattlondon wrote: post #67
porphyra wrote: post #24

Wow this guy has the 606 Vitsoe Universal shelving [1] and USM Haller desk [2] A dream setup. [1] https://www.vitsoe.com/us/606 [2] https://us.usm.com/collections/tables-desks

How is this shelving any better than what you can buy from say IKEA? I've got wooden IKEA shelves in my shed and they take serious abuse of big heavy tools, lawn mowers, car batteries, paint cans etc being non-carefully put/clattered away and they're holding up 100% after years. I can't imagine any normal shelves needing to be "well made" to support a few magazines and a toy model Porsche? Or is this just a "because…

I mean, you can say that about any luxury good right? It just looks nice and makes you feel good.

IKEA doesn't actually make any modular wall shelves like that anymore, after discontinuing the SVALNÄS. For a wall mounted shelf on a budget you could go for the Elfa system or the Fasttrack one.

Re: My two-part desk setup (2025)

#76

Post by nixass »

porphyra wrote: post #24

Wow this guy has the 606 Vitsoe Universal shelving [1] and USM Haller desk [2] A dream setup. [1] https://www.vitsoe.com/us/606 [2] https://us.usm.com/collections/tables-desks

It's a bit snobby, both shelving and the desk.

Now when I checked his website in little bit more detail I get that feeling more and more. Looks like someone who brags about a lot of things he owns and cannot shut up about it.

Re: My two-part desk setup (2025)

#77

Post by allenu »

Very beautiful setup. I'm jealous of the space to do this. I like the idea of making the desk face out into the room, but my office is quite small, so it would end up floating in the middle of the room. Having it in the corner isn't quite as pleasing to the eye, but it makes it so the rest of the room feels larger.

There are bits in here that are a little bit over-designed in my opinion. Do you really need two fountain pens at the ready? Must they be there on the desk at all times? I find I carry my single fountain pen with me when I need it. I also can't see myself always sitting at the desk to read. I have books scattered about the house wherever I was reading last. Also, it's great to have such a wide desk for both digital and analog, but how many of us have the space for that luxury? Anyway, just food for thought if you look at something like this and feel jealous and think whatever space you work in today is now poorer for seeing someone else's nicer setup.

Re: My two-part desk setup (2025)

#78

Post by j45 »

nozzlegear wrote: post #34
tianqi wrote: post #13

A basic principle of ancient Chinese Feng Shui is that you should not sit with your back to a space. In other words, you need to have your back against a wall, not your face facing a wall. I believe there is a reason for this. When there is a space behind you, human instinct forces you to pay a subconscious attention on that space (we are very alert to danger from behind), making it harder to concentrate on what is i…

What about having a window on the wall you're facing, so you can look out it?

It can be good natural light for video calls.

Re: My two-part desk setup (2025)

#79

Post by nixass »

dnmc wrote: post #11
rickdg wrote: post #6

You have one monitor yes, but what about second monitor?

When you have two monitors, is your head always turned to one side? That always hurts my neck, so I wind up with the second monitor relegated to the side, where I never actually look at it.

Why would your head always be turned to one side? Have one monitor in the middle (the main one) and secondary either left or right. Having split screen right in the middle of my field of view is ridiculously unpleasant

Re: My two-part desk setup (2025)

#80

Post by aplzr »

nozzlegear wrote: post #34
tianqi wrote: post #13

A basic principle of ancient Chinese Feng Shui is that you should not sit with your back to a space. In other words, you need to have your back against a wall, not your face facing a wall. I believe there is a reason for this. When there is a space behind you, human instinct forces you to pay a subconscious attention on that space (we are very alert to danger from behind), making it harder to concentrate on what is i…

What about having a window on the wall you're facing, so you can look out it?

Workplace safety rules for screen workers say that to avoid eye strain, windows should be to the side, not in the direction you're facing. On a bright day the light coming from the window can have an intensity multiple orders of magnitude higher than the screen. I find it very uncomfortable.
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