There’s something about a roll top desk dating back to the 19th century and I’ve seen them used for everything from display cabinets for vintage collectibles to storage for home office supplies. However, a home based entrepreneurial entrepreneur had the best use I have ever seen for a roll top desk.

He was a bit of a handyman and built the desk himself. It had a classic look built in oak with drawers on the sides and a beautiful old looking roll top. Modifications he made included having the under-desk drawer replaced with a removable keyboard tray that locked in place. The desk was also slightly shorter in height to make it ergonomic for the keyboard and slightly wider to accommodate a desktop printer and monitor.

The most interesting change was the drawer and the storage space under the desk. On the right it had three small drawers and on the left it had a door that opened to a place where the computer’s CPU rested. However, since a CPU cannot be closed in a closed space because it could easily overheat, it had a cleverly designed lattice for the back of the CPU space. There was also an opening in the back of the desk where the cabling could exit and down through the trellis to the CPU. If you needed to insert a CD or DVD or plug something into a USB port, all you had to do was open the CPU door.

In my opinion, the best feature was that when I was leaving work for the day, all I had to do was turn off the computer and lower the top of the desk. Suddenly her living room was a living room again. The roll-top desk was an attractive piece of furniture and she didn’t have to remind him of an unfinished job every time he looked at it. For anyone who has worked at home, the home office can be a tough foreman, always calling to finish one more task.

If you are a person who works from home, this could be the solution to the ever-present work reminder that interferes with your personal life. You don’t have to be a carpenter either. It is possible to have a similar desk built by a local cabinetmaker or buy one already built. It is much cheaper than rebuilding a room in your home for a home office.