Drop Front Secretary Desks

To begin with we are going to have a look at a small secretary desk, the Regalia model from Winsome Wood. Winsome make a variety of different wooden furniture products, and this model is quite highly rated. It comes in a lovely walnut finish, and is made out of solid wood. The assembled dimensions are 25″W x 11.5″D x 38″H, so it is perfect for those tight areas. The front drops down to give you a small writing surface, though with such a shallow depth you will struggle to use it instead of an ordinary desk.

Behind the drop down front is the main compartment, which has a smaller shelf above it. The bottom cabinet opens up to a single shelf, which is adjustable. And above that in the centre is a small drawer, so there is a fair amount of storage space here. With a retail price of around $200, the Winsome Wood Regalia secretary desk is certainly good value for money. You can find out more about this desk and read some of the many user reviews at Amazon.

Of course no furniture article would not be complete without mentioning something from Ikea! So let’s take a look at the Hemnes desk. This model is quite affordable, with a retail price of around $279. Like most Ikea products, this one can be expanded with the Hemnes add-on unit which costs $150 more. This add-on gives you an additional two large cabinets on top, and fits flush with the desk.

This Ikea secretary desk comes in three color choices of brown/black (pictured), a light brown which looks like pine, and white. It is a reasonable size, with dimensions of 35″W x 17″D x 42″H. The front folds down to reveal a three layer shelf on the left which takes up about 30% of the space, while the rest of the area is open. This leaves plenty of space, and you could comfortably use a laptop on this desk. A nice addition is the cable management area, which runs through the centre, allowing you to keep cables obscured when the top is folded up. Below that the cupboard section opens up to two shelves, so there is no shortage of storage space here!

With a small price tag and a simple and elegant design, it is easy to see why the Hemnes Secretary Desk is one of their best sellers. You can see the other colors and get more info on the Ikea product page.

2021 Update: It looks like this model has been discontinued, as it is no longer shown on the Ikea website. Please let us know in the comments if you have any more info on this.

If you like the idea of a taller desk, then the Oxford Tall Secretary desk with hutch is one to consider. This model has dimensions of 32″W x 16″D x 60″H, and has a respectable retail price of around $380. It comes in three color choices of black (pictured), chestnut and white. As you can see from the photo, there is quite a bit of storage space to play around with here. Beneath the main compartment on the left are two storage drawers, which are a perfect sizes for documents.

These come with removable metal rails, so you can used them for filing or simply as deep drawers. To the right of this is a large storage cubby which is accessed via the door. The main area folds down, and leaves you with quite a nice sized area to work on. Above the main area is the hutch which is comprised of eight small cubbyholes for books or letters, and on top of that is a slim shelf. With stylish looks and lots of different storage compartments, this model is yet another good option. You can find out more about it it on the Amazon product page.

If the look of a more vintage drop front secretary desk is what you are after, then the Coaster Transition Desk should be near the top of your list. This is the priciest of the bunch at around $500, but this is around what you would expect to pay for such a quality piece of furniture. The entire unit has a fantastic amount of detail, and the cherry finish really gives it a premium look.

The dimensions of this unit are pretty standard at around 36″W x 23″W x 41″H. There is a foot rest shelf underneath, and the two small drawers underneath the main compartment. The folded down desk area gives you an extra 11″ of space, and there are two small square drawers at the back of the main compartment that can be placed where you want. Above the main compartment are even more drawers, so no shortage of organising space with this model!

It may not have as many nooks and crannies as some of the other models, but it is certainly the best looking out of the bunch. You can find out more about the Coaster Transition Cherry Secretary Desk and read some of the user reviews over at the Amazon page.