When you finally have your war machine built and you’re ready to jump into the vast and exciting world of PC life, you’ll need to get your workstation setup sorted. You can’t put your pride and joy on a milk crate. Here are some of the best minimalist setups for you to take inspiration from when setting up your own desk.
Working from home is the good life. You have no commute, you have all the food of your own kitchen, and you don’t have to make small talk every time you grab a cup of coffee. However, a tidy desk means a tidy mind, so you don’t want your workspace to be cluttered and chaotic. Take a leaf out of the Japanese art of Feng Shui and minimise your desk setup to help streamline your gaming station or home office.
The cosy minimalist setup
For me, the most inviting workplace is a cosy one. I like the soft tones, natural environment, with a breath of fresh air only a step away. Being amongst earthy tones and soft light is a world away from the clinical, cold, room of an office and not only inspires creativity, but also calm. If you’re looking for a zen, natural feel to your minimalist desk setup, try something like this.
The set up is achieved with a view of something green such as a park or some trees. Wooden desks, clean but soft lines, and neutral colouring draw the eye to nature and bring to mind the earth. It can all be pulled together nicely with some plants also. Nothing beats natural light for inspiring happiness and calm.
Minimal space, maximum setup
Sometimes space can be limited when working from home, and this can often lead to a cluttered workspace or gaming zone. By utilizing small spaces properly, it is possible to create the perfect minimalist desk setup. It is important to keep these areas clean and clear of clutter, though, as they fill up fast. Clever storage management and periferals that don’t take up space is key. Look at getting hold of a cut size keyboard and appropriate monitor.
The Woodshop
If you have always liked the workshop setup with its wood and sawdust vibes, then implement it in your own minimalist PC setups. By using the aesthetic of the workshop, a pleasant home office can be put together. Look for things like trestle tables and tool hangers rather than the usual options for offices. As long as it is functional, it is suitable for your WFH desk. The more you can make yourself, the better. Unpainted, waxed, and repurposed wood is the core of the woodshop minimalist setup.
Neon dreams
As any true PC gamer will tell you, RGB lighting not only boosts FPS but also hugely improves gaming skills. The more neon RGBs on a setup, the better. Everything, from your water cooling system to your mechanical keyboard, needs as many lighting effects as humanly possible. However, this lighting can often lead not only to epileptic fits, but also a very cluttered desk. With this bright but minimalist desk setup, simplicity hasn’t been sacrificed for lighting.
Cultured minimalism
There is something incredibly civilised about taking the home office of the past, with its leatherbound books and soft lighting, and modernising it for today’s home office. Taking a video call and having your backdrop setup being books and paintings screams intellect. It’s a guarantee of respect and trust, for sure. With this setup, a library or office can be turned into a WFH setup. Keeping your desk setup minimalist won’t take away from the majesty of the room around it.
Ultimate minimalist desk setup
A true minimalist setup has as little to draw the eye as possible. I’m talking no colors, no plants, no speakers or unwanted peripheries, and absolutely no RGBs. With this setup, the secret is stripping your minimalist desk down to the bare bones of what is needed. The best way to achieve this is with very clever cable management and the most compact supports you can find. Thin, grey metals and compact extras are everything. Of course, if you really want your setup to disappear into nothing, strip all colours too.
Minimalist musician desk setup
Getting the setup right for a musical studio can be a lot harder than it looks. Things like acoustics, vibrations, and convenience all play a huge part. Another big roadblock for the perfect minimalist musicians desk setup is the issues of cables. I have always struggled to keep mine looking tidy. However, with some cable tidies, and well places velcro, the clean look can be achieved. Ensuring that everything is within arms reach, and the setup is kept clean and tidy, a desk like this will help the musical creativity flow free.
Minimalism on a budget
When building your minimalist desk setup on a budget, the important things to spend money on stay the same. You will be spending a lot of time sitting down, so invest in a good chair. Make sure it has lumbar support and some adjustability. Another important element is space. Having a small desk can seem great for space-saving, but it will get cluttered quickly and mess with your energy. Finally, for the perfect minimalist setup, nail your cable management and stands. These handy little tools not only clean your desk up, but make things like screen adjustment and cable changing much easier. Saying this, most of my setups have cables that look like dreadlocks.
Retro minimalism
The days of paper thin ultra-wide monitors and 65% keyboards are certainly upon us, but lets pay our respect to where we came from. The old days of CRT monitors and monstrous mechanical keyboards are only just over the horizon, but we still made it work. Back in the days of Windows 98 and Flight Simulator a lot more had to be done to get your minimalist desk setup looking like anything but a war machine. These desks needed steel beam reinforcement to hold the sheer tonnage of the 5MB ram these contained.
