A secretary desk is a rather odd piece of furniture these days but it used to be a common feature back in the day. It has a base made of wide drawers topped with a bookcase usually featuring glass doors and with a hinged desk in between. The combination can seem unusual and unnecessarily robust but, at the same time, it seems like a pretty neat option for those working from home because it can be closed, concealing the desk and thus restoring the room to its original function.

A quirky addition to the bedroom.

Make the secretary desk a part of your bedroom décor if you plan on getting some work done here in the evenings for example. It will be extra cozy for you and the rest of the time the desk will be concealed in this tall and handsome piece of furniture with valuable storage.

Secretary desks often have a chic and feminine allure so they would fit beautifully in bedrooms. Plus, finding room for it should be easy. Since it provides valuable storage space inside the bottom drawers, you can also use it as a dresser.{found on marksandfrantz}.

Not all secretary desks are tall and robust. Sometimes they’re missing the top portion so get one of these if you’re not that into old-fashioned storage spaces with glass doors. You can still get that retro look even if it’s a smaller piece.{found on donnabenedetto}.

This one is missing the top portion as well as the bottom drawers but it’s still a secretary desk. In fact, it contains this very part of the unit.{found on rebeccamitchellinteriors}.

You can create lots of practical bedroom configurations with a secretary desk. Given the shape and usual dimensions, it could fit nicely in between the windows, if the décor allows it.

A really small one could fit in the corner and you could use it as a nightstand. Sure, you won’t have a lot of room to move around when you’re working but you don’t spend much time working from home then it should be ok.

Easy to conceal in the living room.

Because secretary desks usually have those bottom drawers and the bookcase on top, they look like natural addition to living rooms. This makes the actual desk super easy to conceal.{found on gastarchitects}.

There are lots of great places where you could put your secretary desk in the living room. Squeeze it in the corner by the fireplace. You’ll love working here. You’ll have privacy and the fireplace makes the nook really comfy.{found on kathleenburke}.

A very versatile piece despite its retro look.

Secretary desks are surprisingly versatile and easy to integrate in just about every room of the house, even they look like very retro, antique pieces. For example, it fits perfectly in this dining room. Sitting quietly in the corner, it provides stylish display room for your china.{found on maisondecor8}.

Get a secretary desk instead of a regular one if you need lots of storage for your arts and crafts supplies. There’s plenty of room for everything inside the drawers and the top cabinet.{found on flickr}.

You can even put a secretary desk in the kitchen if you think you could use all the elements it offers. The actual desk portion could be your little study area or your own little coffee nook.{found on elizabethhomedecor}.

Make it part of your sitting room décor and this can be your home office until your guests arrive. Or you can get some work done while the rest of the family socializes. You’ll be a part of the whole experience by simply being there.{found on cusanoassociates}.

Basically any corner would do if you want to transform it into your tiny home office. It can be in your living room, dining area or even in your home office if you don’t want to waste floor space with a big table or desk.

Make it match your home: before and after transformations.

Given how secretary desks are usually antiques, you may realize that you love the style but it doesn’t actually fit in your home décor. That shouldn’t be a problem if you’re not afraid of getting your hands dirty. You a little bit of spray paint you can give your secretary desk a completely new look.{found on larkandlola}.

Painted furniture can be easily matched to a specific type of décor or color palette. And if you want to preserve that worn look, give the desk a distressed finish.{found on missmustardseed}.

You can preserve the original look for the inside of the desk portion and only paint the visible portions like the bookcase on top and the outside of the whole piece.{found on missmustardseed}.