Home Office Furniture in Hong Kong: How to Set Up a Study in a Small Apartment
Working from home in Hong Kong rarely means a dedicated office. More often it is a desk in a bedroom corner, a dining table that doubles as a workstation, or a spare room shared with luggage and a drying rack. A comfortable study does not need much floor space. It needs the right desk size, a chair you can sit in for hours, and storage that stops work spreading across the flat.
Below, we cover placement, desk and chair sizing, storage, and when custom is worth it. Measurements are general rules of thumb. If you are furnishing the whole flat, start with our guide on how to furnish a small Hong Kong apartment.
Quick answer: In a small Hong Kong apartment, choose a spot with daylight, a nearby power point and as little foot traffic as possible. Pick a desk about 72 to 76 cm high, 50 to 60 cm deep for a laptop or 70 cm or more for a monitor, and pair it with an office chair that adjusts in seat height and supports your lower back. Keep storage on the wall and in drawers so the desk stays clear. For awkward widths or alcoves, a slim console table or a custom desk made to exact measurements usually fits better than a standard size.
Where to put a home office in a Hong Kong flat
The best place for a home office is the spot with daylight, a power point within reach and the least foot traffic, even if it is only 100 cm of wall.
Spare room. The easiest option, because you can close the door on work. Leave space for a sofa bed or wardrobe doors to open.
Bedroom corner. Common in Hong Kong and workable if the desk faces away from the bed, so work is out of sight when you rest.
Living room nook. A wall beside the dining area or behind a sofa can hold a slim desk or console table.
Alcove. The recess beside a structural column or a bay window is often wasted, and it is exactly where standard desks rarely fit.
Then check three things. Light: set the desk at a right angle to the window to cut screen glare, and note that west facing rooms get strong afternoon sun. Power: older flats often have few sockets, so plan around where they are. Noise: street traffic, air conditioner units and family routines all matter if you take video calls. For more on layout, read why furniture planning matters more than floor space in Hong Kong apartments.
Choosing a desk that fits
As a general ergonomic rule of thumb, a comfortable desk for most adults sits about 72 to 76 cm high, with a depth matched to your screens and enough width for your work and elbows.
- Height: 72 to 76 cm suits most people with a chair that adjusts; taller users may prefer the upper end.
- Depth: around 50 to 60 cm for a laptop setup, and 70 cm or more for a monitor so the screen sits roughly an arm's length away.
- Width: at least 90 cm for a laptop and notebook, more if you spread out paperwork.
- Legroom: about 60 cm of clear width underneath, with no drawer or frame rail pressing on your thighs.
| Setup | Suggested minimum depth | Suggested minimum width | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laptop only | 50 cm | 90 cm | Bedroom corners, consoles, nooks |
| Single monitor | 70 cm | 120 cm | Spare rooms, study walls |
| Dual monitor | 75 cm | 150 cm | Spare rooms, long alcoves |
Console table as a desk. Where floor space is tight, a console table can work as a slim desk. Consoles are usually shallower than desks, so they suit laptop work and occasional use better than a monitor setup.
The DSL desks and console tables collection includes the Lamberi and Odessa desk designs in a range of styles and sizes, in materials including stainless steel, wood, glass, marble and painted lacquer. Some offer drawer storage. As of October 2026, listed desk prices start from HK$5,600 for Odessa desks and from HK$11,200 for Lamberi desks. Larger sizes, solid timber instead of veneer, and stone or marble tops add to the cost.
Choosing an office chair you can sit in all day
Look for a chair whose seat height adjusts so your feet rest flat and your thighs sit roughly level, with firm lower back support and armrests that let your shoulders relax.
- Seat height adjustment, so the chair matches your desk rather than the other way around.
- Back support that follows the curve of your lower back. A high back supports up to the shoulders; a mid back feels lighter and tucks under a desk more easily.
- Armrests at or just below desk height, so you can pull in close.
- Footprint. Allow roughly 90 to 100 cm between the desk edge and the wall or bed behind you, so you can push back and stand.
Mesh or padded? Netweave (mesh) backs let air through, which helps in humid Hong Kong summers. Padded executive chairs feel softer and look more formal.
Leather or PU? Leather needs conditioning and good airflow in humid months, while PU wipes clean easily. Our furniture care guide for Hong Kong humidity covers both.
DSL office chairs are modern classic designs, including high back and mid back netweave chairs and soft pad executive chairs, in a selection of leather and PU colors. As of October 2026, listed office chair prices start from HK$3,200, and leather upholstery adds to the cost.
Storage and cable control
Keep the desk surface for working by moving storage up the wall and into drawers, and route cables behind or under the desk rather than across it.
Use the wall. In a small flat, wall space is easier to spare than floor space. Shelving above or beside the desk holds files, books and printer paper without widening the footprint.
Choose drawers wisely. One shallow drawer for stationery and chargers clears most daily clutter. A desk with drawer storage, or a slim pedestal that tucks underneath, does the work of a separate cabinet.
Tame the cables. Fix a power strip under the desk, run cables along a tray, and keep one charging spot for phone and headphones.
Protect paper and electronics. Keep documents in closed drawers or boxes in the wet season, and avoid placing the desk directly under an air conditioner that may drip.
Making a study work in a bedroom or living room
Choose a desk that looks like furniture rather than office equipment, so it blends into the room by day and work can be put away at night.
Blend in. Wood or lacquer sits comfortably beside a bed frame or sideboard, while glass and stainless steel feel lighter in a compact living room. Our bedroom furniture guide for small Hong Kong spaces shows how to balance a desk with storage and sleep.
Let it do two jobs. A console table can be a desk by day and a dressing table or entry console in the evening. A mirror above it in a bedroom makes the switch complete.
Close off work. Put the laptop in a drawer, push the chair in and switch off the desk lamp. A folding screen or curtain can hide a desk from the bed.
When custom makes sense
Custom furniture is worth considering when your space has an exact width to fill, an alcove or bay window, or existing joinery and finishes you want the desk to match.
Standard desks come in set widths; Hong Kong flats do not. If your alcove measures 112 cm and the nearest standard desk is 120 cm, it simply will not fit. A made to order desk can fill the width exactly, at the depth your setup needs, with the drawer layout you actually use. An L shaped desk across a corner or a long desk under a window can also turn awkward space into a full study.
At DSL, most made to order pieces take around 6 weeks. See how our custom furniture service works. Every order is quoted individually, so any prices are a planning guide rather than a quote. Larger sizes, solid timber instead of veneer, stone or marble tops and leather upholstery raise the cost; our guide to custom furniture costs in Hong Kong explains what drives the price.
DSL delivers across Hong Kong. Before ordering, measure your lift, doorways and corridor turns; our guide to furniture delivery and lift access in Hong Kong lists what to check.
Frequently asked questions
What size desk do I need for a small Hong Kong apartment?
As a general rule of thumb, aim for a desk about 72 to 76 cm high and 50 to 60 cm deep for a laptop, or 70 cm or more deep for a monitor. Width ranges from about 90 cm for a laptop to 150 cm or more for two monitors.
Can I use a console table as a desk?
Yes. A console table works as a slim desk for laptop work and occasional use, as long as its height is close to 72 to 76 cm and the legroom underneath is clear.
Is a mesh or padded office chair better in Hong Kong?
Mesh (netweave) chairs let air through, which helps in humid weather and on long working days. Padded chairs feel softer and look more formal, so choose based on how many hours you sit.
How much does home office furniture cost at DSL Furniture?
As of October 2026, listed desk prices start from HK$5,600 for Odessa desks and HK$11,200 for Lamberi desks, and listed office chair prices start from HK$3,200. Larger sizes, solid timber, stone or marble tops and leather upholstery raise the cost, and every order is quoted individually.
How long does a custom desk take to make?
At DSL Furniture, most made to order pieces take around 6 weeks, followed by delivery across Hong Kong. Measure your space, lift and doorways before ordering.
Ready to set up your study?
A good home office starts with the right measurements: desk height, depth for your screens and room to push your chair back. Browse the DSL Study collection of desks, console tables and office chairs, explore custom furniture made to your measurements, or contact our team with photos of your space and we will help you plan a study that fits how you work.