Coming Soon to a Workshop Near You: Custom Standing Desks 2, “The Rising”

Are you sitting down?

Good grief, stand up right now!  Haven’t you read Jim Carlton’s recent article, “Standing Desks are on the Rise,” in the Wall Street Journal Online?  Apparently, employees at Facebook, Google, and other Silicon Valley companies are in mortal terror of sitting at their desks.

In this video accompanying the article, Mr. Carlton explains: “There’s a fear that if you sit down too much on the job it can actually kill you.”

Hyperbole aside, the article cites recent medical studies that have linked the decrease in physical activity due to “excessive sitting” to an increase in health problems.  To counter this risk and help increase energy levels and comfort, employees are requesting standing desks, and companies, like Google, are offering them as part of their wellness programs.  Although employees describe a “learning curve” for getting used to standing instead of sitting at a desk, the improvements to their health and sense of well-being make the transition worthwhile.

If you think you’ve heard the advantages of standing desks touted before, you have.  Almost a year ago, CustomMade Co-Founder Seth Rosen wrote about “The custom stand-up desk and drafting table craze!” on our blog and emphasized the ergonomic benefits of custom built wood office desks and custom made computer desks designed as standing desks.  (The idea has just taken a year to spread to the West Coast).

While you custom desk makers wait for panicky tech workers to destroy all their chair-bound desks en masse, here are a few low-key ways to encourage would-be customers who may be curious about custom standing desks.

Not Just for Lecture Halls and Restaurants Anymore

Think people are scared of sitting?  Many people are truly scared of standing up and speaking in front of a crowd, and if the customers’ idea of a standing desk is something like a podium, they may never consider such a piece of furniture no matter the health benefits.  Some businesses may be hesitant to purchase desks that may prompt visitors to ask for a table for five, especially if they aren’t in food service.  Reassure prospective clients that podium-style desks are only one option and that you can build unique custom standing desks for any purpose they have in mind.

Designed by Scott Sober of Cyma Furniture Design at CustomMade.com, this striking Sapele Cabinet with Drawer was originally intended to be a cash stand for his use at furniture shows, but this versatile desk can be a showpiece in itself.

Not Just for the Workplace

Let’s face it.  One of the first things people do when they get home is plop down in a chair or sofa and get off their feet.  The association of comfort with sitting at home – and discomfort with standing at work – runs deep.  The health and ergonomic arguments for the advantages of standing can be made much more compelling if you show the customers you can design a piece that will harmonize with their home’s comfortable style and not look like something “from work.”

The cherry wood used in this Stand-Up Desk by Downing Fine Woodworking at CustomMade.com was air dried for over 50 years and brings a sense of purpose and comfort to this piece.

Minimize the Learning Curve, Maximize the Personal Touch

Even the most reasonable and well-intentioned effort to improve anything, if it involves changes at any level, is going to require a “learning curve.”  The greater the perception of that curve (never mind the reality of the curve), the less likely people will bother to consider the change.  Whether a customer is looking for standing desks for their home or workplace, emphasizing the attention to personal details that the custom approach can offer will go a long way to making the benefits of ergonomic design tangible.

Designed for a customer with back problems who needed to stand while working, this Black Walnut Stand-up Desk with Maple Inlay by E.S. Designs / The Menage Gallery at CustomMade.com features a sliding footrest that can be adjusted to the customer’s stance throughout the day. The open compartment was designed to make retrieving papers easier. The maple inlay on the desktop and purpleheart trim on the legs are simply stunning.