Should Your Desk Face the Wall?

While setting up a new workspace or rearranging our room, we often pose a similar question regarding Desk placement.

For example, should we place the Desk facing the wall or face the window? Or, perhaps, to place the Desk in the middle of the room.

I prefer to place my Desk facing the room as it keeps me aware of my surroundings while doing my work.

Also, after learning about Feng shui, I have made changes like placing the Desk in an indirect door view and many others.

Before deciding the best fit for your productivity, let’s examine each Desk direction’s costs and advantages.

Why Should Your Desk Face the Wall?

If you have a distracting nature and need to stay focused on your job, facing the wall can assist you in focusing on your work.

Let’s go through some of the advantages of having your Desk face toward the wall.

1. Focus at Work

If you prefer to work without distractions and be hyper-focused on only your work during working hours, facing the wall might be better for you.

While facing a wall, you can be completely detached from everything else, even the distractions in your room.

Also, when you face a wall, people are least likely to interact with you causing a disturbance in your workflow.

It also helps boost productivity when post-it notes, calendars, or plans are pasted on the wall, as you can directly see your plans as you work.

2. Room Shape

For most people, the room shape also determines the Desk placement. For example, L-shaped or U-shaped rooms have limited spacing for Desks.

Hence, a Desk facing the wall would be an optimum solution.

3. Space-Saving

When you have limited room space, placing the Desk on the wall can create more space around the center of the room, allowing you to move more freely.

Also, if your Desk has storage space, you can neatly arrange things there to make the room more spacious.

Why Shouldn’t Your Desk Face the Wall?

Let’s go through some of why you shouldn’t put your Desk against the wall.

1. Monotonous environment

While facing the wall does have its advantages, positioning the Desk towards the wall can make a person feel boxed in.

It is also quite monotonous to work in that way.

Also, when a Desk faces the room, one is more alert of their surroundings.

2. Lack of Inspiration

When staring at your wall is the only option, it can limit one’s sense of imagination.

There are various positions for Desks in a room, like facing the window, Desk facing the room, etc., which could provide a more lively environment.

For example, placing a Desk-facing window can foster creativity.

3. It Provides Limited Command

When your Desk is placed facing the room or at the center, you can have more command of the scene.

However, when the Desk is faced towards the wall, one is generally unaware of their room surroundings.

The proper command is required if you need to communicate with others and demonstrate that you are more professional in your work.

Orienting your workstation away from the wall might help you feel more open and encourage cooperation and discussion.

Is it a Good Feng Shui if Your Desk Faces the Wall?

As per feng shui, your workstation is among the most critical locations since it impacts and represents the career.

Therefore, ensure you are not facing a wall when sitting at your computer.

If you must face a wall, utilize feng shui to make the wall hidden by strategically placing artwork or pictures.

When possible, avoid facing a wall. However, if this is your only choice, put a mirror before you to broaden your perspective and job options.

Ideally, it would help if you placed your Desk in a position to view the door from your workstation without being exactly in line with it.

However, if you don’t believe in Feng Shui, I suggest you place your Desk in the position that best meets your functional and aesthetic requirements.

Test out a few various positions if you have the opportunity before settling on one.

Desk Facing the Wall vs. Window vs. Room

We’ve outlined several crucial considerations that may help you decide when putting the Desk if you’re unsure if it should face the wall, the window, or the room.

Desk Facing Window	Desk Facing Wall	Desk Facing the Room
May reduce claustrophobic feeling however, it can be sometimes disturbing to work.	May increase claustrophobic feelings but also reduces visual distractions.	You can be aware of the surrounding while you work.
Glaring sunlight may damage the furniture and equipment.	No glaring. So, furniture and equipment won't get damaged.	You can get natural sunlight.
Helps you to find inspiration	Helps to make you aware of the surrounding	It helps you find more inspiration, however you might get distracted while working.
It may cause eye strain.	It may make you monotonous but may reduce eye strain.	You do not need to face towards the bright light.
It is not a good Feng shui.	It is not a good Feng shui either.	It is the commanding position and good feng shui to place the desk facing the room.
Place the desk perpendicular to the window for good Feng shui.	You can strategically hide the wall by hanging art or pictures on the wall.	Desk facing the room looks more professional.

Tips to Increase Productivity While Working on the Desk Facing the Wall

Depending on the size of your workspace, facing the wall may enclose you in a cramped, claustrophobic nook.

If your workstation is still facing the wall, there are many other ways to make your workplace more effective.

1. Optimize the Wall Color

Wall color can affect your mood and overall work productivity. Subtle shades can relieve stress and brighten up the mood.

Colors like pale green, olive green, light blue, and purple are easy on the eyes and make the room vibrant.

However, since the table faces the wall, you need a perfect color that suits your taste and boosts productivity.

Studies show that colors can either stimulate the brain or calm the mood.

2. Hang Pictures/Paintings on the Wall

Working all day facing a wall can be pretty dull. You can add photos or pictures on the wall to make the workplace lively.

The choice of pictures depends on personal preference.

You can add your own or family photos, pictures of scenarios or animals, etc.; there are vast options to choose from.

If you are artistic or love art, you can also hang a beautiful painting to look at while you work.

Pictures and paintings help boost your mood and also inspire you.

3. Inspirational Quotes

Inspirational Quotes motivate us to work better.

You can search for motivational quotes online or write down quotes that improve your work motivation and paste them on the walls.

Inspirational Quote: “Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else.”

4. Post-it Notes and Work Plans

You can place Post-it notes and work plans on the wall facing the Desk.

These increase work productivity by helping organize tasks and reminding of essential duties.

5. Adequate Lighting

Lighting is essential to consider when placing a Desk facing toward the wall.

One could feel unproductive because the natural lighting is reduced in this position.

You can position your Desk perpendicular to the window to let in enough natural light.

You can use a Desk lamp for adequate lighting without windows. You can find a range of Desk lamps on amazon.

6. Indoor Plants

Having plants in your workspace can help create a welcoming environment, and it has also been proven to boost creativity.

In addition, research shows that having plans in the Office or work area can increase productivity by about 15%.

You can place indoor plants like the snake plant, succulents, and cactus on your work Desk that do not require much sunlight.

Since plants also provide fresh air, it is a bonus point for a good/fresh work environment.

7. Declutter Your Space

A cluttered workspace decreases work productivity. Therefore, one needs to have a tidy working space to think clearly.

Organize your files, stationaries, and cable to keep your Desk clutter-free. For example, you can use cable holders or shelves mounted on walls.

You can manage the clutter if you set a habit of clearing the items immediately after use.

A clean and simple Office Desk will help you focus, relax, and be more productive.

Is it Bad for your Eyes if Your Desk Faces the Wall?

When the Desk is set close to the wall, the farthest eyes may see up to the wall.

Eyes need continual exercise, and the simplest form of it is to gaze at a close object and then at distant objects.

The distance between the wall and the Desk is usually very minute.

Therefore, we can strain our eyes by working long hours on the screen and not getting enough exercise.

However, looking at a farther distance once in a while or looking out of the window taking short breaks can be better for your eyes if your Desk faces the wall.

How Far Should a Desk be From the Wall?

The distance between the Desk and the wall should be enough for a person to fit in, approximately 100 cm.

However, the space can be increased, but the minimum distance between the edge of the Desk and the wall should be at least 100 cm.

If the Desk placements are placed so that two people face their backs close together while working, then the distance to the wall should be increased for ease of movement for two people or more.

This distance allows you to move around freely and also allows some space for your eyes to exercise.

How to Fix the Gap Between the Wall and the Desk?

Even the tiniest bit of gap between the wall and the Desk can be a nuisance as pens, and other stuff can frequently roll down the gap.

There are gap fillers and storage gap fillers available that can be used to fix the gaps.

You can also utilize the gap to place under Desk cable holders or organize cords. You can buy them at Amazon.

If you need something for a temporary solution, you can use tapes to fill small gaps.

However, if the gap is large, you can place a wooden plank with similar color, which can also act as a Desk extender.

Final Verdict

According to research and Feng shui, placing the Desk facing the wall is not a good choice.

Other Desk placements like Desk facing room or central Desk placements, are better for eyesight and productivity.

If the Desk faces the wall, you can increase productivity by displaying artwork, inspirational messages, and plants.

It’s also crucial to make sure the Desk receives enough light.