Recording desks and storage ...

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Howdy ! 
Followiing on from my recent recording posts and the addition of more equipment , I thought I'd ask for help and also see what you use when you record your stuff . 
When I moved into my smaller flat a couple of years ago, I bought new furniture along with a nice adequate ( at the time ) computer desk.

However since buying a moog a couple of years ago and now a mixer , I don't know whether it is best to offload the desk that I have and buy a proper ( hopefully not too expensive )  recording desk . The set up is in my box room ( spare bedroom ) . I have a sideboard littered with effects units etc on the other side of the room . 
I have been procrastinating for a very long time . I even had the desk in the front room  at one stage . I thought about getting a Mac mini and having everything in there .  
I looked at a few recording desks , but they have those drawers used for computer keyboards which I'm not too keen on .
Since lockdown started , I've been using chunky equipment and the mixing desk I have is a bit bigger 5han the line 6 interface I have .

Anyway, here's a pic or 2 of the desk in question 

Edited December 8, 2020 by RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

This space almost worked but too narrow .

[Ramirez]

Personally I'm not a big fan of most 'studio desks'. They almost always force you to have your video monitors too high, which in turn wrecks your neck. 

It's always best to put monitor speakers on stands, so any kind of shelves for these isn't much use for me. Sometimes it's good to have rack spaces in front of you, but not too much - I think it's best to have the stuff you don't constantly reach for off to the side.

It's also not good to have a big reflective surface between your speakers and your ears, which is what what happend with most desk with speakers perched on them.

 

Having said that, the Zaor stuff does look good. I fancy one of the Miza JR desks with one of their 'gripracks', and a pair os matching speaker stands.

[Dad3353]

5 hours ago, RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE said:

This space almost worked but too narrow ...

With the space/volume I see in the photos, I'd suggest that there's no point in looking for 'studio' ergonomics nor performance. That's not to say that nothing can be done, but some careful thought, careful planning and a careful budget can improve things. I'd start by accurately measuring the whole room, and making a plan view, giving all salient details such as doors and windows, and how they open, and ceiling height, plus any other features such as radiators and the like. A list of the principle elements of your system (screen, console, monitor speakers, Fx and other boxes, instruments...), with their dimensions, and maybe a rating from 1 to 10 on a 'this is used most often' scale.
A lot can be done with trestles and worktops, and shelving solutions, either wall-mounted, built-in or even made mobile on castors can be part of the picture. Is the room used for anything else (stored boxes, winter coats, vacuum cleaner...)..? There's a need for much thinking 'outside the box', and much compromise to be made, but it can be done. Don't throw money at it; it would be largely wasted.
Disclaimer : I would describe my take on these things as tending towards the 'minimalist'; I spent decades working in IT from a 1 sq metre desk, and my present 'pica-studio' takes up less than 1 cu. metre before my armchair. When I need a keyboard, or my guitars or bass, they're played on my lap. Ideal..? Maybe not. As good as Peter Gabriel's set-up..? Very far removed..! Adequate..? Yes, and by necessity, so it is what it is. One cuts one's coat according to one's cloth.

Hope this helps. 

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Thanks for the input so far . 
Tbh I'm far from professional as you know , so I just like the idea of having everything  in one corner . I live in a small flat and space is a premium .

 

( The drawbacks of living mortgage free I guess ) 

I do like the the computer desk I have which I purchased from Beales which has  been closed down this year 😿. In hindsight ( and if I knew I'd get a moog grandmother ) I would have purchased 2 which would have catered for more or less everything . I do like the shelf underneath the glass top,  I am constantly looking at perhaps a desk that would be of similar height that would go next to it . 
I don't like those studio desks either Ramirez , also because those pull out drawers are not for me . I like the mouse etc on the same level. 
 

I have a sideboard which has lots of bass effects . 

I do wonder when we can do away with desktops . If reason full software was on iPad then I'd sell the iMac etc . 
Keep suggestions coming ...

[adamg67]

When I was in a box room I went for the kind of solution @Dad3353 suggested and just built everything from readily (and cheaply) available desk legs, tops and shelves. I also used Amazon Basics monitor arms for my display monitors, which frees up desk space as they effectively "float", and can easily be repositioned. Using a shelf with audio monitors and my laptop on and then arms for display monitors means pretty much all the desk space is free for keyboard, controllers etc.

I've stuck to pretty much the same idea in the bigger room I have now.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Update : after more procrastination, I seem to have finally found solutions to the issues that I have / had . 
 

I took a gamble and ordered a fold up table from the Amazon .

plus I have a laptop stand on its way for the mixer , which has bend discontinued but is the perfect fit for it . 
It's criminal really the ltd amount of time I've spent on the Moog grandmother . I can now get my finger out and have no more excuses . Tbh, I fell in love with it when it came out and after many years of being broke I purchased it on Black Friday 2018 a few months after moving into this flat .

I also purchased a few of those cheapie  mini effect pedals from gear for music around the same time . 
Anyway, here are some pics :

The pipes will be boxed in by builder after Christmas and walls will need painting etc

The fender amps are not actual amps . They're seats 

Edited December 17, 2020 by RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE

[MoonBassAlpha]

I find sour cheese and chive Pringles give a better tone!