When Ipsita Johri, designer and founder of AIZA Designs, a concept furniture outlet, came up with what she branded as “babu desk”, she was inspired by old Bengali babu’s desk. She is confident that the desk, made with polished gawar wood and constructed with multiple slots, is sure to organise the clutter of the busiest babus of today.

A writing desk is a classic furniture piece, which was earlier used for writing letters by hand. This came with multipurpose niches called ‘pigeonholes’ where one could keep envelopes, letterpads, pens and other stationery. Antique writing tables are now collectibles and come at a premium. The date or period of an antique writing desk can be recognised from its design and craftsmanship. Most of the styles are named after British royalty. Everyone has heard of a Queen Anne, or Georgian, Chippendale or a Victorian desk.

“Today people rarely — if at all — write by hand, as most use desktops and laptops. Desks today are used for different purposes, which includes keeping the laptop. Therefore, they come with spacious interiors, more workspace, and creative designs. They are contemporary, so as to fit into modern households, yet have the colonial / antique feel to them, to give a classic old-world charm. Some of these desks come with multiple drawers to store things, while some others have adapted themselves to functional nittygritties like pullout trays to keep the keyboard and mouse. These kinds of desks are used by all members of the household who need a work table or a study table,” explains Johri.

Prices vary depending on the material used. A good second quality teakwood table (not Burma teak) will cost you anything between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000.

Modern writing desks are available in materials and styles such as mirrored, glass, lucite, wood and veneers. A blend of these various materials and the mixing of the classic and modern styles make desks an eclectic piece of furniture, says Honey Jolly, founder of Home Et Tu, a designer furniture brand.

“The demand for a writing desk is at an all time high. Since modern day devices have seen a shift in the work-home paradigm: Working remotely from home is made possible and desks have become an integral part of our living space. The biggest buyers are entrepreneurs and professionals,” says Jolly.

The most fetching designs are minimalistic in style, simple in proportion and utterly functional.

Nitin Bahl, country manager of Natuzzi, a global furniture chain, also felt that buyers are moving away from their preference for classic and colonial kinds to modern, sleek and contemporary patterns. “The focus these days is more on usage. In other words, the utility that writing desk offers. People base their choices on whether the desk offers space management options and other functional features. As a result, increasing number of advanced features are being added to desks almost on a regular basis,” says Bahl. “This is true for writing desks for residential uses and for office uses as well,” he adds.

Godrej Interio, on the other hand, goes a step further and distinguishes the two products: The conventional study table and training table. The training tables are devised for educational institutions and come with a lot of features that are not necessary for residential use, according to a Godrej Interio spokesman.