When two people share the same home office, however, that’s when things can get complicated. In a recent post about a George Nelson-inspired home from Apartment Therapy Tech, we showed you an office designed to easily accommodate a husband-and-wife team in Austin. Here are few more smart ways we’ve seen couples, partners, and friends tackle the same issue.

Online art gallery owner Sonja Teri’s Los Angeles apartment uses light-blue Eames Molded Plastic Side Chairs with Wire Bases on opposite sides and ends of a long desk–not too close, but not too far apart. (Photo: apartmenttherapy.com)

More side-by-side desk spaces, this time from artist Carrie Strine and graphic designer and illustrator Tim Lahan in New York City. (We’re wondering, though, why is the right Mac eight minutes behind the left?)

Two Aeron Chairs, face to face, separated only by computers screens and the real estate of a shared square desk. Brilliant–or brave? Photo: sorenrose.com

Opening photo: Freelance writer Alissa Walker and illustrator, graphic designer, and art director Keith Scharwath share a space but not a desk, giving both room to spread out but still stay in close contact.

First things first, we’d immediately replace all our keyboards and mice with Bluetooth-enabled devices. For batteries, we recommend using Sanyo Enelops. They’ve tested well in our Unplggd labs and have been a personal favorite around the office.

Next, we’d pair down the desk to just 3 main areas: 1) the main computer, 2) a desk lamp, and 3) the landing station for our smartphone. We’d even go as far as to create a separate area for keys and wallet since they make more sense by the door than on a busy surface as the primary working desk.

A potential spot for a fourth area would be reserved for audio junkies such as myself, in which case we’d make room for set of audiophile monitors or our favorite headphones.

We could even devise similar plans for a tablet-only setup by creating a quick and easy docking station that’s both functional and clutter-less. A simply designed stand like the Upstand allows for just that.

Lastly, we’d address the issue of wire management, both nearby items and along the underside. Remember, even the slightest overlooked detail can ruin the perfect setup!

What are the bare essentials for your dream desk setup?

By Anthony Nguyen.