Minimalist Desk Idea (Feat. @amazingmaze)
Matthias has posted only this one set of his desk setup pictures and it received a lot of compliments from our followers. So we have decided to share his setup on our blog and Matthias cooperated with us to complete this post. We hope you enjoy his setup and make sure to follow his Instagram account @amazingmaze for future updates!
Hi, my name is Matthias and I'm an art director / graphic designer from Hamburg / Germany. When the pandemic started and I worked more and more from home, I thought I have to refresh my home office situation. It started with me wanting to have a new wall color. Then one thing led to another. New MacBook Air M1, new monitor, etc.
Quick Links
Monitor: BenQ EW3270U
Screenbar: Xiaomi Mijia Lite
Speaker: Audioengine A2+
Speaker Stand: Kanto S4 Stands
Desk Lamp: MARKFROST
Laptop: Macbook Air M1
Laptop Stand: Wooden Vertical Laptop Stand
Keyboard: Apple Magic Keyboard
Mouse: Apple Magic Mouse 2
Chair: ALEFJÄLL
Desk Mat: Black Leather Mat
Wall Shelves: Floating Shelves
If I have a favorite part of the setup, then it is perhaps the 31.5 inch BenQ monitor. That's one of the main reasons not to sit on the couch with the laptop ;-)
Monitor
BenQ EW3270U
This is a good monitor for most uses. It's more suitable for dimmer environments as it can't get very bright, but it can display deep uniform blacks thanks to its VA panel. Its large screen size and 4k resolution are great for productivity and immersive gaming experiences. It can handle reflections well, but unfortunately, its ergonomics are quite bad, making it difficult to adjust to your optimal viewing position. It has a low input lag and its response time is good, resulting in very little motion blur.
Screenbar
Xiaomi Mijia Lite
This is a great rival of BenQ ScreenBar. It is a metal lamp body and comes with wireless remote control. The remote control uses 2.4GHz and it allows to control the temperature and brightness. The body is connected with magnetic fixation that can rotate within 25 degrees.
Then the Audioengine A2+ speakers and that's it. I've always made sure that it all fits together well in terms of color. I think that I succeeded quite well.
Speaker
Audioengine A2+
A2+ Wireless Speakers provide clear, full stereo sound and can easily connect to all your music in seconds. Great for your desktop or smaller rooms. The Integrated Bluetooth bypasses your phone and computer audio card to deliver better sound than you have ever heard through the audio jack - simply connect wirelessly! Built-in analog power amplifiers, dual analog audio inputs, USB audio input, aptX codec, hand-finished wood cabinets, variable audio output, subwoofer connection, custom aramid fiber woofers, and silk tweeters, power-saving idle mode, cables included, works with Mac or PC, no software to install, designed for desktop use, but will fill a room.
Speaker Stand
Kanto S4 Stands
S4 speakers stand lets you get the most out of your speakers by tilting them 16° toward your ears, ensuring you never miss out on those higher frequencies. Foam padding on the top and bottom of each stand also helps to maintain stability and reduce undesirable resonance. Further, improve stability by securing YU4 or other compatible speakers in place with the provided 1/4”-20 screw.
Desk Lamp
MARKFROST
According to Ikea's description, it is small and easy to place anywhere you want to bring some coziness and mood lighting into your home. The heavy marble base allows the lamp to sit evenly.
I got inspired with YouTube videos and saw a lot of cool desks. But I didn't want to spend so much money and just bought the Ikea Gerton table top and stained it in walnut. The table frame is from ebay. It is not height adjustable, but that was not so important to me.
Wall Shelves
Floating Shelves
This shelf set comes in 4 pieces. Two pieces at 15.7”L x 7.9”W x 1.5”H, and other two at 23.6”L x 7.9”W x 1.5”H. They are built with fiberboard and each shelf can support up to 22 lbs. This is a perfect choice for a classic retro feel-looking decor.
Chair
ALEFJÄLL
This grain leather chair ages beautifully and acquires a nice patina over time. The safety castors have a pressure-sensitive brake mechanism that keeps the chair in place when you stand up and releases automatically when you sit down. The seat and backrest are adjustable in height and give you maximum support regardless of your height. You can also lean back with perfect balance, as the tilt tension mechanism automatically adjusts the resistance to suit your weight and movements. Also, it comes with a 10-year warranty as well.
Laptop
Macbook Air M1
This laptop is just one of the best laptop on the market today. Many reviews stated that Macbook Air is almost as good as the Pro model. Also, the M1 processor is a very well-known processor that surpasses most intel processors.
Laptop Stand
Wooden Vertical Laptop Stand
Arch bridge design with non-slip silicone in the middle helps buffer the shock and protect the laptop from scratches. It provides an excellent touch feeling and comfortable visibility.
Keyboard
Apple Magic Keyboard
Apple introduced a space gray color version of Magic Keyboard back in 2017 for iMac Pro version, but they are now discontinued in May 2021. Currently, the space gray version is really hard to find from anywhere and might want to try either Logitech MX Keys or Satechi Slim X3.
Mouse
Apple Magic Mouse 2
This mouse is discontinued in May 2021 as well, but still able to get it while the supply lasts.
Desk Mat
Black Leather Mat
The desk mat is one of the essential items to protect your desk from scratches and water damages. This mat is made of durable water-resistant PU leather material, and the suede bottom makes non-slip from desk surfaces. This mat has almost 35K reviews from Amazon.
We would like to thank Matthias for taking the time to answer all our questions and cooperate to locate all his cool items. His Instagram feed has so many cool pictures, so make sure to follow his account @amazingmaze and double tap on his awesome posts!
- The Desk Idea
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