Building a Space That Felt More Intentional

This was my second desk setup, and in many ways, it was the one where I started to better understand what I actually wanted from a workspace.

My first setup was more about figuring things out. I was learning what gear I liked, how I worked from home, what helped me feel productive, and what was mostly there because I thought a “proper setup” needed it. It was exciting, but it was also experimental.

This version felt more intentional.

I wanted a space that could support the different ways I used my desk: working from home, editing photos, editing videos, gaming, watching content, and spending time on creative projects. But beyond the functional side, I wanted the setup to feel personal. I wanted it to feel like a space I actually wanted to sit down in every day.

The goal was simple: warm, clean, moody, and functional.

The foundation

The desk itself was the anchor of the entire setup.

I used a custom wood tabletop that I bought from a local wood shop and stained myself. That ended up being one of my favorite parts of the setup. There is something satisfying about using a desk surface every day that you had a hand in creating. It made the setup feel more personal than something I could have just ordered online.

The tabletop sat on an Autonomous standing desk frame, which gave me the option to move between sitting and standing throughout the day. Even when I was not standing all the time, having that flexibility made the desk feel more complete.

Visually, the wood top became the center of the setup. I have always liked the contrast of dark gear against warm wood, so the rest of the space naturally followed that black and walnut direction.

The monitor and workflow

For the display, I used an LG 34-inch UltraWide Ergo monitor.

The ultrawide format made a big difference for the way I worked. For video editing, it gave me room for timelines, preview windows, and panels without everything feeling cramped. For photo editing, it made it easier to keep tools and references visible. For work, it helped me multitask without needing a second monitor.

One of the best parts of this setup was the one-cable workflow.

With the CalDigit TS3+ Thunderbolt dock, I could connect most of my desk through a single cable. The monitor, peripherals, audio, storage, camera, and accessories all ran through the dock. When I connected my laptop, the whole setup was ready to go.

That small detail made a huge difference. It made the desk feel less messy, less temporary, and more like a proper workstation.

The gear I used every day

For my keyboard and mouse, I used a NuPhy Halo75 keyboard and a Logitech MX Master 2 mouse.

The MX Master was great for productivity, especially for scrolling through timelines, documents, and creative apps. The NuPhy Halo75 made typing feel more satisfying and added a bit more personality to the setup. It had that mechanical keyboard feel without taking over the entire desk, which helped keep the setup clean and balanced.

For audio, I used Edifier MR4 speakers. They made the setup feel more complete, especially because this desk was not only for work. I used it for editing, music, gaming, and watching videos, so having good speakers made the space feel more enjoyable.

For video calls, I used a Sony ZV-E10 as my webcam. It was probably more camera than I needed for meetings, but it made the image quality feel much better than a standard webcam. Since I was spending so much time working remotely, that felt worth it.

I also had a Blue Yeti microphone in the setup, which helped with calls, recordings, and anything where I wanted better audio.

Organization and layout

One of the things I liked most about this version was how much more organized it felt compared to my first setup.

The Grovemade desk shelf helped create separation and structure on the desk. It gave the monitor a more natural place to sit, added another layer of wood to the setup, and helped keep smaller items from feeling scattered.

The leather mousepad helped define the main working area. It softened the desk visually, added another warm material to the setup, and gave the keyboard and mouse a cleaner place to live.

On the wall, I added shelves for camera gear and a pegboard for keyboards and accessories. This made the space feel more like a small creative studio. The cameras, lenses, microphones, and tools were still visible, but they felt organized instead of cluttered.

I liked that the gear became part of the room. It was functional, but it also told the story of what I was into at the time.

The aesthetic

The overall look was built around black, walnut, and soft lighting.

I wanted the setup to feel clean without feeling sterile. The darker gear, warm wood, framed photography, and camera equipment all helped create a moodier look. It felt calm, focused, and personal.

The framed prints above the monitor were an important part of that. Since photography is something I care about, having visual work in the space made the desk feel more connected to creativity, not just productivity.

This setup was not just about having nice gear. It was about creating an environment that made me want to sit down and make something.

What I used it for

This desk was where I did a little bit of everything.

It was my work-from-home setup during the day. It was where I edited photos and videos. It was where I gamed, watched content, took calls, organized ideas, and spent too much time adjusting small details that probably only I noticed.

But that was part of what made it fun.

A desk setup is never really finished. It changes as your needs change, and it becomes a reflection of what you care about during that season of your life.

For me, this second setup was about refinement. I had already built one version before, but this was the one where I started making more deliberate choices. I had a better sense of what I liked, what I actually used, and what kind of space helped me feel focused and creative.

It was still not perfect, but it felt like a big step forward.

It felt like mine.