Should Your Desk Face the Wall or the Window?

7 min read · RoomMaxx

For most people, the best answer is neither: put your desk sideways to the window, so daylight comes from the side and your back is to a wall. If you must choose, face the wall when you need to focus hard or use a screen all day, and face the window when you want the view and mostly read or write on paper.

Not sure your current desk spot is working? RoomMaxx scores your room from one photo for tidy, light and vibe and gives you one small fix. Scan my room

Desk facing wall or window: the quick comparison

Here's how the three main options stack up.

Should my desk face the window?

A desk in front of a window feels great in photos. You get a view, the room looks open, and daylight lands right on your desk. Whether it works day to day depends on what you do there.

Pros of a desk facing the window

• A view to rest your eyes on. Looking into the distance now and then is a nice break from close work.
• Lots of natural light on paper, books and handwriting.
• It uses awkward space. The wall under a window is often hard to use for anything else.
• The room feels bigger because you're looking out, not at a wall.

Cons of a desk facing the window

• Screen glare and backlight. With a bright window behind your monitor, your eyes keep adjusting between the bright glass and the screen. Many people find this tiring.
• Distraction. People, cars and weather all move.
• Heat and cold. Windows can be drafty in winter and hot in summer.
• Blinds and curtains are harder to reach with a desk in the way.

A desk facing a window works best when you mostly write, read or draw, when the window doesn't get direct sun at the times you work, or when you can control light with sheer curtains or blinds.

Should a desk face the wall?

A desk facing the wall is the classic small-bedroom setup, and it's popular for good reason.

Pros of a desk facing the wall

• Fewer distractions. A wall doesn't move.
• No glare from behind your screen.
• Easy to add storage. Shelves, a pegboard or a corkboard go right above the desk.
• Saves floor space. A desk flat against the wall takes the least room.

Cons of a desk facing the wall

• It can feel boxed in, especially in a corner.
• Less daylight on the desk unless the window is nearby.
• Your back faces the room, which some people find uncomfortable if the door is behind them.

Desk facing wall ideas that fix the boxed-in feeling:

• Hang one print or a mirror at eye level so you're not staring at blank paint.
• Add a desk lamp with warm light so the corner doesn't feel dim.
• Keep the wall calm: one shelf and one board, not a collage.
• Put a plant on the desk or shelf.

Picking a direction is a guess until you live with it. Try one setup for a few days, snap a photo, then try the other. RoomMaxx gives you a Room Score out of 100 for tidy, light and vibe each time, so you can compare the two with a number instead of a feeling. Scan my room

The best option: desk perpendicular to the window

A desk perpendicular to the window, meaning at a right angle to it, gives you most of the benefits of both.

How to set it up

1. Put the desk against the wall next to the window, so the window is on your left or right as you sit.
2. If you write with your right hand, try the window on your left, so your hand doesn't cast a shadow on the page. Left-handed? Flip it.
3. Keep the monitor square to the wall, not angled toward the window.
4. Add a desk lamp on the side opposite the window for evenings.

Why it works

• Daylight lands on your desk from the side, which is usually the most comfortable angle for reading and writing.
• The window isn't behind the screen, so there's less glare and backlight.
• You can turn your head for a view without it sitting in your eyeline the whole time.

If the wall next to the window is taken, see where to put a desk in a small bedroom for other layouts.

What about the door?

People often ask about a desk facing the door, or which way your desk should face in general.

• Back to the door is the most common complaint. Some people feel uneasy not seeing who walks in. If that's you, a small mirror on the wall above the desk lets you see the door without moving the desk.
• Facing the door, sometimes called the "command position" in feng shui desk placement, means you can see the room and whoever enters. It works in bigger rooms, but in a small bedroom it often puts the desk in the middle of the floor.
• Side-on to the door is a good middle ground.

Treat feng shui ideas as a way to think about comfort, not as rules. If you feel relaxed and focused where you sit, that's the right direction.

How to fix monitor glare from a window

If you love your desk in front of the window, or have no other choice, these help:

• Sheer curtains or light-filtering blinds soften direct sun while keeping the room bright.
• Tilt the screen slightly until reflections disappear.
• Raise the screen brightness during the day and lower it at night.
• Work at the desk when the sun isn't hitting that window, if your schedule allows.
• Add a lamp behind or beside the screen in the evening, so the screen isn't the only bright thing in a dark room.

Which way should your desk face? A quick decision guide

• You're on a laptop or monitor most of the day: sideways to the window, or facing a wall.
• You mostly read, write or draw on paper: facing the window works well.
• You get distracted easily: facing the wall.
• The room feels tiny and dark: facing or next to the window.
• You hate having your back to the door: side-on, or add a mirror.
• You want storage above your desk: facing the wall.

Once the desk faces the right way, the next job is the surface itself. Our guide on what to put on your desk covers what to keep and what to clear off.

Find the desk direction that makes your room score higher

You've got the answer to whether your desk should face the wall or window; now see how the whole room works around it. Take one photo and RoomMaxx gives you a Room Score out of 100, split into tidy, light and vibe, with a short verdict and one small fix aimed at your lowest score. Move the desk, rescan and keep the setup that scores higher.

Scan my room

FAQ

Is it better to have your desk facing a wall or a window?

Sideways to the window is usually best for screen work, because you get daylight without glare. Facing a wall is good for focus. Facing a window suits reading and writing on paper, if the sun isn't too strong.

Why do people say not to put a desk in front of a window?

A bright window behind a monitor can cause glare and make your eyes keep adjusting between the screen and the light. Windows can also be distracting and drafty. Sheer curtains and a tilted screen help if you keep it there.

What is the best direction for a desk to face?

With the window to one side, preferably opposite your writing hand. If that isn't possible, face the wall for focus or the window for light. The best direction is the one where you're comfortable for long stretches.

Is it bad to have your back to the door at a desk?

It isn't wrong, but some people find it unsettling. A small mirror above the desk lets you see the door behind you. Placing the desk side-on to the door is another easy fix.

How do I stop my desk facing a wall from feeling boring?

Hang one print or mirror at eye level, add a warm desk lamp and put a plant nearby. Keep the wall calm with one shelf and one board so it looks tidy rather than busy.