Remote worker’s guide to a zen office and desk: Part 6 – Hiding a Monitor Front Frame and Back + Monitor Arms + Risers + Laptop Holders + Stands

One of the best ways to keep clutter off your desk if you have a lot of laptops or things to use at the same time, plus to add organization and functionality is in docking stations, holders and stands.

Docking stations help clean up the cable clutter, laptop holders can help productivity and eliminate the need for a monitor, and monitor stands add organization underneath it, and to free up more desk space.

Psst! If you have missed the first of the series, I fell down a literal rabbit hole a month ago, and am gathering all my insights into multiple part posts, with examples and actual product links, plus my take on them.

• Series: Cosy + Minimalist Aesthetic Desk Setups

I will give you what I see repeatedly pop up over and over again and what has endured through their hundreds of videos. I sometimes see paid partnerships or sponsorships from brands for certain things, but by the next video it is gone.

So I am also looking out for longevity in choice. I will also note afterwards, what I personally use / do and why.

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PORTABLE MONITORS

Quick mention that you don’t necessarily need to buy a massive monitor with a stand to benefit from using a second screen on your laptop.

I found this brand – Arzopa portable monitors – and I plan on buying one for when I travel and need another screen to help me, but don’t want to (understandably) lug a monitor around…

MONITOR FRAMING

Most monitors, including mine, are freaking hideous. They are black plastic and really ugly. What to do?

You have a these options if you want to frame out your monitor or change it:

a) Buy a monitor that isn’t ugly

You have very few in this range like Pixio 27″ gaming monitor in pink (and other colours). You could shell out for a fancy Apple one. This is the easiest but likely most expensive option.

Pixio is nice, but it doesn’t go past 27″ or 32″, and it may not be the super high resolution 4K you have been hoping for. But it is already coloured, and good enough for basic office work, plus it is rather reasonably priced.

b) Cover that hideous frame in vinyl tape

Lots of people have done this, and it doesn’t look too bad especially if you do a pattern or a wood grain instead of something as a solid colour.

You can either DIY it yourself and just go buy some vinyl tape, or cable tape, or pay an exorbitant (to me) amount of money for some pre-cut tape from TV Color Tape (3M Film).

Simply pull the tape across the front, trying to match it to be straight across the black line as much as possible then push the excess down over the back of the monitor frame.

The only downside is that if you use a solid colour you WILL see the sort of cut in the tape where it overlaps with the other, so it doesn’t look as sleek. So go for a wood-grain pattern instead as pictured above. It looks less hacky.

You could even try Panel Moulding tape in gold, if your frame is the perfect size for it.

c) Paint the monitor frame

Tape it off, including any vents to the back of the monitor so you don’t get paint sprayed inside of it, then prime and paint the frame. I don’t love this because it can easily go wrong, but people have definitely done it.

D) Create a frame for the monitor

I like this idea the best if your monitor frame is wide enough for this. You just need some 3M Mounting Strips to stick on your monitor and then to get some PANEL MOULDING because it is flat at the back, and create a frame out of the moulding, glue it together after you miter the edges to create the frame, spray paint it the colour you want, and then stick it on there.

Voilà. GENIUS.

This TikTok from @cozy.goblin.gaming explains the process which seems rather simple. Simple enough that even I could do it I think.

Of course, the back stays black, but what can you do? You can only hope you are up against a wall so it is hidden, or put a bookshelf-sort-of-decoration-vibe or a vase with a lot of distracting tall plants in front of it, if you are not. You can only go so far.

But at least you are in front of the beautiful monitor and not behind it.

Maybe you could even go to a photo shop or a framing shop (like in this picture), and have them make it for you as a custom frame so you don’t even have to do any of the work.

Or they may have a frame that fits your monitor perfectly.

Otherwise, going to Home Depot and getting some decorative trim, making 45 degree cuts, and attaching it all together with 90-degree brackets (instead of the staples as shown in the TT video), then spray painting or painting it would be the way to go.

You could also paste on 3M velcro strips so you can easily remove the frame as required as well.

You can also use flexible, peel and stick 3D moulding tape to put on the frame edges (use scissors to cut 45 degree angles) and paste it on. This is a great tutorial by Amaya Bueno and perfect for thinner frames in front

MY TAKE ON MONITOR FRAMES

100% doing the panel moulding + gold frame or flexible moulding. No doubt about it. This is easy to do, put on, take off (if I ever want to resell), and all it takes is a little DIY + paint.

Although I will be more likely to go to a framing store and have them do it for me because I don’t want to fuss with spray paint and make mistakes.

MONITOR BACKS

They are all equally as ugly but you may not have the possibility (like me) to face a wall instead of having it be in an open space.

The only solution is a privacy panel of sorts!

..but here are a few that aren’t as hideous corporate office pieces:

• A low privacy panel to hide a monitor and cables coming in different colourways
• Light grey felt privacy panel that is higher and screws onto your desk
• Clamp-on desk pegboard that can also be useful.. you could even put the items on the OTHER side of the panel of where your monitor is so it is a useful piece
• Depending on how long your desk is, this countertop panel is for a restaurant but it would look equally as elegant hiding the back of your monitor

MY TAKE ON MONITOR FRAMES

Again, 100% doing this. I have a desk with the back that faces a door because I cannot stand having my own back to the door, but this means no matter how nice my cable management system is, you are going to see it to some extent unless I do something to hide from it.

I am already planning on putting a vase and some things to distract at the back of the stand, but these options would be far sleeker.

Monitor Stands

You all know those stands that come with the monitors? They are large, bulky, normally not even flat so you can’t even put anything on top of them, and take up so much space…

That said, every monitor needs a riser of some sort so that it raises the screen up to your eye-level and you aren’t craning your neck down to look at the screen, the way you would do so on a laptop for instance.

They can add beauty but also functionality to your space.

!! CONSIDER THE WEIGHT PLEASE !!

If your monitor is HUGE, you need a really solid monitor riser / stand and not something light.

You cannot just go out and buy whatever cute flimsy item is out there, you will need something that can withstand the weight, so proceed with caution.

MONITOR STANDS

You can find SO MANY STANDS out there.

But it is difficult to find one that looks great and also holds a monitor… so keep in mind that you can use monitor arms instead, and just place the monitor stand in front of the monitor arm as storage instead.

Part I

• Ergonofis monitor stand which can be customized with any wood you want
• Grovemade monitor stand with various woods and colours
• Acrylic desk stand for a super low profile, transparent feel – if you want it with a wood top, this one has acrylic legs
• This dark wood top riser with elegant gold legs is another option

Part II

Alternatively, just get creative with ‘hiding’ the monitor stand itself, or embrace it.

• For lighter monitors only!! You could get a simple butcher block of some sort, place these acrylic boxes with LED fairy lights bunched up inside underneath, as the “legs” and use it as a stand to hide the monitor leg.
• If you need more space, this Pixio monitor shelf, is literally a shelf for the top of your monitor.. a good use of space if you don’t have a webcam or ring light
• Ikea Elloven – instead of a simple monitor, get one with drawers
• Bamboo monitor stand also looks really organic and cute

PART III

• This gold mesh metal riser is just a beauty. Simple and open.
• Don’t miss the rather cute DIY copper-pipe + wood monitor stand
• Here is another gold metal one with drawers, and also comes in other colours if you want
• This all-pink one for a curved desk or a straight desk setup is also kind of cute

 

My take on Monitor stands

If I get one, it won’t be for the monitor stand itself per se, but for the extra storage and decorative aspect so I can place notebooks underneath and items on top in front of my monitor.

My real goal would be to get a strong monitor arm to hold up both monitors so it frees up the space in front of me and I can put any kind of monitor stand I want in front of it, to hide it from view. I would likely do something fun like the acrylic boxes with fairy lights inside (see above) with a plank of wood on top.

Monitor Arms

This is the very best way to achieve that seamless, minimalist look. Let’s look at it again:

You see how every monitor seems to be floating off the desk? You don’t see ANY ugly stand in the middle of it, and it looks so seamless right?

The real secret to all of this, is the Monitor Arm.

You have plenty of options online, but the best brands are:

• Ergotron
• BenQ
• ASUS Rog

The main thing you need to keep in mind is the weight of your monitor, the size of the monitor, and if it takes a standard VESA docking pattern at the back.

By this, I mean when you unscrew the ugly stand that comes with the monitor, you will need to then screw on the monitor arm to the back of it, and these usually come as what they call a VESA pattern of screws.

Most monitors have this screw pattern.

Most monitor arms have the same screw pattern.

But you NEED to check with your monitor, if it is possible to swap it out for the arm, and which arms are available for your specific monitor. Some arms don’t work for monitors larger than certain sizes, or over certain weights.

My take on Monitor stands

I am getting a dual one, or two single ones, depending on how I set up my desk. 100% going for Ergotron.

Laptop holders

At the end of the workday, I like to put my computers away.

The best way to store them, if not on a shelf and behind a door (and to not think about work), is with a laptop holder. They basically stack your laptop vertically and free up space on your desk.

If you also get a cute cover for your laptop so it can serve as a fun, aesthetic pop of colour and pattern to your desk as well.

• Humancentric solid wood laptop holder
• Upergo wood laptop holder
• Humancentric triangle laptop holder
• Vaydeer aluminium laptop holder

My take on LAPTOP HOLDERS

I have two. I plan on spray painting them gold because I can’t stand the colour. Or maybe a bright red.

LAPTOP stands

Now laptop stands are not holders in the sense that yes they do hold a laptop, but it holds it on a stand so you can put it at eye-level, and work with a keyboard an mouse in a pinch.

Or to use it on a stand and attach a monitor to it so you can have both screens at once – a laptop one and your large monitor.

I like to do this (I don’t have a laptop stand yet) because I have reference documents up on my laptop but my monitor is where I actually work on my files, only glancing over once in a while to make sure I am on the right track.

• Besign LS03 Gold laptop stand
• Acrylic laptop stand for a nice low profile look
• Native Union stand in Slate Green
• Adjustable gold laptop stand

Need a rotating option?

The X-style laptop stand does this, and so does this one.

……OK and before we end….

…how cute is this painter’s easel for your tablet (as seen on TikTok @canelat)??!!!

If you want something more chic, this acrylic + gold easel is STUNNING by Russell + Hazel Acrylic Easel:

My take on LAPTOP STANDS

I am definitely getting a laptop stand because I like having extra screens, especially ones with reference documents open, and at EYE level. I am eying the Native Union one, because the green is just so appealing….!

Or a gold one.

I have yet to set up my desk (again) and figure out if I need it to swivel 360 degrees or not.

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WANT MORE?

This is the series that has all of the posts: Cosy + Minimalist Aesthetic Desk Setups.