Oakywood Desk Shelf Review: Raising Your Monitors And Your Standards

My office desk had started to look like a North Sea wind had blasted through it: unruly cables, flurries of paper, more themed stationery than any sane person should possess, and a small jungle of desk plants supposed to brighten my workday. Not to mention my monitor that was taking up more than its fair share of available space on my average sized desk.

The solution? Surprisingly simple. I ordered the Oakywood Desk Shelf, and my workspace transformed. Thanks to its clean aesthetic and smooth charm, it helps me keep my desk tidy while adding more real estate to organize my desk essentials. It’s excellent for streamlining my flow at work. 

A clutter-free desk is a clutter-free mind, so my productivity has soared. 🤓

What’s more, my desk shelf lifts my monitor to the perfect eye height, so I’m supporting my health along with my focus.

Now, my desk is a minimalist dream. My pens and notepads are stored neatly under the shelf. My monitor is in view, but its stand is conveniently out of the way. I even picked up the matching Oakywood Standing Desk and accessories to align my new office aesthetic. Check my hands-on Oakywood custom standing desk review to see what the combination looks like.

Indeed, I love knowing my desk was created with care and finesse by expert craftsmen, using sustainable materials. 

Finally, I feel like my workspace is an edifying ally rather than a chaotic no man’s land—matching my values and style and creating a clearer space for me to thrive professionally.

Why you can trust Luxe Digital? When it comes to our office space, we prioritize quality and timeless design. We’ve got two Oakywood Desk Shelves for our WFH office space, so we’ve witnessed the craftsmanship firsthand. We can also attest to the ease of setup—after all, time is precious, and we wanted our new shelves up-and-ready, pronto.

I’m writing this review on a monitor standing on my Oakywood natural oak desk shelf, so you can trust my hands-on experience with this product.

For more on how we test products in general, see our  HAPPY philosophy for buying luxuries.

Oakywood Desk Shelf: My hands-on experience

Unboxing

The parcel feels satisfyingly heavy—after all, it contains high-quality solid wood and steel. Upon unwrapping the main package, I found four little boxes inside: one for the top shelf, two for the legs, and a small, neat box with the screws and Allen key. Everything was smooth, well-placed, and properly protected—with a crystal-clear user manual included to quell the setup scaries.

Assembly

I don’t have time to spend hours experimenting with nuts and bolts, nor deciphering instruction manuals that may as well be hieroglyphs. I wanted to get my new desk shelf up and ready ASAP.

Thankfully, the Oakywood Desk Shelf comes in just three pieces—the top shelf and two legs—plus screws and an Allen wrench to streamline the assembly. I simply screwed the stand onto the wooden shelf into the pre-drilled holes (no rule or measuring necessary), and voila–that’s literally it.

Remember to have a soft cloth handy if you’re assembling it on a hard surface to avoid any pesky scratches.

Materials & craftsmanship

In the foothills of the Tatra mountains in Ciche, Poland, certified craftsmen are using their talented hands to saw, sand, cut, and drill these pieces to perfection. It’s all undertaken in the brand’s very own workshop—no factory lines in sight.

Oakywood uses only noble, natural materials. From the high-quality Polish Oak (my personal favorite) to American Walnut Wood or Wood Veneer, each wood is FSC® certified sustainable. By introducing beautiful, eco-friendly materials into my office, I’m connecting to nature, not just the internet.

The surface is treated with a protective layer of colorless wax oil, giving the wood a smooth, flawless feel without clogging its pores—it’s like the ultimate skin primer. Complete with a matte finish, this keeps the shelf looking fresh and modern rather than tacky.

If you love to give back to the environment, Oakywood’s on your wavelength, too. With each desk sold, they plant a tree or a meter-square of forest as a thank you to Mother Nature. Working alongside organizations like One Tree Planted and Forever Forest, they’re joining the effort to carpet our world with nourishing flora once again. That’s a green flag if ever we saw one.

Functionality

You could have the most gorgeously designed deskspace, but if it’s uncomfortable or impractical, it’s simply a decoration. My Oakywood Desk Shelf is so much more than decor.

First up, you can customize the shelf between 60cm and 140cm in length and 23cm to 29cm in width using Oakywood’s 3D configurator—or choose the off-shelf size of 105 x 23cm, which offers space for two monitors. Sitting atop our desk, it elevates our monitors just the right amount and maximizes usable space for keyboards, mousepads, and other workday requisites. 

It’s raised enough to preserve precious desk real estate underneath, where I can neatly store notebooks, pens, and diaries without allowing clutter to take control. That said, if you’re a tech hoarder, you’ve got up to 100kg of capacity to play with, too.

If you love to keep your space in-sync, I highly recommend the Oakywood accessories, compatible with and corresponding to the desk shelf’s clean aesthetic. Just add a cute succulent, and you’re Pinterest-ready. From catchall trays to coasters to combo docks (all sold separately, BTW), you can match the vibe to perfection.

On the flip side, you can’t adjust the height. However, the obvious remedy for this (and the one I’ve opted for) is to rest it on the Oakywood Standing Desk. With this, I can dial in the exact height I require for ultimate ergonomics (read: no more back ache.) 

There’s also no integrated cable management system, but you can purchase the Felt Cable Ties separately for a chic solution to your cable chaos.

Aesthetic & design

If you’re anything like us, you love the aesthetic of real wood. Nothing beats authentic, and let’s face it: you can spot MDF from a mile off. Oakywood keeps it real, and it shows.

Nodding to the Japandi-style phenomena, Oakywood’s aesthetic blends clean-lined modernism of Scandinavian design with the elegant minimalism of Japanese style. 

Flowing with serenity, sophistication, and simplicity, your mind will echo your workspace: calm and collected.

Even the branding is subtle. Unseen at the bottom of the shelf, it maintains the minimalist appeal of your new desk accessory. Paired with powder-coated steel legs in chic black matte and a practical cork layer for a scratch-free desk, the desk shelf achieves both polish and pragmatism. It’s soft, chic, and it evokes a sense of balance—elements to calibrate your mind for success.

Colors & variants

Of course, your home (office) is your castle. So, you’ve got full authority over the design. With Oakywood, you can effortlessly match your desired aesthetics with the range of finishes: from the rich and chocolatey Walnut to classic Oak or powerful Black.

I chose the Oak; its warm yet minimalist feel elevates my office from clinical to cozy, sculpting daylight in ways that inspire my mind. Whichever you select, remember that natural wood will always vary slightly in color and grain pattern. Our two cents? We love the one-of-a-kind uniqueness.

Care & maintenance

OK, Oakywood has crafted the piece; now it’s your turn. Caring for your desk shelf is key to its longevity, but the brand has made it simple. Pick up the Maintenance Kit, including two types of sandpaper, oil wax, and OSMO polishing cloths, and consider it your desk shelf’s beauty bag.

Price

Costing $199, we recognize it’s a splurge. But it’s also an investment—not only for your office but also the environment, plus supporting fair-wage labour. The “Transparency of Price” section (super easy to find, just under the online shop) breaks down exactly where your money goes. No surprises, no hidden fees.

Who is it best for?

The Oakywood Desk Shelf is perfect for those seeking a more organized workspace, who value style and aesthetics as equal to eco-friendliness and commitment to craftsmanship.

Final thoughts

Oakywood’s attention to detail is tough to rival; every step is meticulously undertaken to ensure the utmost quality and high design. Whether you invest in the Desk Shelf or the entire range, you’re advocating for a better workday and a brighter world.

Where to buy Oakywood Desk Shelf?

Order exclusively on the Oakywood online store, where you can pick up compatible accessories to add the finishing touches.

Frequently asked questions