Along with other types of furniture, O’Sullivan desks have developed over time to meet the needs of homeowners and businesses, especially in the realm of computer desks. From compact, space-saving designs to more elaborate models featuring plenty of shelves and cabinets, O’Sullivan now manufactures a number of different desks to meet various consumer needs.
O’Sullivan Industries was founded in 1954 by Thomas O’Sullivan, and was originally a producer of television carts. Headquartered in Lamar, Missouri since 1964, O’Sullivan now manufactures credenzas, entertainment centers, and kitchen accessories in addition to its desks and computer workstations. The company now ranks third in U.S. furniture manufacturing, and tenth worldwide. By 1995, O’Sullivan was being publicly traded and had two additional manufacturing facilities in South Boston, Virginia and Cedar City, Utah.
With the increasing popularity of ready-to-assemble furniture, O’Sullivan developed its Intelligent Designs series, offering a wide selection of affordable, stylish desks. This line was designed to emulate handcrafted furniture featuring rounded, profiled edges and is targeted for offices and homes. The continuing increase in home offices is a particular focus of O’Sullivan’s desk designs, many of which come unassembled for easy transportation.
Among the more simplistic designs by O’Sullivan are its office suite components, featuring end and center pieces as well as radius desks; these are to be assembled into a workstation of desired size and shape. These desks have an impact-resistant melamine surface and an anti-tip mechanism that allows only one drawer at a time to open; adjustable feet are utilized to ensure accurate alignment and leveling, and the radius models have a curved edge on either the right or left side.
Other examples of simplicity include the Hudson Valley writing desks, with their solid wood, spring cherry finish and single pencil drawer. The similar Del Mar computer desk adds a hideaway keyboard shelf and a wheeled computer holder, while sporting a brown rattan and bronze glass finish. Studio workcenters, made from powder-coated steel with tempered glass tops, offer a spacious work area and a look of minimalism.
Other desk models by O’Sullivan also have matching hutches available, such as the Bradford Park credenza hutch, featuring large, swing-out doors along with numerous cubby holes and storage shelves in a Canyon oak finish. Hutches for lateral files are also made, sporting elegant designs while providing large cabinets for extra storage. Other hutches feature doors with European-style, self-closing hinges, and cloth-covered tack boards for posting notes.
O’Sullivan also manufactures computer towers that fit neatly into any corner while consuming very little space. The Athena model, for example, provides a wide bottom shelf for computers and printers, speaker shelves, and two additional shelves above the main work table, and is made with a combination of powder-coated steel and teak. Wheeled computer carts are also available that are easily moved if needed, such as a Norwegian alder model featuring a printer shelf and hutch.
Desk sets include the Digital Dock workcenters, which are corner models that sometimes include a hutch with CD storage shelves. These sets have a low-profile monitor platform, and some are part of the Elements series, which sports a black and alumicast laminate finish.
Traditional executive desk models by O’Sullivan come in several finishes, including cherry, Canyon oak, Snow maple, and the Elements black/alumicast laminate. These desks feature a standard surface area of 30" by 60", two large file drawers, and two accessory drawers; credenzas are available in similar finishes, and provide a hidden computer compartment.
These are just some examples of the desks O’Sullivan has to offer, and whether in a home or business, a desk plays an important role in utilizing space efficiently while complimenting a room’s appearance.