GOOD MORNING
October 22, 2013 9:52 AM Subscribe
My wooden desk at work has some sort of highly-reflective protective coating. This makes for very bright sun glare in a ~16"x16" area, which is reflected directly into my face for half the day. I've tried putting assorted office supplies in that spot and nothing seems to cut it down. What can I put there that will cut the glare but also looks at least sort of neat?
A plant?
posted by melissasaurus at 10:03 AM on October 22, 2013
posted by melissasaurus at 10:03 AM on October 22, 2013
Any chance you could frost the window or in some other way diffuse the light source before it ever reaches your desk?
posted by ZakDaddy at 10:11 AM on October 22, 2013
posted by ZakDaddy at 10:11 AM on October 22, 2013
Have you considered astroturf contours?
[ctrl-f/cmd-f The Rooftop Hills]
posted by oceanjesse at 10:16 AM on October 22, 2013
[ctrl-f/cmd-f The Rooftop Hills]
posted by oceanjesse at 10:16 AM on October 22, 2013
Response by poster: A couple of clarifications:
The spot is above my keyboard, between the bases of two monitors. The cable from the keyboard bisects the space. Whatever goes there has to lay flat. I would prefer to have something thin that I can secure under the bases of the monitors. A free-floating thing would get constantly tossed around/knocked over by the keyboard cable, which is why I had to move my speakers to the windowsill.
The landlord is very, uh, precise in what we're allowed to do in this space, so I can't do anything to the window. I also can't do anything permanent to the desk.
posted by griphus at 10:18 AM on October 22, 2013
The spot is above my keyboard, between the bases of two monitors. The cable from the keyboard bisects the space. Whatever goes there has to lay flat. I would prefer to have something thin that I can secure under the bases of the monitors. A free-floating thing would get constantly tossed around/knocked over by the keyboard cable, which is why I had to move my speakers to the windowsill.
The landlord is very, uh, precise in what we're allowed to do in this space, so I can't do anything to the window. I also can't do anything permanent to the desk.
posted by griphus at 10:18 AM on October 22, 2013
What would happen if you "accidentally" brushed some sandpaper over that area?
posted by argonauta at 10:25 AM on October 22, 2013
posted by argonauta at 10:25 AM on October 22, 2013
Get one or two of these, as needed to cover the glare area.
posted by beagle at 10:27 AM on October 22, 2013
posted by beagle at 10:27 AM on October 22, 2013
You can get a matte plastic desk cover thing from someplace like Staples or Quill. It will be ugly and for the first few weeks, smelly.
posted by elizardbits at 10:27 AM on October 22, 2013
posted by elizardbits at 10:27 AM on October 22, 2013
tablecloth on the entire desk
posted by Namlit at 10:40 AM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Namlit at 10:40 AM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Seconding a tablecloth. It's actually really nice from a dust perspective (as in it takes a really long time for dust to show), and you can change it seasonally or whatever to suit your mood.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:43 AM on October 22, 2013
posted by Lyn Never at 10:43 AM on October 22, 2013
Can you sew or do you know anybody who can sew for you?
I am imagining a long strip of sturdy fabric (canvas?) running across the width of your desk with pockets on the ends. The ends would hang over the sides, and you could use them to hold papers/files/snacks/whatever, and the weight would anchor it in place as well as the monitor bases sitting on top of it. Kind of like a table runner but for your desk. Attach thin strips of grippy rubber to some of the edges to prevent slippage.
posted by Mizu at 10:43 AM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
I am imagining a long strip of sturdy fabric (canvas?) running across the width of your desk with pockets on the ends. The ends would hang over the sides, and you could use them to hold papers/files/snacks/whatever, and the weight would anchor it in place as well as the monitor bases sitting on top of it. Kind of like a table runner but for your desk. Attach thin strips of grippy rubber to some of the edges to prevent slippage.
posted by Mizu at 10:43 AM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Can you put up a little wall (well, an opaque shade-- heavy cardstock would do the trick) that stands behind your monitor and blocks the inbound sunlight? Something matte and maybe curved (i.e. the monitors would be in its convex side), but in any case symmetrical will probably escape most people's notice.
posted by Sunburnt at 10:49 AM on October 22, 2013
posted by Sunburnt at 10:49 AM on October 22, 2013
Could you use a tension curtain rod with a sheer curtain in the window, only during the parts of the day where the sun is an issue? This type of rod doesn't involve installing anything in the window and can be removed any time you want.
posted by augustimagination at 10:52 AM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by augustimagination at 10:52 AM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Table cloth or place mat. Large blotter pad or desk calendar. A sheet of cardboard/craft board which would be handy for note taking as well. If you still want a hard surface you could cover the desk in a piece of non reflective bevel edged glass, little rubber feet in the corners would stop it from scratching the desk. Lean a small white board behind your desk against the window to block the glare, again rubber feet or some bluetac would stop it sliding.
A quick trip around your dollar store will most likely find you a few solutions to try out.
posted by wwax at 10:52 AM on October 22, 2013
A quick trip around your dollar store will most likely find you a few solutions to try out.
posted by wwax at 10:52 AM on October 22, 2013
A cat.
OK, seriously though, paper doesn't work? You could even go fancy or seasonal and get some scrapbook paper at Michael's
posted by maryr at 1:01 PM on October 22, 2013
OK, seriously though, paper doesn't work? You could even go fancy or seasonal and get some scrapbook paper at Michael's
posted by maryr at 1:01 PM on October 22, 2013
(Or: Could you put a piece of cardboard behind the monitor? Would that block the sun?)
posted by maryr at 1:01 PM on October 22, 2013
posted by maryr at 1:01 PM on October 22, 2013
I am imagining a long strip of sturdy fabric (canvas?) running across the width of your desk with pockets on the ends. The ends would hang over the sides, and you could use them to hold papers/files/snacks/whatever, and the weight would anchor it in place as well as the monitor bases sitting on top of it. Kind of like a table runner but for your desk.
I think this sounds awesome, particularly with the pockets and everything.
Also, why not just an actual table runner? They're cheap and easily available. We have one made of little sticks stuck together in a row and that would totally stop the glare. It's quite heavy so doesn't move around at all and looks pretty sharp, but there are a million other types you could choose from too. I liked mine so much I bought a matching place mat to cover our side table next to the couch, instantly providing protection from coffee cup and beer mug rings on the surface as a nice side effect.
posted by shelleycat at 1:19 PM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
I think this sounds awesome, particularly with the pockets and everything.
Also, why not just an actual table runner? They're cheap and easily available. We have one made of little sticks stuck together in a row and that would totally stop the glare. It's quite heavy so doesn't move around at all and looks pretty sharp, but there are a million other types you could choose from too. I liked mine so much I bought a matching place mat to cover our side table next to the couch, instantly providing protection from coffee cup and beer mug rings on the surface as a nice side effect.
posted by shelleycat at 1:19 PM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
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(I personally always wanted a blotter for my desk at home, but then started building guitar pedals and slapped a self-healing cutting mat on it, and that almost even more awesome.)
posted by Admiral Haddock at 9:54 AM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]