I admire attempts to improve long-established objects with better design. But the results are often mixed, and in the case of this kooky-looking Edge Desk, I'm having a tough time with how visually unappealing it is; it resembles a piece of gym equipment more than furniture to be lived with.

Let's set aesthetics aside for a moment and concentrate on the function. The desk's unknown designers have essentially attached a worksurface to a kneeling chair, then added adjustability throughout: The seat height, desk height and desk angle are all user-adjustable. The desk can also be rotated into either portrait or landscape.

However, the adjustment mechanisms do seem like they were realized by an engineer and not a designer:

Furthermore, the item folds down to just 7" in height, so it can be stored beneath furniture that offers that kind of clearance.

When I look at the folks in the demo video...

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…I wonder if the desk's position, which seems a bit low to me, would give me neck cramps. But admittedly that's speculation.

Where I think this desk might most shine is in a life drawing class.

The desk runs $400.