If you live in a small apartment or studio you probably know the value of wanting more space. While you might not be able to squeeze a big desk into the corner because your dining room table is already there, Anthro Corporation thinks they may have the answer for your desktop needs: the wall-mounted eNook.

 

A self described “gas station for your gadgets”, the eNook is positioned by Anthro as the place to drop your small devices so they can be plugged in and charged while not in use. It has a flip down work surface which Anthro feels is big enough to accommodate a laptop computer, mouse and notepad or more. Does the eNook live up to its maker’s claims, or is it just another pretty piece of art hanging on the wall? Read on to find out.

 

The eNook by Anthro is described by its maker as a “wall mount furniture storage solution to support today’s digital lifestyle”. The unit comes with one back metal frame, one front frame with brushed aluminum, a fabric covered back panel, two locking membrane-pressed shelves, one power strip and six cable clips. Interior shelves are offered as an optional accessory. The eNook’s interior dimensions are 30.2” x 5.1” x 15.2” and the unit itself has a total wall width of 35”.

 

In addition to these specifications, the eNook sports a flip down door design anchored by a push-to-open magnetic door latch. When the door is flipped down, it offers someone a 30” wide workspace. In the eNook’s interior are places to put portable electronics, space to mount a power strip for charging said electronics, built-in ventilation to help prevent overheating, integrated cable management for clutter reduction and the backside fabric covered panel which can serve as a bulletin board.

 

The eNook review unit, which we picked up from Anthro Corporation headquarters not too far from the Digital Trends office, came in two packages – the front frame with fabric back panel and the back metal frame with all other included accessories. Anthro also included one short interior shelf. The eNook is available in three different finishes, Cherry, Maple or White laminate.

 
Image Courtesy of Anthro Corporation

 

As with any piece of build-it-yourself furniture, the eNook requires a certain amount of self confidence with tools, patience and a steady hand. The assembly instructions included by Anthro are quite detailed in easy-to-understand English and with accompanying diagrams with each of the 16 steps. It should be noted this is a two person construction project, so you should make sure you have a buddy and some beer lying around.

 

The included Anthro assembly instructions provide tips for installation into wood studs or dry wall. Helpful notes like “how do you make sure that hole is 1-1/2” deep? Measure that length of your drill bit and mark it with a piece of masking tape. Stop drilling when you reach the masking tape” makes it easy for even an Ikea-phobic person to follow along.

 

 
The Parts Included with the eNook

 

With assembly complete, the eNook begins its purpose as a wall mounted desk. You definitely want to make sure you are near a wall outlet at this point as the included power strip is only 6 ft long. You should consider hiding your wall outlet behind the eNook if the idea of a dangling cord bothers you.

 

The Included Powerstrip located in the bottom drawer

 

 

The eNook offers up three different wood finishes to choose from and fits quite nicely in most contemporary home settings. It fit well in our test environment, drawing several comments from staffers. The top flip down door opened and closed easily, though we did note during testing in the closed position the magnetic latch didn’t always keep the door attached. This ultimately required us to lock the top portion to keep it from flipping down by itself.

 

The Anthro eNook in use. No, it is not wall-mounted here

 

As a dumping ground for our portable electronics, the eNook served quite well for storage and charging through the included power strip. As a desk it was not the most ideal, offering a decent but not overly generous space to spread out and work at. In some instances it felt awkward working in the 30” area which supports around 45 pounds. This feeling was balanced though by being able to close up the eNook when work was done, leaving a clean and uncluttered room.

 

The Anthro eNook makes a quality stab at providing a stylish and useful wall mounted desk and charging station for those living the digital lifestyle. A few small installation and usage issues cloud its otherwise nice looks however, requiring a low level of frustration tolerance be practiced during ownership.

 

If one can master the long but well detailed installation process, they should be well rewarded via the eNook’s simple and extremely useful functionality.