After years of iterating, I think I've finally reached a point where I'm genuinely happy with my setup. Since I have full control over this basement room, I went all in on making it exactly what I wanted.
The core:
- Mac Studio + Pro Display XDR
- iPad Pro M1 as secondary display – sits in a custom acrylic rail glued to the desk, USB-C cable runs through a hole with a 180° U-bend connector so it's invisible when not in use
- KRK Rokit 5 + KRK S10G4 subwoofer via AudioEngine D1 DAC
- Logitech MX Keys Mini for Mac + Logitech G305
The floating iPhone: Got tired of my phone just lying around. Took a MagSafe stand, removed the base, found a matching threaded rod at the hardware store, and mounted it directly into the desk. Drilled another hole for the cable (sealed with a silicone grommet). Now the phone floats at the perfect angle for Face ID – I can just glance at notifications and it unlocks automatically.
Why everything fits perfectly: The desk, mini fridge (Klarstein with glass door), and subwoofer widths aren't coincidental. Everything was measured to fit the room width exactly. It's tight, but intentional.
Lighting & atmosphere: This basement has one tiny window, and German winters are dark. So I went heavy on ambient lighting:
- Govee RGBIC floor lamps in the corners
- Osram HomeKit LED strips behind and under the desk
- Xiaomi monitor light bar
- Paulmann strip in the network cabinet on the left
Added fake plants everywhere – I don't want to maintain real ones, but the green helps it feel less like a dungeon. The acoustic panels on the walls started as function but became part of the aesthetic.
It's become my favorite place to work. Happy to answer any questions!