Carlton House desk

A Carlton House desk is a specific antique desk form within the more general bureau à gradin form.

The desk resembles a normal writing table, but small drawers above the surface form a "U" shape around the user, instead of merely facing the user as in a typical bureau à gradin.

Unlike other types of bureau à gradin, the Carlton House desk usually offers no pigeonholes.

There are usually small slopes over each of the desktop drawers at the left and right ends of the "U" shape.

Drawings of this type of desk were presented by Hepplewhite in his noted design book, the Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Guide, and by Thomas Sheraton in his own book of designs, The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer's Drawing Book, thus ensuring its popularity.