Contemporary furniture company Scale 1:1 introduces Sidekick, a collection of mobile work pedestals that serve as adjustable-height workstation, lectern, and storage unit—offering unprecedented flexibility. Sidekick allows users to reconfigure spaces by adding or removing furniture instantly, responding to ever-changing needs in today’s office spaces. “Sidekick is a result of working from home and being displaced from the work environment. It’s a response to the reality that our workplace is wherever we are,” said David Winston, director of creative design for DeskMakers, the parent company of Scale 1:1.
Winston, a trained architect, is no stranger to designing innovative contract furnishings. Yet, when he sustained a back injury, a work-home product that was also an ergonomic solution had personal significance. “I found it really uncomfortable to sit in any sort of traditional chair that I had around the house, and I could only stand for a little while,” he said. “I had these two pieces and just sort of worked them together.”

During his recovery, Winston sat on a mobile pedestal with a cushion top and put his computer on a basic laptop stand to create a makeshift unit, which offered a surprising amount of support while he was seated. “It’s very ergonomic because it forces you to sit up straight. And then I thought about having the mobility, with a table that moved up and down. That’s the essence of the concept,” Winston noted.
Available in four variations, Sidekick allows for the personalization necessary in the workplace. For Type B, the cabinet is replaced with box file drawer units. Type C is a combination of traditional cabinet and mobile work cart. Type T features a unique locking tambour door for securing personal items. And Type W, also known as the workhorse, includes a sliding padded seat and foot stirrups for added comfort.

Mobility is the key element, no matter which option an individual selects. As employees work from home and the office during the week, they are constantly in motion, no longer tied to a single desk indefinitely. Winston explained that even during a day at home he finds himself in different areas, but doesn’t want to use several pieces for each task. When he envisioned Sidekick, he prioritized both movement and multifunction, based on his own lifestyle. “In the morning, I’ll have a cup of coffee and work at the kitchen counter. A little bit later in the day, I am in the living room using a laptop table with the news on in the background. If I am doing focus work, I’ll move into my office. This setup allows me to be anywhere that I want to be.”
In a corporate environment, Sidekick gives employees a third space experience even though they are on site. Since people can change settings frequently, they are able to break the monotony of daily routine and have a more positive outlook. “You can actually be remote while you’re still on site. You can take it into the elevator and move to another part of the building. If you are distracted by conversations around you and need a quiet area, you are not limited by fixed furniture. Because it is a locker and desk combined, you can easily take your items with you,” Winston said.

Sidekick is also multifunctional, seamlessly operating in any room. From extra surface area to storage, and then back to desk again, endless combinations are possible with a single unit. “You can pull the top out and use it as a return table, and it becomes this useful desktop expansion space. Or you can turn it into a standing desk without having to purchase a new sit-stand product. It’s not just about the mobility, it can be whatever you need it to be at the moment. There’s a lot of versatility,” Winston explained.
Winston noted that no matter how or where people use the product, it gives them more autonomy, which is essential in a hybrid world. “It’s about this idea of freedom, the same independence that our laptops and cell phones give us. We can take a Zoom call anywhere today. Sidekick is the companion furniture, the missing piece that complements all of the tools that we use for remote work,” he added.


