IME Kitchen units and a worktop work well in this application. In 3m of
one wall, I have one of the office pcs and and two kneeholes, one for
the pc, one for the bench area which backs onto the radiator. By
splitting the worktop into two short pieces it is possible to have one
section against the wall, and a gap at the back of the workbench
section. The kitchen base units are freestanding, with the top in some
locations, screwed to them. The split also facilitates access when
various disasters strike. The bench worktop has a 150mm rear upstand,
which enables most of the small vital screws to fall onto the floor in
front of the bench, where they disappear into the carpet to join the
sawdust, metal filings, crumbs and coffee, before she sucks them up into
the cleaner. The occasional screw makes a bid for freedom at the rear,
disappears into the double panel radiator behind the bench, where it is
preferably written off(one of those screw pick up tools, a mirror and a
magnet is a good investment! That item is of course, normally, brass!).
Kitchen drawer units make good filing cabinets, but don't do too good a
job or you will find that these are taken over for the usual collections
of nK handbags and shoes(IME, these things breed when I'm not looking
and she wants to take over the next door space!). The airflow round the
radiator is very good and the instrument shelf at higher level deflects
the heat round the room without cooking the operator at the bench.
Typing chairs with adjustable height work well. Some jobs you need just
under the magnifier, some you need elbow room for! The knee holes
provide storage for boxes, large paper cutters, UPSs etc.
Using kitchen units is economic, very fast, but most shelves are crap
and won't take book loadings.

Hope this helps

Regards
Capitol