Custom desk mat: choosing the size and the design
A custom desk mat is printed across its whole surface, so the mat itself is your design. It also lives under your keyboard and mouse, which changes how a photo works on it. Here is how to choose the size, including the large desk mat, and plan a personalized desk mat for keyboard and mouse, from a desk mat photo print to a simple pattern.
Choose the size
- Medium, 70 × 40 cm: a compact mat for a keyboard and a mouse.
- Large, 90 × 45 cm: a large desk mat with more surface around the keyboard and mouse.
Measure your desk and your keyboard before you order. The mat should lie flat without hanging over the front edge, and you may want room for a lamp or a notebook beside it.
Plan for the keyboard and mouse
Much of the mat is covered in daily use: the keyboard often sits near the middle, with the mouse on the side you use most. So:
- Wide landscapes, skylines, patterns and textures work well, because they still look good when part of them is hidden.
- If your picture includes a face, a name or a logo, drag it toward a top corner or the side away from your mouse, where it stays visible.
- A calmer area under the mouse looks less busy than a detailed pattern.
Use a large picture
A desk mat photo print stretches the picture over a big surface. Use the original from your camera, not a picture saved from a chat app or a screenshot. Wide photos fit the mat's long shape best; a tall portrait leaves empty space at the sides, which you can fill with a background color. The designer warns you if the photo is under half the print size and may print soft.
In the designer
The designer shows the mat's real print shape, with rounded corners and a dashed line on its edge; the faded area outside it is not part of the mat. Keep important details a little away from the edge. Use Fill to cover the whole mat, drag the photo into place and zoom until the part you care about is where you want it.
Designs that work
- A landscape: a beach, mountains or a city skyline across the whole width.
- A pattern: a drawing, a texture or a repeated-logo image you have already made, uploaded as one picture, so it looks complete even under a keyboard.
- A collage: several photos combined in a photo app first, then uploaded as one picture, with the favorites toward the top.
- A color: a single background color, with your photo zoomed out and dragged to one corner.
Before you order
Check the size once more against your desk, look at the preview with your keyboard position in mind, and make sure nothing important sits on the edge. Your photo is uploaded only when you add the mat to your cart, and you see the full price before you pay.
Gift ideas
A desk mat with a family photo, a favorite landscape or a pet makes a practical gift for a home office or a gamer's desk. Pair it with a photo mug for the same desk, or read the mug and bottle guide.
See both sizes on the desk mats page or start in the designer.
Questions
Which size should I choose for a keyboard and mouse?
Measure your keyboard, mouse area and desk. The large 90 × 45 cm mat gives you more surface than the medium 70 × 40 cm mat.
Will part of my photo be hidden?
Yes, in use: your keyboard, mouse and other items cover part of the mat, so keep the important part away from where they sit. In the designer, also keep it inside the dashed edge.
What kind of photo works best on a desk mat?
A wide landscape, a pattern or a texture, because the mat is long and partly covered. Faces work best near a top corner.
Is the whole mat printed?
Yes, the whole surface inside the dashed line that the designer shows. Keep important details a little away from the edge.