Hey Zarnold16!
I have built more work benches than I care to remember....some have proven to have really useful features....most end up being too small, LOL....but the design cannot be made larger than the space it is allowed to occupy....
Having Workspace "A" & "B" connected by either a curve or an angle really increases usable desk space in "corner work benches". Doing the same with the shelf creates a great space for monitors & test equipment....Tile makes a very good work surface, but I would suggest you get "large tiles" and design the desk space so that the tile completely covers from front to back....use a "calk-gun" dispensed adhesive designed for both tile and wood rather than attempting to use "thin set". Make certain to set the tile "level" or intentionally put a slight slope toward the inside-back so that round things tend to roll toward the wall rather than "off the edge"....when setting the tile use a fairly generous "bead" ~ 1" in from the edges...press it lightly to the table top and then use an accurate level to begin the process of "working the tile down"....once you have pressed the tile down to ~1/2 the original "adhesive bead height" use a smooth ball to find where the natural roll is and adjust the tile level until you have it where you want it....There is nothing more frustrating than a work surface that naturally dumps small screws, bearings and other round objects on the floor....
Make certain the chair you plan to use will fit under the desk....I prefer "Bar Height" to "Counter Height", but that is personal preference..... For a work bench I generally prefer a stool/chair that swivels rather than one that "rolls"...again, personal preference....
As Previously mentioned, you can never have enough outlets.....A trick I frequently use is making my "shelf supports hollow columns" so that I can put a single or double outlet in them....I then cut an extension chord to power the outlets....this gives me a molded plug that can go into an existing "floor level outlet" to power the outlets in the hollow column....Obviously I could simply buy a plug and a piece of 3-Wire chord for this, but I like molded plugs and typically a 25ft extension chord with a molded plug is cheaper than a "repair plug" and the requisite amount of wire. I generally drill a hole big enough for the plug to go through under the hollow column.....That way if I need to move the column later on I can simply un-plug the chord from the wall rather than disconnecting it from the outlets...But i have a long history of "remodeling" work benches....you can certainly get by with a hole just big enough for the wire to go through....
Another thing to consider is the "permanence" of the work bench. If you are confident the workbench is a permanent fixture then I would eliminate the "back legs" and replace them with a 2x2 strip screwed to the studs in the wall....This approach helps create a super-sturdy work bench....but requires patching the screw holes in the sheet rock should you ever decide to remove the workbench....I also frequently replace the "legs" with standard cabinets from HD or Lowes....generally "drawer cabinets"....Not cheap, but much easier than building drawers, provide a rock solid base and eliminates making legs that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing....which can be an arduous task.
For the actual bench top I generally use 3/4in particle board and glue 1/4in x 1.125in hardwood "facing strips" to the exposed edges....then glue 1/4in hardwood ply to the particle board and use a flush cut router bit to trim the facing strips to the contour of the plywood...or sometimes I just glue down laminate or tile the entire desk top....did I mention I have built a lot of work benches?
No matter what you decide to build you will likely think of things you wish you had done differently, LOL, at least that has been my ongoing experience for the last 35 years of building work benches, lol.
Good Luck!
Fish
