[rileymat2]

By normalizing into multiple tables.

It is hard to model without requirements but you probably need a table for type of desks, another for desk instances with location and another one to many linking table for items/colors.

Why? I like two lamps and no elephants. By normalizing, this new requirement is simple to represent compared to jamming more fields into the desk table.

Or if another person prefers penguins you don’t end up with penguin_color columns.

It is possible the one table design works, but the introduction of nulls is a smell that indicates maybe the design is a problem.