Looking for some motivation and tools to get your work done more efficiently from home? Having a beautifully designed and dedicated space, has a huge impact on your productivity levels, and will certainly help motivate you to get into boss mode when you need to. The best work spaces will inspire you, reduce distractions, support a work-life balance, and you’ll find the small investment upfront is guaranteed to outweigh the long-term gain… (not to mention tax write off of setting up & running your home office!)

With the recent changes due to COVID-19, we’ve found that making some space for a home office is absolutely necessary. After speaking with many of our clients about how their companies have adapted, we’ve come to the conclusion that decentralised employment will be the future for a lot of businesses.  

Twitter was the first major global company to announce that they will allow their employees to work from home “forever,’ and we anticipate that a lot of businesses will follow suit.

In fact, we have a hunch that offices in many sectors will be obsolete, and that employers will offer a home office makeover for their employees!

So where does that leave you now? Perhaps you’re reorganising your home and creating a DIY home office already, or maybe you’re considering how to approach it while working from the kitchen bench like many. We’ve put together some tips on the best practice to do this efficiently and are here to help you if you need it.

First up - Lighting

Lighting is extremely important, and is often overlooked in a home office. Having the incorrect set up can reduce your energy, and be the cause of eye strain and headaches. Not only can it leave you on struggle street, but can have a big impact on your productivity levels Here’s some of our suggestions:

Wall lamps, Noc from Hay is a super easy & mobile alternative to a permanent wall fixture.
Table lamps, we love the classic Roy Tavolo from Viabizzuno, Tip by MUUTO or the Sphere + Stem
Pendant over desk, perfect to save desk space, and if you’re a fan of an uncluttered look.
Spot lights. These can be directional spot lights underneath wall shelf.
LED strip. Installed either behind your monitor, under your desk, or in a bookshelf to highlight the shelves.
Don’t forget the ceiling decorative, for ‘OOMPH’ like the Staggered Chandelier from West Elm.

Thought Out Backdrop

If you don’t want to be caught off guard on a video call with a messy background, set up a backdrop, and represent yourself like the boss you are! With Zoom calls and conferences happening much more frequently, it’s worth considering how to incorporate a dedicated backdrop for you to sit in front of. It can be as simple as buying a bookshelf, or purchasing some artwork! Our suggestions are here:

If you opt for a bookshelf fill it up with books, accessories, and things that inspire you or reflect your personality! Maybe you have some achievement mementos you’re proud of that need a home?
If you are into art, posters, photographs —> Create a gallery wall! You can read up on how to create a proper gallery wall from our previous post here.
Wall paper panel. Engage your favourite artist and a local printing company! I like David Bottrell for me personally - printed, framed or raw :)

Organisation

A cluttered space equals a cluttered mind. It can be easy to keep your space tidy, and we have some tools to help you with that:

Desk accessories, here by Norman Copenhagen or here by HAY.
Boxes, like the Reflect Meteor from Jardan.

Chair

A home office chair can make the world of a difference, and it can be stylish at the same time. When selecting your chair, you want to make sure it’s the correct height, fits your design stylistically, and doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg…and if it does, make sure it’s extra special. Our favourites are below for you:

Nash leather swivel, from Pottery Barn.
Eames Management Chair at Living Edge.
HAY all time favourite ‘About A Chair’ swivel base is best.

Accessories

You don’t need too many because you want to make sure that everything has a home and a purpose. But some simple additions, that can really change up the space, can be:

A gorgeous Carafe with matching glass. You might not have a water-cooler at home, but a beautiful carafe on your desk will remind you to stay hydrated.
Nice mugs for your coffee or tea.
Potted Plants. Greenery in our lives is so important for our health and wellbeing.

Beautiful notebooks. Like the 1917.

A Clock . To keep things in check.
Good-lookin’ Week / Month / Year planners on a wall. We like this one from Siisti, or the iconic and forever glamorous Stendig Calendar.
A luscious rug (the luxury of working from home ;)

and Voila…that’s your home office tips! We understand that it’s not only an adjustment mentally, but physically as well. Things might be this way for a while, so do yourself a favour and create a work sanctuary for you to get busy in …or let us do it for you.

Stay productive x

Anya