All work and no play makes your home office saddd. And by that we mean: This your home! Not a depressing cubicle with bad carpet underfoot and buzzing fluorescent lights overhead. Whether you’re working from home just on Fridays or five days a week, you can easily design a dream workspace by embracing beautiful furniture, beloved mementos, and office supplies that put the fun in functional (you knew that was coming, right?). Because if just being in your office feels like work, it’s time for a change.
If you have the square footage to flip an entire spare room into an office—go nuts. If not, and you’re having to beg, borrow, and steal from another room (ideally away from distractors like the fridge and telly), define your dedicated work nook with paint, wallpaper, or shelving. And don’t shy away from bold colors and prints—office beige is the first shackle of corporate life to break.
Antiseptic office furniture—you’re fired. We can do better than clunky file cabinets, utilitarian chairs, and basic metal wastebaskets. Turn the same design eye to your office that you use on the rest of your home, and work in an area rug, use a table you actually like for a desk, and find a chair that’s both beautiful and comfy (they exist!).
Think mixed media: glossy magazine tears; photos you’ve taken (Social Print Studio does a bang-up job printing phone snaps); 3-D objects like flowers, feathers, or ribbon to add texture; and a print of a favorite quote or two for a graphic hit of typography.
We say it above, and we’ll say it again: File cabinets are not the only way. Alternative options that bring both style and storage to the party include lacquered boxes, woven baskets, pretty trays, brass cups, and lucite caddies. The bigger pieces can be artfully stacked or arranged in groupings on the floor, while the small containers can be placed on your desk, or used when styling your “shelfie.”
Good lighting encourages productivity, raises your energy level, and buoys your mood. Natural light rules, but if you don’t have a window your desk can buddy up to, ceiling, desk, and floor lamps working in conjunction is the next best thing.
Whether it’s your little Picasso’s finger paintings framed and hung, a sassy mug that makes you smile, a pair of delicate gold scissors shaped like a crane, or even a tongue-in-cheek red stapler, surrounding yourself with personal touches boosts creativity and joy.
Plant friends are a must! Not only do plants infuse your space with life and vitality, certain types (palms, ferns, ficuses) actually help purify the air around you. Check out this NASA study!
If you're looking for a fun, flexible job, consider becoming an Alice's Table Exec and hosting flower-arranging classes on your own time in your own town!
