Could your home office use a pick-me-up? If you’ve abandoned your home office in favor of nesting with your laptop on the living room sofa, chances are high it could. Our advice—don’t settle for a bleak home office that caters to counterproductive tendencies. Whether you’re partial to a traditional home office complete with a wingback chair, barrister bookcase, and vintage sofa, or you favor amenities as sleek as your Mac Book, your home office should energize and inspire. So how do you tee up a home office that you actually want to clock hours in? Here, we’ve collected a series of tricks and tips worth putting to work!
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Sit Pretty—and Comfortably!
When it comes to home office pain points, office chairs frequently take top billing. Ergonomic models tend to prioritize bells, whistles, and levers—not exactly the stuff of design dreams. Ergonomics and style don’t have to be oil and water, however. In the serene office above, designer Chauncey Boothby elected to use a cognac leather-covered office chair with a silhouette that’s similar to the Eames Aluminum Group Chair. A longtime favorite of designers because of the deft way it blends ergonomics with high design, the Eames Aluminum Group Chair will blend with virtually any style of office. Other design-savvy office chairs worth seeking out? Eero Saarinen and Charles Pollock designed similarly sleek office chairs for Knoll in the mid-20th century.
Clean Your Slate
If sensory overload keeps you from feeling productive at home, consider opting for a one-tone takeover to cultivate calm. For the office above, the design firm Form + Field sprung for a white-on-white palette, producing an office that feels ultra-fresh and inspiring—and not unlike a blank notebook page. Another way to keep your office feeling zen? Keep the clutter at bay. Factoring in plenty of drawers, be it via built-in cabinetry, a deep-drawered desk, or an armoire can provide a resting place for all of the unsightly appurtenances (chargers, cables, errant coffee cups) that accompany a hard day’s work.
Grow with the Flow
Not only does live greenery provide a lush backdrop for video calls, but it can also be a welcome reminder of the outside world that exists as you pound away on the keyboard. The NYC firm Mendelson Group, Inc. stationed a sculptural palm in the corner of an apartment office, creating a striking focal point that has nothing to do with work. If you’re certain your green thumb will get the best of you, you might alternatively consider facing your desk toward your windows. Especially if your home office looks out on a park-like yard, a window-facing desk can provide a welcome respite from a meeting-packed morning.
Let There Be Light
A poorly lit office doesn’t just result in you looking like a member of the witness protection program on conference calls—it can also wreak havoc on your eyes. Even if your office has an overhead fixture, consider investing in a table lamp or desk lamp. For one, during the light-challenged winter months, a desk lamp means that you won’t have to interrupt your late afternoon power-push to hop up and flip on a light. For a glamorous home office Liz Caan & Co. designed, the firm opted for a striking, oversized dome lamp with an opalized shade. You may have heard that a little diffused light can flatter facial features on a Zoom call—it’s true.
Put Your Stamp On It
Remember: professional polish doesn’t have to mean personality-less. Too often, homeowners strip their offices of personal touches as they try to make them “Zoom-appropriate.” Above all, your office is a part of your home and it’s important to make it feel as such. To make your workspace bears your stamp, consider layering in artwork or books, which can carry a personal sentiment. And don’t rule out family photos! They can be an important reminder of exactly why we toil away in our home offices for hours every day.
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Lead photo design by Roughan Interiors / Photo Credit: Photography Jane Beiles
