Okay, we’ve covered how to make the space behind you look good in your work from home set-up. Now, let’s talk about what’s going on in front of you.
After all, yes, your co-workers are going to see what’s going on over your shoulder on Zoom conferences, but you’re the one who has to look at your at-home workspace all day!
The team here has published some super-helpful stories in the past few weeks on how to work more productively from home, which is great. Features like a roundup of the best standing desks, and tips on transitioning to a WFH situation from Ignacia and Jolie if you’re used to commuting to work everyday.
Assuming you’ve voraciously consumed this high-quality content, you’re now benefitting from a functional workspace and a healthy-for-these-times-anyway work-life balance. So, for the next wave of “What can I busy myself with to keep from drowning in anxiety about my health and safety, and the health and safety of those I love?,” let’s move from function to form. Namely, how to make your workspace more aesthetically pleasing.
Keep scrolling for the finishing touches that take a home office set up from drab to quarantine-induced fab:
Coffee table books as monitor stand
There are plenty of great computer monitor stands available out there. You can buy them from office supply stores that also sell printer paper and hanging file folders in bulk. They have useful cut-outs for hiding cords and carefully considered ergonomic cutouts for stray paper clips.
However.
If you’re looking for a solution that brings some elegance to your workspace, in addition to a few added inches for easier monitor viewing, why not consider stacking your computer screen on top of a few handsome coffee table books?
Look for tomes of varying widths (but similar lengths) for added visual interest. Here are a couple for inspiration:
Tom Ford | $82 | Taschen Books
‘Supreme’ Book | $35 | Phaidon Press
Pantone: The Twentieth Century in Color | $27 | Chronicle Books
Stylish desk accessories
Lee Mayer, founder of online interior design service Havenly says, “Mess is unsettling and sidetracking, no matter what you’re doing, so keep your work space as clean and clear of clutter as possible. Feel free to style it with things that inspire and make you smile, but make sure you maintain a tidy surface area that encourages you to forge on.”
Meaning? Sure, you can equip your WFH desk set-up with a random assortment of office supplies procured from corporate swag bags and the junk drawer in the kitchen (where did all those rubber bands come from anyway? No one knows).
Or, you could create some visual coherence with items selected specifically for your home office.
The good news is upgrading your desk accessory game is pretty f*cking affordable. With small changes, like a stapler that matches your tape dispenser, and a desk lamp that looks, you know, nice, you’ll feel a welcome sense of “Ahhh” rather than “Ugh” when sitting down to work.
Agate Bookends | $59 for set of 2 | West Elm
Desktop Starter Set | $42 | Poppin
Bradninch 20" Desk Lamp | $52 | Greyleigh(available on Wayfair)
Floating shelves
If your at-home work setup involves a desk butted up against a blank wall, there’s room to play with design.
Whether shallow ledges for art, or deeper pieces for books and decor, adding a few floating shelves will bring a sense of sophistication to your WFH space.
Picture Ledge Floating Ledge Wall | $40 set of 2 | Welland
Conceal Floating Shelf | $28 for set of 3 | Umbra
Rustic Wood Corner Shelves | $32 for set of 2 | AHDecor