Ditch the Zoom bookshelf
Iconic designer offers tips on creating home office you’ll love
With remote work likely to continue through much of 2021 — if not indefinitely — iconic designer Jonathan Adler believes we have the chance to think more profoundly about how our careers fit into the rest of our lives. And it starts with our physical workspace.
He should know: Joyful spaces are Adler’s specialty. For three decades, he’s built an empire as an interior decorator, furniture designer and the founder of an eponymous brand with retail stores across the country. He’s known for his glamorous, colorful aesthetic, full of quirky details, like menorahs in the shape of elephants and tequila bottles that look like rocket ships. His entire design philosophy is about creating mood-elevating interiors, dripping with personality. “I believe a well-designed home is more powerful than Zoloft,” he says.
No more improvising
When the pandemic hit the U.S. in early 2020, many people scrambled to create makeshift home offices, carving out workspaces in bedrooms and living rooms.
But as the quarantine has stretched from weeks into months — and now, perhaps, even years — we’ve had to continue adapting. Adler thinks we should stop seeing these changes as temporary and use them as an opportunity to make our homes more productive places for the long term.
“We need to shift our mindset from improvising to making more permanent changes,” he says.
Play musical chairs with your rooms
One way to do this is to think creatively about the rooms in your home. Traditionally, each room has had a specific purpose, but Adler points out that this more formal approach doesn’t make sense anymore for many people.
“We’re much more comfortable with not having designated rooms for particular activities,” he says. “So think about any sad, unused space you might have that you can use as a workspace.”
If you’re in a small apartment, could you turn a pantry or large closet into a compact workspace? What about the space under the stairs? Could you perhaps create a corner to eat in the kitchen, so you can turn your dining area into a home office? “I’ve often asked myself, ‘Why do I have a dining room anyway?’ ” Adler says. “We only use it for Thanksgiving.”
“You should recognize that your Zoom space says something about you, so you should make sure it’s saying the right thing.”
— designer Jonathan Adler
Create a Zoom corner
When the pandemic first hit, many of us tried to quickly come up with a work-appropriate backdrop for our Zoom meetings. Given that videoconferencing will be part of our lives for the foreseeable future,
Adler believes it’s worth it to think strategically about how we present ourselves on these calls, even if we don’t have a home office to work from.
“You should recognize that your Zoom space says something about you, so you should make sure it’s saying the right thing,” he says. “It should reflect your vibe and the work you’re passionate about. It’s a great way to crystallize what you’re trying to communicate about who you are.”
And this doesn’t mean sitting in front of a well-stocked bookcase to make us look smart. “I think it’s hilarious how people have created faux libraries of books they’ve never read,” Adler says.
Instead of automatically gravitating toward books, which can be distracting, Adler encourages people to think creatively about art or furniture. Perhaps you have a fun bar cart, a vintage record player or a rack of dresses.
And don’t feel like you have to make your your desk your Zoom space. In Adler’s case, he’s created a special spot at his kitchen table; the wall behind him features a frieze of his own pottery. “It’s a slightly chaotic jumble of the stuff I make,” he says. “But it is the right expression of who I am as a designer and a business dude.”
‘Choose things that make you happy’
Adler believes it’s important to fill your home office with quirky, beautiful objects that make you happy.
When he helped design his husband’s home office a few years ago, he filled it with art, statement lamps and chandeliers, as well as a comfy velvet chair. Some of the pieces were vintage finds; others had sentimental value because they were made by friends.
If your budget allows, you could purchase a new work of art or a piece of pottery. On a smaller scale, you could frame some of your child’s artwork.
If you want to change the vibe of your space, think about moving your favorite armchair next to your desk, so you can plop into it when you need a break. Or maybe set up a coffee station in your office for an afternoon pick-me-up.
“The objects that you surround yourself with can either bum you out or lift your spirits,” Adler says. “So go out of your way to choose things that make you happy.”