Emma Morley, founder of trifle*, on ideal home/work spaces
Everyone’s got a dream home office in their mind, but most people don’t have it in reality – so we’ve come up with ways to make people’s desks inspiring and productive, whatever the set-up.
If you don’t have a home office, so you’re always moving around the house, there are things you can do to improve the experience. It’s a very good idea to have an ergonomic chair; if you don’t, then use cushions for support. If possible, test the chair before you buy it. Think about what you need in a day, and try to have everything easily to hand. Work caddies, like the ones by Vitra and Hotbox, are ideal, because you can carry them around with you.
Lighting is key. You can’t go wrong with the classic Anglepoise lamp, but Alumina from Tala is also great as you can adjust the brightness throughout the day.
If you work on a laptop, invest in a separate keyboard, mouse and stand. These will bring the screen to eye level and be better for your posture. Again, they’re light, so can be easily moved around.
Storage is crucial. If you work in an open-plan area, you need to create boundaries between home and work, and be able to shut everything away at the end of the day. Cabinetry is great, but even if all you can do is throw your stuff in a pretty box, that’s fine. If you have an area with loads of work mess, you could add a simple rail with some basic curtains as a screen. For a dedicated home office, consider your storage fully. If you can, go for part open and part closed. Curate the open spaces with items that inspire you and that you use all the time; use closed storage for all the things you want to conceal.
Where will the printer fit? Make sure that it’s convenient and you can access it from all around.
For a home office, plan the room first. Work out where the desk, storage and chair will fit in together, visually and in terms of the available space.
What size of desk do you need? Some people like to spread out, but you can go for a sleek design if you’re more contained. Its height should be 70-75cm. Plants connect to nature and help detoxify the air. Even in a basement with little natural light, there’s always something you can grow. Or use a botanical wallpaper to zone your workspace. We talk a lot about ‘magic touches’.
stationery, notebooks, pens in a pen pot – make Cool sure they’re beautiful to give you a little boost. Also, have a picture shelf or a wall of cork tiles and change the display to inspire what you’re working on.