10 ways to elevate your working-from-home space, according to interior tastemakers
Working from home has become part of the new normal for many of us, so how do we make our WFH spaces as inspiring, motivating and focus-driven as possible? From minimizing the office aesthetic to adding creative stimulation, five of our favorite interior tastemakers share their expert advice
Approach your WFH space as you would the rest of your home
“Your design approach to a home office is not unlike any other room in the house. It should speak your visual language and evoke personality,” says Athena Calderone, founder of EyeSwoon and author of Live Beautiful. “Not all of us have the luxury of a dedicated room to create a home office, but these constraints create an interesting design challenge and push us all to innovate. Take the time to study what you love about the room, then figure out where you can designate your ‘official’ workplace.”
Forget perfection and strip back
“Approach every space with a ‘work-in-progress’ mentality and remove the notion of perfection. Instead, tap into your own creative sensibility and cultivate your inner vision. It doesn’t have to be a ‘perfect’ home office – in fact the notion of perfection can limit your design potential,” advises Calderone. “Find somewhere with good natural light and with enough space to accomplish your tasks and minimize clutter. The challenge in design is always in the edit. Stripping things back to simplify your space and including only the pieces that bring you joy or add purpose is an essential part of the design process.”
“It doesn’t have to be a ‘perfect’ home office – in fact the notion of perfection can limit your design potential
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Add the creative stimulation you need
“A home workspace should be personal and a reflection of you,” Calderone continues. “As an incredibly visual person, creating mood boards is essential to my creative process. Don’t be afraid to suit your space to the needs of your workflow. Beyond the essentials, burning a candle or adding a fresh vase of clippings or branches from outside will also lift your spirits and channel a productive energy and focus throughout the working day.”
“Beyond the essentials, burning a candle or adding a fresh vase of clippings or branches from outside will also lift your spirits and channel a productive energy and focus throughout the working day
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Fill your space with inspiration
“I would always start with a piece of art – something that inspires and energizes you – then work from there,” says Sophie Ashby, founder and creative director of Studio Ashby. “It’s easy to source incredible art online – I would recommend Tappan, Medium Room and Saatchi Art, or even ordering a large-scale print directly from one of your favorite creatives on Instagram.”
But avoid unwanted distractions
“While I love ‘things’, I find clutter quite stressful,” says Ashby. “For me, it’s important to strike the right balance between curating pieces that hold meaning, add value to the workspace or are particularly charming aesthetically, while also keeping the interior calm and productive – with no unwanted distractions, clumsy storage systems and so on. Tidy room, tidy mind!”
Choose decoration carefully and display accordingly
“I think it is so important to surround yourself with art and beautiful objects that ignite creativity,” says interior designer Nicole Hollis. “Open shelving is one of my favorite elements to add to any home office. It allows our clients to fill their workspaces with found objects from their travels, favorite books they’ve read, or family photos. These might not directly correlate to what they are working on, but they offer a sense of comfort and ease that are essential when getting into the right headspace.”
Keep it beautiful
“The secret to designing a successful working-from-home space, whether it’s a desk tucked under the stairs, a converted dining table or a whole room dedicated to an office – aside from staying organized – is to make the space as beautiful as you possibly can,” says Abigail Ahern, author of Everything: A Maximalist Style Guide. “A lovely lamp on the desk or table, some botanicals, a candle. Your home office should really be an extension of your apartment or house.”
“Perhaps the most important thing to remember is the delicate dance between aesthetics and utility. A workspace should be designed to inspire and motivate you each day, but also be grounded in practicality
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Use your space to establish a work/life balance
“If you don’t have a separate space for your work area, then the ability to put your work away at the end of the day is imperative,” says Amy Kehoe of Nickey Kehoe. “Working from home has reinforced what so many of us knew already – that work/life boundaries are challenging to establish. But there are ways to nurture a good balance. A work-from-home setup can allow for more rituals – for instance, a plant on your desk, a nook for tea/coffee, some natural light; we often don’t have that opportunity at the office.”
Minimize the corporate aesthetic
“The most important thing when designing an inspiring working-from-home space is not to make the space feel too office-y, ” advises Ahern. “For example, I use a dining table as my desk, and my lamps are big old vintage ones. Then add in some art, sculpture or a momento – not only are they nice to glance at from time to time, but they will help seamlessly blend your workspace into your living quarters. My space instantly feels warmer and homier. Invest in a good rug, a chandelier (chandeliers or a large pendant light really turn home offices around), throw in some plants, and even a cozy blanket.”
Fuse functionality with style
“You can balance practicality and productivity fabulously by working in an aesthetically uplifting, organized space. Use all your vertical space by installing shelves, bookcases and hanging baskets – plus adding a cork board will make the space feel a little more styled,” says Ahern. “Perhaps the most important thing to remember is the delicate dance between aesthetics and utility. A workspace should be designed to inspire and motivate you each day, but also be grounded in practicality. But in that process, always think about that fusion of the functional and the decorative.”
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