Many of us, if not the majority of us, have had to move our jobs entirely to working from home. So it’s not surprising that searches for ‘work from home setup’ have increased by 1144 percent, and ‘tips for working from home’ have increased by 1411 percent, according to new figures released by Pinterest.
Some us already had a stylish home office space set up, but others will have had to improvise a little. Oak Furnitureland reported a huge surge in desk sales, with sales up by 93% last week alone as customers headed online to shop.
A desk with appropriate storage is key for maintaining a tidy environment, and helps to keep everything work-related together in one area. A chair with adequate support (or alternatively a seat ball that improves posture and fitness simultaneously) can also help maintain focus and reduce the temptation of relocating to the sofa. Office Furniture Online’s founder, Martin Hutchinson, advises that it’s crucial to create a work space that’s separate from living and relaxing areas, to aid concentration but also to keep stress to a minimum. He also adds: ‘A home office with a clear space to work, easy to reach storage for essentials and an appropriate office chair which supports the back makes for a much more comfortable remote working situation.’
And finally, as we’re spending a lot more time inside, it’s important to add some colourful or personal touches to your space to lift the mood a little. We’ve rounded up some of Livingetc’s favourite desk accessories…
SHINE BRIGHT
Louis Poulsen’s iconic AJ Table Mini by Arne Jacobsen is now available in gorgeous new colours – Original Grey, Pale Rose and Ultra Blue – in celebration of the design’s 60th anniversary. The limited collection is only available in 2020.
AJ Table Mini by Arne Jacobsen, £705 from Louis Poulsen
Livingetc are also big fans of Andrew Martin’s Cleo Desk Lamp, crafted by the iconic designer Kelly Wearstler and playing with shape, balance and lines.
Cleo Desk Lamp, £825, available from Andrew Martin
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PEN POT
The James Bond of pen pots, Smythson’s sculptured silhouette in blush-coloured smooth calf leather and lined with contrast colour mahogany is aptly named the Bond Pen Pot.
Bond Pen Pot, £195 from Smythson
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SOMETHING PERSONAL
Papier are well known for their cheerful and uplifting designs, and colourful collaborations with design names like Matilda Goad and Luke Edward Hall. This counts across their notebooks too. We love the personalised notebooks, with photo covers that’ll put you in a good mood every time you put a pen to paper. Available in other colours, patterns and designs too.
Hardback notebook with lined paper pages, £19.99, from Papier.
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COLOUR HAPPY
Caran d’Ache’s iconic 849 pen and Supracolor pencils have been given a Paul Smith makeover. For their latest collaboration the British designer, famed for his use of bright colours and stripes, has added his sartorial touch to the Swiss stationer’s classic ranges.
Ballpoint pens, £35, or Box of 8 colour pencils, £29 from Caran D’Ache
BARISTA COFFEE
Deprived of our usual morning lattes and our local caffeine fix, the kindest thing we can do for ourselves is to start the day with as close to barista coffee as we can, with the press of a button.
Lavazza promises barista-standard coffee at home, and with the Deséa coffee machine you still get your morning cappuccinos. Furthermore, the brand have launched a range of Eco Caps as a sustainable alternative to coffee capsules, as the Eco Caps are 100% industrially compostable and, if correctly processed, biodegrade in 180 days, ideal for those wanting to be greener at home.
Desea coffee machine, £199 from Lavazza
BIN IT
Even waste paper baskets have the potential to add style to your home office. The Paper Bin Hexagon from OYOY Living is made of 100% grain natural leather and looks oh so sophisticated.
Paper Bin Hexagon, £114.99 from OYOY Living
WIRELESS
Ted Baker’s wireless desktop chargers are crafted from Italian leather and brushed aluminium, so they look pretty damn gorgeous, but with the power to charge phones up to twice as fast as regular charging pads they’re super functional too. Simply place your phone on the charger for rapid wireless charging.
Ted Baker wireless desktop charger, £29.95, proporta.co.uk
HYDRATION STATION
Add some sparkle to your water to encourage you to stay hydrated. A SodaStream transforms dull tap water to sparkling water at the touch of a button, eliminating the need for plastic bottles and encouraging us all to hydrate a little more often.
The SodaStream Spirit starter pack, £99.99 from Sodastream.co.uk
DESK TIDY
Simple, smart and sleek, the Tyrion Desk Tidy from Wayfair is perfect for keeping surfaces clear and clutter free.
Tyrion Desk Tidy, £29.99 from Wayfair
TRINKET TRAY
Known for his colourful, flamboyant and exuberant style, Jonathan Adler’s homeware is sure to lift the mood. The Tiger Valet Tray is handy for keeping smaller bits, from coins and cards to USBs or even keys.
Tiger Valet Tray, £68, Jonathan Adler
DESKTOP
Arguably the most crucial element to a home office is a decent desk. The term ‘WFH desk ideas’ saw a 406 percent increase on Pinterest last week, as more people than ever are looking for a desk upgrade. ‘To make your home office as comfortable as possible, invest in a desk that is the right height, around 70cm if possible’, advises Juliette Thomas of Juliettes Interiors. ‘Too high and there is a risk of neck, back and shoulder pain’.
For something ergonomic, Humanscale leads the way. Through leveraging new technology in functional yet minimal designs, Humanscale transforms traditional offices into more active workspaces – for example with height adjustable desks that can be used for sitting or standing at.
See the Humanscale range, available from John Lewis
SPACE SAVERS
Short on space for a stand-alone desk? There are plenty of space-saving options too – for example the Nyjo foldout wall desk from La Redoute, that can be folded out for desk use, then folded back up again when you’re done. Ideal for homes that are shared, and urban homes where square footage may be limited.
Nyjo Foldout Wall Desk, £116, La Redoute
For a more permanent set-up that takes up minimal space, Habitat’s Drew bamboo and black lacquer ladder desk offers shelving for books and a box desk top with a cubby hole for storing a laptop or paperwork.
Drew ladder desk, £150, Habitat
MEMO
Jot down memos and reminders on this ceramic elephant. ‘Eric’ the elephant comes with a small cloth and pen, so notes can be easily wiped off too. The phrase ‘elephants never forget’ has never been more true.
Eric the Memo Elephant, £13.95 from RedCandy
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
Never settle for sipping a cold cup of forgotten tea ever again. Whether you keep putting your mug down and then forgetting about it or whether you just prefer drinks to be extra hot, the revolutionary ember mugs not only keep drinks hot, but even let you set an exact drinking temperature – right down to the exact degree, so your coffee is never too hot, or too cold. The mug then maintains your chosen temperature for 1.5 hours. Available as travel mugs too – that you can control from your smartphone.
CUP TRAY
Keep drinks, snacks and anything sticky off your desk by using a handy tray. The wooden cup tray from The Oak & Rope Company can be engraved with a personalised message, acts as a coaster and is also useful for transporting more than you can carry – be it a stash of snacks for Netflix binging or cups of tea in bed in the morning.
Wood Tray, from £90, The Oak & Rope Company
SUPER STORAGE
Study spaces that are clutter-free create a calm space to work in, so designing appropriate storage, where paperwork, files or IT equipment such as printers can be tucked away is functionally important.
The USM Haller Mobile Pedestal might not sound particularly sexy, but it’s won awards we’ll have you know.
USM Haller Mobile Pedestal, with one A6 and A4 drawers on soft castors, £866.
