It's been well over a year since we left our offices and workplaces for the last time. Since we'd had coffee breaks with coworkers. Since we'd had a breakthrough on a project and run to our desk to spend an inspired afternoon typing away.
We all miss these things, the social life that comes with a job, the camaraderie of an office, the clear lines between work life and home life. Our home spaces have been crazy to live and work in the last while, with kids home from school or housemates working in the next room, our bedrooms becoming offices and lunch breaks involving laundry and damage control to whatever the kids have managed to get up to that morning. And something I think we've all learned is exactly how important it is to delineate the different parts of our lives, now that they're all happening in the same space; the home.
For our own mental health, having the world of work and our home lives separated is key to living a balanced life. And with all of us spending up to eight or nine hours a day in our office space, it can't hurt to give it a little upgrade at this stage. The CIPD's latest research shows that 51% of Irish businesses plan to adopt remote working on a permanent basis, so investing in making your home office space as conducive to work and productivity as possible seems more and more worthwhile, the longer that all of this carries on.
We've picked out some of our favourite home office upgrades to inspire and motivate you to create a space that works for you and allows you to be as creative and strategic as possible, while maintaining that work-life balance that is essential to pandemic survival. Check them out below and let us know what you think!
@walkeredisonco
Walker Edison Furniture gives a masterclass in how to perfectly incorporate your office into your home with this stunning decor and interior design. Homey, but uncluttered, this room has a gorgeous, rustic blend of professional and cosy, keeping the best bits of the office and working them into the best bits of working from home with the comfy and statement chair that works perfectly with the natural textures and boho aesthetic of the hanging plants and carefully chosen accessories.
These selections from Next, like the Cole chairs mimic the colours seen in this palette and the natural textures scattered throughout the room, adding that rustic and earthy feel to the room, while the artificial hanging plants mean that you get to have all the beauty of bringing nature inside, without having to deal with the extra task of looking after it.
@hundredstoriespr
When Hundred Stories, the public relations agency specialising in luxury real estate, posted this I think the entire world had office envy. The delicate palette, the soft, cosy fabrics, the clean but still personality-filled space - it all worked so well together to create a feminine and pared back space that clearly reflected the style of the creator. The painted archway in the corner adds depth while the clean lines of the desk and art allows the pops of colour to speak for themselves.
Next's Stella accent chair is the perfect copycat, mimicking the vintage vibes and blushing colour down to a T, with comfort and style at the forefront of its design. The chair we choose is so important, as we need to ensure we have the proper support when sitting so much during the day. Prints from Desenio always a must and the range that they have is huge, considering how much they cost. It's the little details that can really pull a room together.
@leannesarahstyle
More into the minimal look? Blogger Leanne's office might be more your speed. This simplistic and functional space is full of light and takes advantage of that using clear and white materials to make the most of this little corner, with a fresh accent of colour to offset the space. A clean and pared back desktop leaves the space neat and easy to pack away in the evenings. This kind of look could work well if the office space is in a living room or bedroom and needs to be put away each evening.
The Micke desk from IKEA is a dead ringer for Leanne's desk and combines functionality and storage. However, if you find your self a little short of space, this handy stationary set from Next will work for the busy filer with more paperwork than you can keep track of!
@owlandtrowel
This Irish family-owned furniture store posted this stunning photo the other day and we've been dreaming about it since, The ideal working from home set up, this dreamy, comfortable and country style office is full of natural materials and soft colours, making the most again, of the natural light and feature. Simplistic but stylish it's the small details that are really bringing this all together.
The Vitoria lamp from Meadows and Byrne has the same natural texture that is echoed in the wood around the room, and combines it with the quirky lantern-like ornament on the windowsill, adding light as well as an eye-catching detail. This desk from IKEA blends the rustic and the industrial together to create the farmhouse furniture look that really ties all the different elements of this room together.
@tavishinteriors
Tavish interior's space is built into a little alcove, giving it the perfect little space to separate itself from the rest of the house. She makes the most of this delineation, working with rugs, plants and hangings to create the illusion that this is its own little room. The desk is floating, which gives the illusion of more space, and could be a handy option for anyone looking for a spot to neatly put away storage. The colours are simple but impacting and the texture creates a really inviting, but productive space. This is definitely one of our favourite looks that we've seen.
Recreate this look with accessories from TK Maxx, like this Ashwood Sheepskin rug, to add texture to a simple space and a cosiness that will balance the home and office lifestyles side by side. The gold tone plant stander creates a little luxury in the space and amps up the natural feel of the room.
