Designing Your Dream Office
Summer is wrapping up, and the team has been BUSYYYY! We’ve spent our summer days designing a few workspaces for some incredible small businesses, and are super excited to share the end result with you. In the meantime, it’s really made us think about the value of an aesthetic workspace. How can we design something that serves fashion AND function?
As this all unravels, I’m also in the process of finally creating my dream home office. We recently moved from a condo to a full-on HOUSE, so that means I have a whole (ishhhh) room to turn into my office. YESSS.
Making a massive shift from a Harry Potter-style desk under the stairs to a full ROOM has me feeling SO excited. Recognizing that a room is still just a single room, I’ve started planning and prioritizing what’s important for me to include as I begin bringing the pieces together, to avoid creative overload (otherwise known as: CLUTTER). I’m focused on creating a space that feels both calm and inspiring.
When designing, we keep two things in mind: desired aesthetic, and practical use of the space. Sure, it’s pretty – but can it *literally* get the job done? Let’s break it down:
Sources (clockwise, from top left): Neon Sign; Desk with To-Do List Scroll; Colourful Gallery Wall; Light Desk with Built Ins; Red/Orange Statement Chair
1. Function
First, you’ll need to determine exactly how you’ll be using the space. Consider things like surface space (how much will you need?), interaction (will you host meetings or have clients visiting?), and storage (how much is required to manage your inventory of paperwork, cute pens, etc..?). Once you have these answers, it’s time to have some fun.
2. Aesthetic
Sigh, my favourite part. Obviously, your office should be a space you actually LIKE hanging out in. If it’s all business and no pleasure, you’ll constantly find yourself looking for external ways to distract yourself. It should offer motivation while incorporating an element of CHILL for those moments when you need to take a breather from the grind, but don’t want to fall totally off track. I highly recommend incorporating a large inspiration board, that you can switch up monthly or seasonally to keep the vibe feeling fresh + inspiring.
Beyond that, my tried and true tips are as follows: Select paint + accent colours that you genuinely love, find cute desk accessories, add some plants, layer in a beautiful rug, and make sure you have plenty of different light sources in the space if there isn’t a ton of natural light.
Satisfaction with my home office is going to rely heavily on organization, hidden storage, a meditation corner and of course – a few gorgeous details. What about yours?!
