Smart Working

If your home office space has been a bit makeshift up until now, it’s time for a revamp, here are 11 ways to upgrade your working from home area so it’s truly inspiring

Hands up if your home office space is not making your working life easy. With kitchen tables doubling as desks and bedroom side tables spilling over with gadgetry, working from home through the pandemic has often been a bit makeshift and uncomfortable.

But for many of us, home working – either some or all of the time – looks set to become a long-term feature of our lives.

So now seems a good time to take a hard look at your desk set up, and work out what changes could make you a happier, more motivated and more productive home worker.

To help you get one step closer to achieving your home office goals, we’ve picked some inspiring products and the workspace stylists at Made.com – who have recently launched a dedicated styling service – have given their tips on how to upgrade a WFH set up.

Let’s get to work…

1. Trestle Dark Oak Desk, €300.85, Logan Dark Grey Faux Leather Office Chair, €173.08, both Danetti

Contemporary and comfortable, your fluffy slippers will sit neatly under this trestle desk which offers plenty of leg room. Plus there’s a handy drawer to help you tidy things away at the end of the working day.

Being the chairman of your WFH world, you’ll need to prioritise your seat on the board with a stylish office chair. This one offers comfort, with swivel wheels to allow your body to move freely.

Made style tip: Once the desk location is decided, it’s time to measure up. Consider the floor space on offer, how much tech the desk needs to host and the desktop space you tend to use, to work out the best desk size. Also think about how you’ll be moving around and any other functions your ‘home office’ has to cater to – if a desk blocks easy access to a room, or puts a sudden end to your morning yoga flows, chances are your eyes were bigger than your floor plan.

2. Hopkins Compact Desk, Walnut Effect & Grey, €173.08, Made.com

If clutter makes your head spin and you need clean, contemporary lines to concentrate, this Hopkins Compact Desk will help you gather your thoughts. Again, there’s a drawer so your desk surface can be kept satisfyingly clear and you will always know where to find that charger.

3. Jacobsen style AJ Desk Lamp – Black, €103.38 (pre order), Pash-Classics

No-one wants to find themselves squinting at a screen or trying to read the small print in light that’s too dim. This striking lamp, designed by Danish designer Arne Jacobson (famous for his minimalist furniture designs), can be adjusted for optimum lighting, and comes with a 2.4 metre cord.

Made style tip: If a workspace isn’t blessed with natural light from south facing windows, good lighting is essential for a good mood. Overhead lights are a must for overall glow across the room, but more directional task lamps are really key on greyer days. White lights tend to be more energising, while switching to diffused lamps and warmer bulbs will help create the cosy vibe you long for at the end of the day.

4. Stained Hardwood Cafe-Style Shutters, priced from €347.39 per m2, Shutterly Fabulous

Much as we crave mood-boosting natural light, you don’t want to have to sit at your desk wearing a pair of sunnies – even though it’s a tempting thought for a chilled-out lunchtime Zoom call. These café-style shutters are perfect for streaming summer sunshine and filtering out too much glare.

5. Object III In Desert Sand, €44.15, Katie Leamon

Chances are you’ll want to steal some space for your favourite pot plant, and we love this sandy coloured one from Katie Leamon’s Objects collection inspired by nature. Not only do plants improve the air we breathe, but green is calming.

6. Pin Board, €191.67, The White Company

Art is often missing in an office and if you’re artistic, surrounding yourself with colourful graphics, prints, or a pin board dotted with mementos and anything close to your heart is the best tool to get the creative juices flowing.

Made style tip: Strong ideas come from an inspiring workspace – place photos, art or accessories in your work environment that inspire and motivate. Art is a small investment to add a fresh perspective. Gallery wall sets are a great starting point, or alternatively, try decorative vases or planters, with the added bonus of bringing in some greenery too.

7. Bold Monkey Keep It Tidy Side Table, €184.68, Cuckooland

An extension of your desk space, this good-looking side table and magazine rack combo can handle the overflow, especially if you are project managing and need your plans within arm’s reach.

8. Marcell Desk, Bureau in Deep Blue, €170.97, Made

If you prefer your working day to be an open and shut case, this stylish blue bureau will keep everything just so. As the saying goes… out of sight, out of mind.

9. Pencil Sharpenings Smelly Wax Candle, €46.47, Loaf

We love a bit of old school cool, especially in the form a smart desk candle. Think cedarwood, patchouli, amber and pencil shavings.

10. Hewitt Office Chair With Chrome Base, €185.86, Next

If your WFH space is still a grey area but you want to inject some fun into the humdrum of logging on, check out this peachy pink chair with an air of nonchalance.

11. Den Desk, €807.29 (pre order), Loaf

Made from reclaimed timber with a roomy right hand drawer, shelving and spacious work surface, this Den Desk is a multipurpose solution. It might especially appeal if you love neutral tones and want to keep a few things stashed away.