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6 tips for the best flexible home office set up

modern office desk in open plan living room with wooden office chairs

A home office has been essential for many of us over the past year or so and with many employees being given the option of working from home more, you may decide now is the time to take the plunge and create your perfect home office. If you are pushed for space or don’t want your new home office furniture to look too “officey” we have put together a few tips on hiding or incorporating it into another room, creating a versatile and flexible home office space.

1. Hide your desk

You could consider hiding your desk and chair in a cupboard keeping all office accessories such as cables, printers, keyboards tucked away out of sight at the end of the day. For this, pick a slim desk – or even a console table, just make sure to check the height If you have a dressing room or walk-in wardrobe this could be a great option for you. To help it not feel like you are working in a cupboard, you can hang houseplants on the wall, add some good lighting and put a mirror on the wall.

Photo featuring Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Desk

2. All dressed up

You don’t need a desk to look like an office desk for it to fulfil its purpose! Choose a desk that can double up as a dressing table or a dressing table that can double up as a desk! You may like something more ornate that suits your bedroom. Maybe an industrial style desk blends into your living room or kitchen better than a minimalist white one. Have a good look around at what is available and suits your style.

3. Think under for storage

If your office space is in your bedroom, use the under bed space for storage, perfect to hide all your office work at the end of the day. Some under bed drawers would be perfect for this or wicker baskets that can just be tucked back under the bed when finished with. A blanket box at the foot of the bed could also provide hidden office storage in the bedroom. There may even be some space under your desk – again there are so many different and versatile storage products around!

4. Pick the perfect chair

Choose a chair that will look good in any room – it doesn’t have to be a standard run of the mill office desk chair. Of course, if you will be sitting at your desk for many hours a day then help your back and shoulders and pick something that is comfortable for you and adjustable so you can sit at your desk correctly.

5. Soften the space

Make your office homely so it works out of hours too – opt for a reclaimed wood desk – it will bring a whole load of charm into your space. Wallpaper the room, add a rug, use a soft velvet armchair as your desk chair. Decorate the room in alternative softer colours rather than grey or brown.

6. Add some creativity

Bring in a super comfortable armchair for some clever or creative thinking, or hang an inspiring piece of art on the wall. A corkboard is a good place to pin up your favourite inspirational quotes and to pin ideas as they come to you.

The return of the writing desk

pink floral writing paper with cup and saucer

Desks first appeared in the 1600’s when they were designed more like a bureau with a sloping front. In fact, this sloping writing front had originally been attached to the top of a chest of drawers, but in time it went on to become a wholly separate piece of furniture with the front of the bureau lowering down to create a ledge to write on and a storage area for paper and pens etc.

By the early 1700’s the writing desk started to include a kneehole with narrow drawers on either side of the kneehole. By the late 1700’s the office desk as we know it, was born. Mahogany was being imported from the Caribbean at this time making it the preference of the rich and wealthy who wanted furniture items to be very decorative, they loved the luxurious rich shine that could be achieved by polishing mahogany.

Then comes the industrial revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and the entrepreneurs of the time start to succeed in business so the desk is not required only in the libraries of the county homes of the rich, but in offices, warehouses and factories, where previously a table had been used, a more functional and less ornate wooden desk was the order of the day. Now, of course, they are to be found in a variety of different shapes and sizes in many modern homes as well as the workplace.

So why would people opt for a writing desk rather than a large office style desk? Below there are a couple of things to think about before taking the plunge and purchasing a new reclaimed wood desk for your home.

Size

This is probably the most important consideration and depends on what space you have available to put your desk in. If you have a corner in the living room or an area on the landing, a space in the spare room or in your bedroom then a smaller writing desk is the ideal choice – remember you will need roughly an additional metre to place your best desk chair. A writing desk can also double as a dressing table with storage for cosmetics and jewellery in your bedroom, or used by guests in the spare room, simply hang a wall mirror above it!

The Worcester writing desk is just right for the corner in a bedroom or smaller space – being mainly white it will also tie in with other reclaimed wood furniture you may already have in the room.

What it will be used for?

If you like the personal touch of handwriting letters, or your journal, or are starting out on a book then a small writing desk is really all you need. You will only need a couple of drawers for storing writing paper, notebooks, paper and pens etc. Even if you just sit at the desk to check your emails and do the occasional bit of work on a laptop then the smaller writing desk is perfect – no need to take up the whole room with a full-size office desk!

Ways to give your workspace a creative edge

Home office desk with two wooden stools and gallery of prints on the wall

Does your home office space need a bit of a revamp? If it’s zapping your creative energy you need to make a few changes….and you don’t need to go all out and replace all your home office furniture there are plenty of things you can do on a smaller scale. Here are a few ideas to get you inspired.

1. Clear the clutter

Your home office space has most likely been used way more than normal of late, so have a good sort out. Invest in some new and practical storage or just a desk with drawers to keep your desktop clear. For larger office storage solutions you can opt for some new office cabinets or consider an industrial sideboard if you want to get a piece of furniture that you can use elsewhere in your home if and when you switch back to the communal office space.

2. Create an imageboard

Stick inspirational images, quotes or anything you like, on the wall above your home office desk or in another place in your workspace where you will regularly catch a glimpse of it. Remember to update it regularly with things you see that motivate and inspire you.

3. Give it a colour scheme you enjoy

Think about what colours make you happy, energised and creative. Add these colours into your home office using ornaments, accessories, furniture or rugs. You can be brave and go all out and redecorate the walls and replace the flooring.

Photo featuring: Standford Reclaimed Wood Office Desk, Standford Grey Faux Leather Office Chair

4. Bring in plants

Plants are known to benefit your wellbeing as well as looking stylish. If you’re not very good with indoor plants, even a small pot plant or cactus on your desk will make a difference. There are also some very impressive looking fake plants on the market now. If you need to save space on your desk put plants on shelving, an industrial side table or hang a trailing plant from the ceiling.

5. Make space

Both literally and in your head. Many of us have been using the spare bedroom as an office, why not think about removing the bed? If you tend to only have occasional guests then consider replacing the bed with a sofa bed. A wooden double bed takes up much more room than a sofa bed, you can get a sofa bed with storage to keep the bedding handy, it’s also a great place to sit and think and let the creative juices flow. A sofa bed is also a great place for the kids to come and sit when they get home from school rather than ruffling up the bed all the time.

6. Add energising/creative scents

Use scent to inspire you in your home office space, consider scented candles, a diffuser or an essential oil diffuser. For relaxation, you can go for Lavender, Chamomile, Sandalwood or Almond. For boosting productivity choose from Lemon, Peppermint, Jasmine or Rosemary. There is also the option to have a go at creating your own unique blends.

How to create a perfect rustic home office

Reclaimed wood desk with black metal legs and modern office chair in a large empty room with wide rustic wood panelling on the walls

With continued talk of a combination of office-based and home-based working, it is looking like the home office is here to stay for a while yet, but not everyone likes the industrial, Scandi or minimalist office look. Just like in our dining or living rooms, the rustic look is warm and inviting, so here we are looking at the components to help you create the perfect rustic home office.

The desk should be the star in your rustic home office – rustic style can have a more traditional look and furniture can be more decorative if you like – we absolutely love the style of the Chelwood Nordic Desk which has been skillfully crafted from gorgeous reclaimed wood.

Rustic style is about warmth and homeliness, so keep all functional work accessories hidden away, think about attractive storage solutions that will fit a rustic theme. For the all-important storage, we suggest a rustic bookcase, you can add natural weave baskets to the shelves to keep things hidden away – this will keep the warm, natural and earthy theme going. If you don’t have the space for a large wood bookcase or prefer a less formal look office space, you can opt for something a little smaller like a console table with drawers. A small sideboard will also give you plenty of hidden storage space in its cupboards without looking too “officey” – which is great if your office is in a multifunctional room. The Beam small reclaimed wood sideboard below would look great in any room of the house and comes with drawers and cupboards for handy storage.

Photo featuring: Soho Home Sideboard

Another top pick for someone who just needs a small writing desk, or occasional use desk, is the Worcester reclaimed wood desk. This desk is painted in white giving it a lighter feel so perfect for a smaller room that you don’t want to look cluttered.

Photo featuring: Worcester Reclaimed Wood Writing Desk

Neutral and natural colours are a must with on-trend terracotta or earthy shade accents to give you a clean and calm environment to work in. Of course, these subtle calming colours work so well with gorgeous rustic furniture and will give you calming surroundings to work in. A rug will always add a touch of cosiness to a room – keeping with the rustic theme we would opt for a natural or flatweave rug. A rug would also help with zoning your office space if it is in a multi-use room.

As natural products work so well in a rustic theme we like to pair a leather office chair with a reclaimed wood desk – if you prefer you can choose to go for a faux leather office chair, the quality of these is so good these days they can be hard to tell apart. However we love the wood accents on the Parker leather and wood office chair, it’s super comfortable too! If your office is only occasional use, then you can choose a chair that can be taken to another room when an extra seat may be needed!

How to create more space without extending

Open plan kitchen and living room with black wooden bar stools

If you don’t have the budget to extend or if you live in a property where it would be hard to get permission, there are lots of tricks that you can do to add some more useable space or simply bring more light into your room to make your room appear bigger.

Make use of dead spaces

Under the stairs is definitely the main contender here – this space can be transformed into a hidden storage heaven – a place to pop away coats, gloves, scarves, boots, shoes, school bags…the list goes on. You can even squeeze in a home office!

A storage bench seat is also a quick and easy way to create a feeling of space in a hallway by hiding away clutter. The landing is another area with potential for adding space – a small console table or a wood bookcase can help take books and other items out of another more cluttered room.

Knock through rooms

This is a great idea if you have a separate but adjoining kitchen and dining room. A wall means you lose space in both rooms and restricts where you can put furniture pieces, but by removing it, you will instantly have the feeling of more space, especially if this lets in more light to a small or dark room. If you are creating a kitchen-diner then you might want to consider using dining benches around your reclaimed wood dining table – as a bench is lower than the table, the space appears less interrupted with no taller chair backs.

Photo featuring: Parquet Dressing Table

Multi-use rooms or layout changes

Many of us have a spare room, but how many nights a year does it really get used, a total of a month? This space can be used for something else, something like a gym or a home office. A home office desk can double as a dressing table for guests and you can use a chest of drawers to put your office bits and bobs away in. Switch your everyday office items on the desktop to some house plants to make the room more inviting to guests.

Zoning rooms

You can easily zone a room to make it more multi-purpose using furniture such as a large sideboard, a bookcase, sofas or floor rugs – the great thing is you have the flexibility to easily move them if you need to change how the space is being used.

Furniture choice

Choosing the right furniture for your room also plays a major part on whether your room feels a bit crowded or light and airy. For example, smaller pieces of furniture, like armchairs, will make a room feel more cluttered than one light coloured 3 seater sofa.

White living room with white fabric sofa, wooden coffee table and shelf with white painted wooden letters spelling Home

Change doors

A really simple but effective thing that you can do is change the doors to rooms – Using a sliding door to lead to smaller rooms such as an en-suite or dressing room will enable you to use make the most of space otherwise taken up opening and closing a standard door.

How to create the perfect industrial home office

Take inspiration from large communal workspaces and create the coolest industrial home office with these three simple steps.

We need the office space to be clear and clutter-free so we can work with a clear and clutter-free mind! This is one reason the functional and minimalist industrial style is just perfect for productivity.

1 – Go rustic

Invest in a good reclaimed wood desk. Work out how much spare space you have available and desktop space you need so you can work comfortably. Ideally, for the best desk and chair fit, you should allow a 1-metre area so you can get to your desk and move the home office chair in and out comfortably.

With so many home offices being created up and down the country in the last year, the Standford desk has proven to be a very popular choice. Not too big and not too small, it’s perfect for a laptop and desktop organisers. An industrial desk lamp fits right in for when a little extra lighting is required. You can always consider an industrial bookcase if you need additional room for a printer or reference books. Keeping right on theme, this shelving should be metal framed.

2 – Must-have metal

Metal is a vital element when it comes to achieving the industrial look – don’t be scared to add too much of it! You can always soften the look by adding house plants and warm reclaimed wood to balance the space.

3 – Leather

Get some leather into the office space – the Mustang is definitely the best office chair for this job! If combines a stylish metal frame with soft upholstering covered in natural high-quality leather. The perfect partner for an industrial desk, it is available in brown or grey. You can accessorise in leather too by adding leather picture frames, a leather desk blotter and desk tidy. Talking of accessorising you can add pops of colour too, some bold coloured storage folders or boxes, plant pots or some modern wall art to add some of your personality to your workspace.

How to create a feel good home office

White office desk with dark fabric chair with large green floor plant and wide sideboard

I guess by now, all those that can work from home have got some sort of office space set up. Here we concentrate a little more on creating a feel-good factor in the home office.

Make space

Of course, ideally, we would have an empty room, and budget, just waiting to be converted into the perfect home office! But if you need more space and a bigger reclaimed wood desk – see if you can move the furniture around in the spare bedroom to accommodate more suitable home office furniture. Or would some new office cabinets give you the additional storage space you desperately need? Working from home could be around to stay for quite some time yet. Having a clear and clutter-free space away from distractions, should help you feel more productive and help your day go more smoothly.

How to make do with space

If your office is still the rustic dining table in the kitchen or the dining room then try to clear your work items away at the end of the day – you don’t want to be sat at dinner, after hours, having a quick peek at what is lined up for you for the next day. A large sideboard, that complements your dining room furniture is a good investment – not only for your office paraphernalia, but also for dinner plates, serving dishes and napkins! If sharing the dining table is becoming a bit tedious then maybe now is the time to consider other locations in the home where you can add a small home office desk. A garden view in a nice sunny window would be perfect, is there a bit of space on the landing? A dressing table in a spare room could be big enough and easily converted ……or a console table in the hallway might also be an option.

Get comfortable in your surroundings

If you can only invest in one thing to help you work from home in comfort then make it the best office chair that you can afford – I promise you, your back will thank you for this in years to come. Make your space personal and beautiful. A potted plant will help lift your mood and is also a nice backdrop during video calls, as are bookshelves and photos of family and friends.

Rest and move around

When you were in the office you will most likely have moved around and had a quick chat with a colleague as they pass by your office or in the coffee room. This is one of the downsides to being away from the office, a video call or zoom meeting will never replace person to person contact and many of us make friends for life in the office. Try to find time to send a colleague a quick message to ask if they are OK, how are the kids, the dog – it will just keep your relationships going. Take a brisk walk when you get chance or take your coffee into the garden for some fresh air and a change of scenery. Do not be tempted to carry on working into the evening, you need to take time away from the “office” to recharge, relax and spend quality time with your family

Hello 2024! Happy home New Year Resolutions: Part One

2024 Is finally upon us and 2023 has been and gone – YAY!! So let’s get the year off to the most amazing and positive start. In this blog, and in the next one, we have listed our top 10 New Year’s resolutions for a happy home.

New Year resolutions don’t just have to be about dieting and working out! But also about improving our lifestyle in the space we value, relax and recharge time in – our homes.

Number 1 – Read more

“Many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of a book” – Jane Smiley

Make a point of picking up a book every now and then – aim for a book a month to get started – chances are you will find some real gems which you will not be able to put down! And with all this reading going on you will, of course, need somewhere to keep all these books – give them pride of place in the Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Bookcase. In the right spot, you can create a small reading corner in your home – all you need is some shelving for your books, a small armchair and maybe a small side table for your reading lamp.

Photo featuring: Chelwood Reclaimed Wood Bookcase

Number 2 – Keep the hallway tidy

The hallway is an often forgotten about part of the house – it’s not a place we spend much time in so don’t give much thought about furniture in it. But our second resolution suggests we should at least sort out some practical hallway storage – who likes to walk into a home tripping over abandoned shoes and bags? A narrow console table is perfect to put a handbag down on and you can get one with a shelf below and drawers if you resolve to keep clutter-free. A hallway storage bench is a perfect allrounder – somewhere to sit down while you get your shoes on and off as well as compartments or baskets to hide them away.

Number 3 – Get a better work/life balance

Working from home is a lot more in our lives now – invest in a good home office desk and desk chair to make your working time as productive as possible – it’s so much more comfortable than the kitchen table. Also, if you have a designated workspace then it is much easier to switch off and spend downtime away from work distractions. We love the Standford industrial desk which is crafted from gorgeous reclaimed timbers; it’s a very popular choice with our customers too!

Photo featuring: Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Desk, Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Bookcase, Standford Grey Faux Leather Office Chair

Number 4 – Live a greener life

Start a new greener life in 2021 – if everyone took a few small steps like recycling and reusing, then together we could really make a difference. Little shifts in habits, like a couple of vegetarian meals a week, recycling more, choosing reclaimed wood furniture, cutting down on single-use plastics and composting food waste, could really bring in change.

Photo featuring: Derby Reclaimed Wood Extending Dining Table

Number 5 – Sit at the dining table for meals

Make time every week to have some family meals sat around the dining table. We love the Derby Reclaimed Wood Extending Dining Table – a reclaimed wood dining table that gives your kitchen or dining space a hint of Scandi style. With the option of extension leaves, upholstered dining chairs and dining benches it’s a brilliant family option and a must have when entertaining.

For part 2 of our Happy Home Resolutions, see our next blog!

How to create the perfect guest room and study combo

Bed with blue and white cushions next to wooden desk

Wouldn’t it be lovely to have plenty of rooms in our homes, so we had a spare bedroom made up, ready and waiting for last-minute guests?! However, for those of us lucky enough to have a spare room, many have been using it as an office or even a classroom for at least some time this year. If your spare room is working hard as a home office one minute and a guest bedroom the next, here we look at a few ideas to help make this a quick, pain-free and practical switch.

1) Choosing the right furniture

A matching reclaimed wood bed and desk combo is a great start. The chances are your guest room / office room will be on the smaller side so coordinating furniture is way more sleek than mismatched pieces. A white reclaimed wood desk with a wooden double bed is perfect for a smaller room giving it a more light and airy feel. If you can, position the home office desk next to the bed so it can easily be used as a nightstand by your guests or add a rustic mirror over your home office desk and, voila, you have a dressing table.

Photo featuring: Standford High Reclaimed Bed & Standford Reclaimed Wood Beside Table

2) Clear that clutter

You can stash away a whole lot of what you normally need on your desk in a chest of drawers when you are expecting guests…. and of course, they have somewhere to pop their clothes, so they are not living out of a bag during their stay. Another great storage option is a blanket box, a great place to store seasonal and guest bedding and towels, but also to hide away any office clutter.

Photo featuring: Savannah Reclaimed Wood Blanket Box

3) A touch of comfort

Reclaimed wood furniture, with its character there for all to see, gives a room a homely and warm feel. It matches well with neutral and bold colours and it also works in a traditional or an ultra-modern setting, making it super versatile. For extra cosiness put some scatter cushions on the bed and a bedside lamp on either the desk or a separate nightstand. A coordinating bedroom rug to step onto is also a nice touch. Choose a soothing colour that works as well in an office as it does in a bedroom – blues, greens and grey are great colours to consider.

Photo featuring: Standford Industrial Reclaimed Wood Desk

4) Little treats

Although you will go out of your way to look after your guests, we love the idea of leaving a little basket of tasty treats in their room. You could leave some peanuts or other savoury snacks out for them, some fresh fruit, as well as some sweet treats, perfect for if they feel a bit peckish before dinner – it also means that you can get on with preparing the main event without worrying if your guests need anything to keep them going until dinner is ready.

5) Toiletries

Generally, people do bring their own preferred products, but if they have forgotten something or are on a flying visit with hand luggage only, it’s a really lovely thought to have some toiletries ready for them to use, without having to dash to a shop! Have a little selection of “the basics” in a basket that you can put out along with their wash towels.