As we come off the high of holidays and settle back into work for the year ahead, we’re looking for fresh ways to create a functioning and invigorating space to work from.
Sydney-based interior decorator and founder and editor of Sunday Collector, Briar Stanley, recently shared her perfectly curated home office space, so she can already tick #officegoals off her to-do list for 2016.
Today she shares seven tips on creating the perfect small space home office:
Purchase quality. Storage items that look great on display are a must (avoid the corporate/plastic variety). A beautiful pen caddy, in tray and magazine file is all I need in front of me for my day to day desk duties. I also choose to work on a laptop as I often have to take work with me when travelling, but it’s also a far more compact option for a small desk space than a bulky monitor and hard drive combination.
Hide your work. As pictured in my apartment, custom build a small home office as an extension from your kitchen that can be concealed with neat pocket doors when not in use. Other good spaces for a compact home office would be the space under a set of stairs or a stairway landing space, an awkward corner of a room not in use, or even a large empty wardrobe.
Good light. I find working in natural light during the day is lovely, but a good quality desk lamp such as the Factory Task Lamp, is important to brighten up your small work space at night, just ensure the lamp is not oversized and proportions are in keeping with the small desk. An angle poise lamp is also a good idea for task light direction you can control.
Minimise the clutter. Avoid the mistake of trying to keep everything sitting in front of you at your work space. If it’s possible – dedicate a cupboard close by for the items that tend to clutter a desk – including bulky items such as folders and a printer.
Look up. Free up floor space and make the most of the wall space in front or to the side of your desk with a large moodboard. Open wall mounted shelving for things like reference books, storage boxes and trays will keep your desk clean, as would a tall bookshelf or cupboard – make the most of the full height of your walls.
Keep cords and wires hidden. Hide the spaghetti mess as much as possible. Pictured in my home office are doors underneath the desk that open up to reveal wall mounted powerpoints. Cords are directed down to these powerpoints from a small opening in the corner of my desk.
Be comfortable. If you’re already sacrificing on space, you don’t want to be sitting in an uncomfortable chair all day. Look for adjustable height, armrests, a deep seat depth, proper wheels and of course something that looks good. I chose a chair for my office with a low back and light in fabric colour – so it’s not too overpowering at the small desk.
Styling by Briar Stanley | Photography by Jacqui Turk | Images courtesy of west elm