Spending too much time in your home office? Why not make it beautiful and comfortable?

Photo by XPS on Unsplash

I have been spending long hours in my office for years. Right now, my office is at home. And I lavish it with comforts so I don’t resent the time I spend here. I am not the sort of work-from-homer who converts the kitchen table to an office and works on a laptop. I have two monitors connected to a high-powered-but-tiny Lenovo desktop, an excellent chair, and an ergonomic keyboard, mouse, and keyboard tray. I have already injured myself working too hard at less-than set ups. Lesson learned.

Ergonomics is one thing. But beauty is often difficult for me to indulge in. But when I gave up my out-of-home office early in the pandemic, I decided to change that. My office is in the middle of my living room. It’s a work in progress but, already, it’s so pretty I don’t mind that it’s at the center of my living space.

Today, I’m shopping Etsy for beautiful items to punch up my already lovely work space. Want to come with?

This wall decal for motivation or art

I have some images on the brick wall over my desk that create atmosphere. But I am considering blowing those up and going big with a decal. This wall decal ($26.99) is completely customizable and would be a great place to put a logo, inspirational saying, or whatever else it is that makes your office yours.

A beautiful standing desk

Who says a standing desk has to be ugly, expensive, and a huge commitment? The big manufacturers do, I guess. But why not try the idea out before you commit, with something pretty, inexpensive, adjustable, and small? A standing desk does not work for me for writing. But I covet a place — like this lovely bamboo standing desk ($153.85)– where I can stand to take calls and other non-keyboard-and-focus-intensive work.

This desk so you can keep your home office in a closet

Are you working on a laptop from the couch or your bed? That’s very bad for your neck, hands, and back. If space is the reason, here’s a beautiful folding desk ($197.99) that you can set up in minutes — that’s less than your commute was, right? — and work with your body in a healthier position. Add a clamp-on keyboard tray ($49.99) to that and you could do this for hours without hurting yourself. Then break it all down at the end of the day.

A beautiful mouse pad

This is what I’m buying today. How has it never occurred to me before that the space under the mouse is an art opportunity? This mushroom water color mouse pad ($13.50) will turn that dead space into something pretty. There are so many to choose from, though, that I might spend a little time enjoying option paralysis before I commit.

This wall desk if you really have no space for a home office

This wall desk ($251.95) is a brilliant solution if you really have no space for WFH. All you need is a comfy chair and a keyboard you can put in your lap — with this wall desk mounted at the right height for you to look at the screen — and you’ll be sorted, aesthetically and ergonomically. When you aren’t working, close it up. It’s a terrific modern industrial look when it’s closed or open.