Office obsessions

There’s been nothing better for our work-life balance than the nationwide adoption of working from home. Now, we’re moving to make these spaces permanent.

While we have spent many an hour lounging crosslegged on the couch settling into working from home, it’s become clear that home offices are the new norm in the post-pandemic landscape. Whether you’ve adopted working remotely full time, need a space for home finances, or catching up on some reading, almost anyone can benefit from a functional office space.

From wardrobes transformed into spacesaving pop-out desks to entire rooms repurposed to home offices – in the modern climate, the design possibilities are endless. Whether you have a dedicated space or not, a functional office is about how well you curate whatever area you have. Now is the time to revisit how your home office is working for you and adopt a few tips and tricks to ensure it’s a beautiful and inspiring place to spend your working hours.

In our homes this season, we’re embracing warm hues, textured artworks, organic furniture, and luxurious gold accents which offset the warmth and comfort of the space with just the right amount of luxury.

Read our tips for setting up a permanent office on page 24

COCO REPUBLIC

JB HI-FI

Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam $199

FREEDOM

Studio Carafe And Tumbler Set $29.95 OFFICEWORKS

Apple AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging $328

JB HI-FI

Nebula Capsule Portable Projector $699

OFFICEWORKS

Otto Wire 3 Tier Letter Holder $6.77

JB HI-FI Apple Pencil (1st Gen) $145

JB HI-FI

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 12.5” i5 256GB $1,397

Setting up a functional workspace begins with comfort, and it doesn’t take long to realise our lounges aren’t comfortable for eight hours a day. Your office space should be designed around the key furniture pieces which will make up the focal point of the room. Whether you’re opting for a standing desk or a full suite of practical ergonomic furniture, designs are now boosting both comfort and style, ensuring it’s an investment you’ll be thanking yourself for.

When choosing furniture, make sure there’s cohesion throughout your home by including similar colour schemes and materials from room to room. Designers have moved away from the dull, clinical office furniture your company buys en masse, and instead are designing chic and stylish pieces that are far from an afterthought in your home. Leather, suede, and touches of gold and wood will not only create a flow from room to room but will also add warmth and induce feelings of calm and tranquillity. Space-saving items which act as both furniture and storage help minimise clutter and keep the room free from stress-producing distractions – in turn, boosting your productivity!

Furniture will be the focal point of any home office, but the real heroes are the technology items that make working from home a breeze. From Wi-Fi routers that guarantee connectivity and smooth Zoom meetings, to noisecancelling headphones and printers – setting up a space that’s functional and organised means less distraction, more productivity and most importantly, less frustration. Companies like Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi and Officeworks are just some of the many specialising in curating permanent and comfortable home office setups.

In 2021 the interiors world began adopting greenery in our homes more than ever before. What had once been an additional touch to outdoor spaces and dotted sparsely throughout the home became an interior design element in almost every room. The trend extended from plants to the adoption of green colour schemes and botanical wallpapers and art – adding a sense of the outdoors, the hue evokes a sense of life and inspires productivity. Now, we’re adding greenery to our home offices to inspire and cleanse the air for peak productivity, from indoor plants to inspirational natural scenes.

Working at home offers us life flexibility that we’re all here for, but to ensure we continue enjoying the balance, these tips and tricks will help curate a comfortable and ergonomic working space free from distractions, offering separation between home and work so you’re ready to tackle whatever comes across your desk.

PROVINCIAL HOME LIVING

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Lights, camera, action!

The shining star of any home office is quality lighting to help minimise eye strain.

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Create cohesion

Incorporating materials like suede or leather used elsewhere in the home will ensure cohesion from room to room.

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Distraction savers

Invest in key WFH equipment like noise-cancelling headphones to avoid distractions.

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1. JB Hi-Fi Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro 5th Gen $549 2. JB Hi-Fi Bose SoundLink Around-Ear Wireless Headphones II $326 3. Officeworks Otto A4 Magazine File $17.96 4. Pillow Talk Calathea Plant $59.95 5. Harvey Norman HP Envy Inspire 7920e All-In-One Printer $179 6. Early Settler Kip Velvet Chair $229 7. Oz Design Furniture Amalfi Village Box Framed Canvas $229 8. Beacon Lighting Nevada 1 Light Table Lamp $119