This is a collaborative post: With working from home more popular than ever thanks to the past few years of COVID restrictions, it is hardly surprising that many people have taken the plunge and built offices of their own in their spare rooms, or if they’re lucky, in purpose built garden buildings in their back gardens.
If you’re looking to create a cool, fun workspace which stimulates your creativity and inspires you, you can’t just have the usual desk and chair.
Here are some tips for creating an inspiring workspace
A sit-to-stand desk
A desk is obviously a must in any office but an electronic sit to stand desk is infinitely more cool, not to mention better for you and your back! A recent discovery of mine, the standing desk is all the rage across Europe and very popular with people building their own offices at home. To keep the surface tidy and comfortable, a customised desk mat can define your workspace, soften keyboard noise, and protect the top without clashing with your setup.
On the electronic models, you can change the height at the press of a button without affecting the items on the desk which travel up and down smoothly, so you can work in both a seated and a standing position.
My favourite thing about this is that you can always get a decent angle for a Zoom call. Pretty nifty huh!
Alternatively, try a desk bike
Fancy a workspace which can give you a workout? Of course you do.
A desk bike has a workspace big enough for a laptop so that you can type while you pedal away, burning calories and building up your leg muscles. I’m doing it right now! Honest.
Super fun and cool, but again, good for you too – and a talking point for anyone visiting your office into the bargain, the desk bike could revolutionise the way you work completely, or just be something you hop on to several times a day for short spurts.
It could also just become a surface for clutter and collector of dust, but I’m hopeful that it won’t!
A bean bag chair
It’s good to have a chill out area in your office, for when you need some time away from the screen. Bean bag chairs might have gone in and out of fashion over the years but let’s face it – they’re versatile and fun!
Available in dozens of bright colours and sizes, bean bags are a more convenient and space-saving alternative to a sofa, and perfect for a periods of relaxation between meetings. The XXL bean bag can be used as a chair or for lounging, and can even be dragged outside easily so you can lounge with your laptop in the sun, if you like!
(Just don’t sit in one if you might have trouble getting out again!)
Cool art prints
Decorating your workspace with wall art is a great way to personalise it, and make it more fun. If you can’t find any particular art prints that you like, framed pictures of family or friends or motivational quotes (just please – no Live Laugh Love…) can also make your workspace your own.
A fish tank
A fish tank can be a really relaxing focal point in an office if done right! If you have a good location to place it – away from radiators and windows, and anywhere it might be accidentally knocked – then a fish tank might be a great addition.
Just make sure that you read up on the whole thing first, and definitely take it slowly when adding the fish so that you don’t overload the filter and cause a mass fishy death. rust me on that! You’ll also need the right heater with the appropriate wattage for the size of your tank. Don’t overcrowd your tank or buy fish that will grow too big for it, fight or – worse – eat each other, as that is the opposite of relaxing
Don’t forget, fish are living creatures so you’ll need to feed them every day and How put time aside every week to give it a clean; if that sounds a bit overwhelming maybe consider some pot plants, or perhaps lava lamp instead which can produce the same relaxing effect without the stress and upkeep.