Work It!
One of the nice things about working from home, well besides the obvious (pajamas, watching tivo’d Project Runway episodes on coffee breaks) is the ability to make your workspace your own: No standard issue manila folders. No industrial thumbtacks. No corporate “artwork” on the walls.
I’ve found that even if I’m working off a desk that was my family’s kitchen table in the 70’s and my chair is less than ergonomic, little design details make me smile every time I sit down to work. Some of my favorite online spots for home office coolness:
See Jane Work has an outstanding collection of goodies that make work more beautiful. I love the vintage wire desk trays and the modern patterned corkboards from NotNeutral.
Red Stamp Cards is a great site for stylish stationery, but they’ve also got a sweet little office supplies category with no generic marbled composition books in sight. The Thomas Paul collection is particularly drool-worthy, with great-looking pencil cups, file folders, and maybe the nicest mouse pads I’ve ever seen.
Museum stores are always a smart bet for those cool desktop details. The steel and aluminum fan-like Note Holder” from MoMA is great for organizing those pressing letters and bills, and I love love love the porcupine paperclip holderfrom Alessi that’s a far cry from the standard middle management cubicle accessory.
At the SFMOMA, I found this awesome set of artist-designed wastebaskets (I know!) for just $15 each. They’re biodegradable to boot. Clearly there’s something clever line in here about the irony of throwing away the garbage can, but I haven’t figured it out yet.
Next stop: The dream desk. If only I could find that one for $15 too.
