Working from home is becoming a steady new norm for many professionals. However, how many of us city dwellers have an extra bedroom lying around waiting to be turned into an office? How many of us work at our desks in the morning then lean backwards and fall into bed ? In the age of online virtual meetings, we can easily hide our backgrounds with blurring presets or fun Caribbean sand and ocean wallpaper backgrounds. How do we give ourselves some clear separation so that when it's time to clock out we can fold everything away and say bye bye for the night? Unless we have a magic bag, completely putting away the “home office” is impossible. Efficiently utilizing a divider or shelving unit will help draw our focus away from work and enjoy the comfort of our homes. I hope this post will inspire you to reevaluate your work from home schedule and bring balance back to your daily routine.
A Shelf to Show Off
Don’t be fooled by this beautiful design. The “Zig Zag Shelf” in fact comes flat packed thanks to its clever accordion folding design on a supporting frame. Stretch the solid oak frame open and snap the horizontal shelves over it. Instantly you have a shelving unit that divides your space elegantly.
Lift to New Heights
Steel is a material that has high compressive strength, meaning it is very good at supporting weight from above. An X-Frame is commonly used to resist lateral loads in high rise buildings. (Imagine strong winds as a force coming at you horizontally). The designer took advantage of these two strengths by putting them together to bring us the “Lift Bookcase” resembling a scissor lift. We can see why this sturdy bookcase looks as light as it is.
Dividing in Style
This thin iron shelving unit comes in three colors: White, blue/green and yellow. If you are a color lover, these may become a best friend at your home office.
Front is Back
Don’t underestimate this budget friendly, simple yet elegant column shelving unit. It is made out of a sturdy thin metal frame. The Yin and Yang opening provides us with endless configurations. Use it as a room divider, or let it sit shoulder to shoulder for the extra privacy you need. Want a more airy feel? Try giving some space between each unit or turn alternate units front to back to create a checkerboard pattern. Tell me what other great ideas you can come up with using this versatile design!!
Back to Basics
If you are looking for something more utilitarian that still fits into your modern dwelling aesthetic this one is a strong contender with its basic white coating over a trusty metal frame. This budget unit even comes with wheels for extra mobility and the 14” deep shelves will host your home office equipment very comfortably.
Keep it Organized
Open shelving can sometimes become a place for visual clutter. However, if it is done right, it can be a great place to display your books and memorabilia as well as office supplies. Utilizing baskets, boxes and trays helps keep small items and tools looking more orderly and aesthetic. If you need inspiration in the organization department, my favorite expert is Marie Kondo, and I encourage you to take a look at her method.
Felt that Feels Good
If you need multiple storage baskets on a budget, this IKEA open box is a great option. The felt body is made with recycled polyester and comes flat packed in a cardboard box without any plastic. It’s soft to the touch and minimal in its design. Smart design that “felt” good!
A Mission Put in Motion
This Brooklyn made, 100% recycled rubber catch-all by Slash Object, not only looks good, it literally helps our communities. We can all make a big positive impact by choosing to go small, and supporting local artisans.
The Art from Far East
If you ever traveled to Vietnam, you probably came across many local stores that carry these seagrass bell baskets. Thanks to the recent trend, this basket can now be easily purchased in many of your local furniture stores. Like the name, most are made out of a very sustainable and renewable material, seagrass. Some are made by local artisans who pay Fairtrade wages, some are not, so please choose wisely and support Fairtrade products whenever possible.
Make it Stand Out
Another renewable & natural material I'd like to show you is the Water Hyacinth bin. The skeleton of this box frame is made out of sturdy wire which is infinitely renewable. The outer skin is wrapped with native aquatic plants that will decompose naturally at the end of their life cycle. Of course, in an ideal scenario, we would want it to be passed on to the next user, but if it doesn’t go as planned, we don’t want it to stay behind for the next few hundred years either.
The Wonder Grass
Bamboo is the wonder material nature created for us. Its tensile strength is higher than carbon steel, and that’s why you can find many Asian countries still use bamboo as a stand alone structural element. Besides its many uses in building environments, this wonder grass grows super fast compared to trees, which makes it even more sustainable than wood products. Here's a bamboo box that wonderfully showcases the beauty of this material.