Features: Working

Shop the Room: Contemporary Home Office

Our pick of the best Contemporary Home Office furnishings

Give your office an up to date makeover, with our pick of furnishings for a contemporary office.

Store away the leather bound books and fusty furniture and embrace modern style with these fabulously contemporary accessories.

The Metal Desk Tidy from Graham & Green gives a chic and urban vibe to any desk top and is great for keeping correspondence safe; while the Umbra Talk White Memo Board from Heal’s makes sure you’ll never forget important meetings again.

(Clockwise from top) Greenwich Black Leather Swivel Chair from Fashion for Home, £479, Giant Glass Paperweight from OKA, £55, Metal Desk Tidy from Graham & Green, £47, Anglepoise Type 75S Desk Lamp Aluminium from Heal’s, £112, Desk from Habitat, £850, Umbra Talk White Memo board from Heal’s, £32.50.

Shop The Room: Home Office

Our range of trendy Office pieces

Spruce up your office space with some funky new furniture and accessories

If your home office is more doom and gloom than refreshingly inspiring, it might be time for a change and what better way then to revamp your study space with some stylishly colourful pieces.

Opt for retro trend with furniture such as the stylish Frag Canouan Chair, from A White Room. Perfect for injecting a bit of colour and great to team against other office brights such as the trendy Gubi Shelving Unit.

We guarantee your study space will never be dull again!

Odyssey Writing Desk, £595, from Graham & Green, Frag Canouan 4 Spoke Chair With Castors, £785, from A White Room, Original BTC London Spun Aluminum Desk Lamp, £373, from Heal’s, Gubi Dedal Shelving Unit, £210, from A White Room, Loyd Three Drawer Filing Cabinet, £325, from John Lewis, Pli Letter holder, £22, from Lifestyle Bazaar.

Rustic Wooden Office Wall Sign from Primrose & Plum

Rustic Wooden Office Wall Sign, £24.50, from Primrose & Plum

Define your workspace with this Rustic Wooden Office Wall Sign from Prmrose & Plum. £24.50

As someone who has worked from home, I know how tricky it is to stay focused.

You sit at your laptop with every intention of getting that important piece of work finished and all of a sudden you glance down at the washing basket do some washing and hunt for that missing top. Wander into the kitchen and you see the hob needs cleaning.

You get my drift, before you know it three hours have gone past and that important piece of work still hasn’t been done.

This Rustic Wooden Office Wall Sign from Primrose & Plum is not only rather stylish but it will help define your work space.

After all, what will make sure you get that work done more than a sign that reads OFFICE?

Keepsake Box Files from Primrose & Plum

Keepsake Box Files, £22, from Primrose & Plum

Keep treasured cards and notes safe with one of these Keepsake Box Files from Primrose & Plum. £22

I don’t know about you but as a self-confessed hoarder, I love to keep special cards and letters people give me.

I have all my 30th birthday cards, every single card my husband has ever given me and amongst other the letter my big sister wrote to me at university, explaining, wait for it, that she’d just been shown how to use email.

Moving swiftly on before someone is clever enough to work out just how old that last statement makes me, the problem is I’m fast running out of space to stash these precious pieces of correspondence.

The solution is these super pretty Keepsake Box Files from Primrose & Plum.

Prettily decorated, the files also have a ribbon to keep your most treasured letters and cards safe and prevent your drawers becoming over-stuffed.

Quick Shop: Waste paper bins

Our pick of waste paper bins.

Be good to the environment and recycle your paper with a stylish waste paper bin.

The waste paper bin is generally seen as a very basic accessory and one of life’s necessities, however that doesn’t mean it needs to look basic.
Furnish has a great selection of waste paper bins in all colours, shapes and sizes, so you’re sure to find something that suits your style.

The Faux book library waste paper bin from Pavilion Broadway is great for the bookworms and those with traditional taste.
But if you’re looking for something a little more funky, the Essy red bin bin paper bin from Red Candy is great for adding a splash of colour.

So try a bin that’s a little different than your usual, wicker cheapie and go for something that doesn’t have to be hidden away.

(Clockwise from Top) Essey red bin bin paper bin, from Red Candy £42, Wire waste paper bin, from Summerill & Bishop £23.50, Faux book library waste paper bin, from Pavilion Broadway £85, Sanganeeri wastepaper bin, from OKA £49, Crown wastepaper bin, from OKA £49, Recycled newspaper wastepaper bin, from John Lewis £10.

Routemaster Bus Magnetic Memo Board from Designed in England

Routemaster Bus Magnetic Memo Board, £40, from Designed in England

Get on board with this Routemaster Bus Magnectic Memo Board from Designed in England. £40

Regular readers will know that I am utterly obsessed with the Routemaster and that my last journey on one was a tad emotional.

Ok, ok, I was coming home from a press show and might have had one too many but I had such a strange love-hate relationship with these iconic beasts that is was sad to think I’d never go on one again.

I dream of living in a house with a garden big enough to house one but in the meantime, I’ll settle for this memo board from Designed in England.

Perfect for a home office or kitchen, it’s ideal for adding a splash of colour and making sure you never miss a message again.

The Orwell Writing Desk from Graham & Green

The Orwell Writing Desk, £55, from Graham & Green

Give your home office a literary feel with The Orwell Writing Desk from Graham & Green. £550

I’m obsessed with desks almost as much as I’m obsessed with storage.

There’s something so truly decadent about sitting at a desk writing letters, or more likely these days, tapping away on a laptop.

I have long dreamt of having room for a desk and with a move on the horizon, I might just get my wish.

My latest desk crush is The Orwell Writing Desk from Graham & Green.

I love the elegant lines and simple styling and the use of dark Sheesham wood means this desk will become a much loved family heirloom.

With its literary giant name, this little desk certainly has a lot to live up to and in my opinion it does.

Par Avion Letter Holder from Lifestyle Bazaar

Par Avion Letter Holder, £12.95, from Lifestyle Bazaar

Keep your desk organised in style with this Par Avion Letter Holder from Lifestyle Bazaar. £12.95

Seeing though we’re constantly told we’re fast approaching a paperless society, I am amazed how much post I am greeted with as I return home each day.

Of course most of it is absolute rubbish – direct mail has a lot to answer for in my opinion.

Some of it however, is important, still dull but important and needs to be kept somewhere safe.

At the moment, my bank statements and especially letters from my credit card company are shoved to the back of a cupboard, well out of sight, out of mind and all that.

However, that’s no longer going to be the case as I’ve discovered these Par Avion Letter Holders by j-me from Lifestyle Bazaar.

Available in black, grey and red – these cute letter holders are stamped with post marks from around the world.

A great addition to a bookcase or desk, they even come with a handy letter opener.

Par Avion Letter Holder, £12.95, from Lifestyle Bazaar

Clamp Light from Plumo

Clamp Light, £89, from Plumo

Add a touch of utilitarian chic to your home with this Clam Light from Plumo. £89

Regular readers will know I’m a little bit obsessed with industrial interiors, and one of my favourite element is lighting.

I could spend ages (and a small fortune) on vintage factory lights as I think they’re utterly gorgeous.

Which could explain how this Clamp Light caught my eye.

I adore the brushed metal shade but I am even more excited about the wooden clamp. Perfect for use anywhere from the bedroom to home office,this is a great way to tap into a bit of utilitarian chic without breaking the bank.

Enter Computer Key Stool from Rockett St George

Computer Key Stool, £95, from Rockett St George

Add some computer chic to your interiors with this Enter Computer Stool from Rockett St George. £95

I take interiors very seriously, after all writing about homes and all the gorgeous stuff you can fill them with has been my life for over a decade.

However, sometimes it’s nice to inject a bit of fun into the home and this Computer Key Stool from Rockett St George is a perfect example.

Made from wood veneer, this stool is a giant version of an Enter key and is perfect for a home office or teenagers bedroom.

How to create the perfect home office

Our pick of home office essentials.

keep your home office professional yet fun with our pick of office essentials

With more of us achieving the luxury of being able to work from home, your office should be somewhere stylish and practical to conduct your hard grafting. Keeping a professional feel to the room will allow you to stay motivated when the deadlines loom.

However, making your own office attractive and comfortable will make that Monday morning wake-up call a little less daunting.

The Desk

Undoubtedly the most important component of a study is the desk. With so much choice, it can be difficult to find one right for your needs. However you can’t go wrong with a desk that has plenty of storage space such as the Opus Large Desk from Love Furniture. With a spacious top, drawers and a cupboard to fit any large folders, it’s perfect choice for anyone working from home.

The Chair

A good chair is important too and when you’re sitting for what seems hours at a time, choosing a comfy one is essential. Colour-wise, you can’t go wrong with black; it oozes style and sophistication and is perfect for any home office. Add a leather finish and you’re on to a winning seat, such as the Eames EA119 high back ribbed office chair, from Lover’s Lounge. The comfortable, high back is definitely a powerful feature, keeping you inspired on even the most miserable of days, plus it’s fully adjustable so will help keep back pain at bay.

Odyssey writing desk, from Graham & Green £595

The Storage

Creating attractive, storage space in an office is relatively easy if you have the right furnishings. If you want to include a feature of the industrial office inside at home, one option is the 6 Door industrial locker unit from Rose & Grey. With its eye-catching design and edgy, metal finish, it’s fabulous for creating interest in the office, and perfect for stashing away all your clutter.

For a personal touch, how about pinning pictures of your loved ones inside the doors for a real back to school, vintage look.

The Decor

The office may be a place of work, but that doesn’t mean it has to be lifeless. Keeping your office colour scheme relaxed is key for a tranquil place to work and getting things done, so neutral tones jazzed up with some feature wallpaper is a good idea.

Forget the typical, dreary office colours like scuffed white and mucky grey and go green with the Sunlight Through Leaves wallpaper from Ella Doran. Combined with a grassy green rug such as the Sethos Green Rug from Fashion4Home, you’ll feel a little closer to nature and less restricted by those four walls.

Eames aluminium mesh office chair, from Lover's Lounge £350

Lighting

The lighting in your office is certainly something to ponder about. Dim lighting will only make your day seem far longer, plus you might have to pull out the reading glasses. While bright, call-centre style lighting will make you feel stuck in a box. So meeting in the middle with some warm, soft lighting will make you feel at ease in your surroundings along with any tasks that lay ahead of you.

The Wild Horn lamp, from Sweetpea and Willow had a neutral, rustic shade that will expel calm lighting and with its unique design of animal horns, will make a bold statement in any office.
Finish your main light off with a cool designed shade, like the Satellight World lampshade, from Duffy London, to keep you inspired.

Accessories

Pen/pencil holders are great placed on the desk to ensure you’ll never been digging in the bottom of the drawer again. The Pencil Sharpener Desk Tidy from Utility keeps your stationary super safe.

Another useful accessory to have is a calendar to keep you informed of any important business meetings. If you fancy something a little more permanent, the Appointment Perpetual Calendar by Philippi from Pelican Pear is a good choice.

Organisation is paramount to a tidy office, so having somewhere to stash all your important paperwork is certainly useful. The Metal Desk Tidy from Graham & Green will keep all your bills and statements ordered.

So, now you’ve sorted all that out, it’s time for the hard graft to begin. Good luck!

Quick Shop: Desk Lamps

Our pick of desk lamps

Complete your creative area with a desk lamp.

No desk is complete without the traditional desk lamp; but traditional they’re not! Popular designs appear almost Sci-fi in style, bringing the study straight in to this century and beyond. A work space looks practically naked without a lamp, but there’s plenty of styles to suit everybody in dressing their desk. Illuminate your ideas with a futuristic, flexible lamp. Or maybe a comforting Halo light is more your style. Whatever lamp takes your fancy, don’t be left in the dark without one of these eccentric designs!

(Clockwise from Top) Cygin white desk lamp £99, from Fashion4Home, Visionary desk light £13, from Great Little Trading Company, Canis B silver desk lamp £109, from Fashion4Home, Flos Ara table/desk lamp £506, from Utility, DIAS desk lamp £30, from Habitat, Halo £279.90, from Decolight.

Camberwell Writing Desk from Benchmark

Camberwell Writing Desk from £1583 Benchmark

Invest in this gorgeous Camberwell Writing Desk from Benchmark. From £1583

Aside from chairs, desks are my favourite item pieces of furniture. Unless you work from home, having the space to house a desk has always seemed truly decadent to me.

Having a dedicated place to sit and sort the post, respond to emails (rather than sitting with a precariously balanced laptop like me at the moment) and write those overdue thank you letters is my idea of heaven.

A particular favourite at the moment is this Camberwell Writing Desk from Benchmark. Designed by the godfather of interior design, Sir Terence Conran (can this man do no wrong?) it is simply divine.

Camberwell Writing Desk from £1583 Benchmark

Available in either natural or stained oak, it’s the desk’s slightly splayed legs, leather inset and simple design that I simply adore.

But it’s not just stylish, it’s practical too with cable management and an optional storage shelf.

However, I think it’s almost to beautiful to be tucked away in a home office, so either display it with pride in your living room or turn it into a dressing table for the bedroom.

Camberwell Writing Desk from £1583 Benchmark

Opal Table from Ella Doran

Opal Table £350 Ella Doran

Add some pattern to your interior with this Opal table from Ella Doran. £350

Known for her patterned accessories, Ella Doran hasn’t let us down with the introduction of this gorgeous Opal Table.

Simple in its design, this old-fashioned school desk has been given a new lease of life with a Formica top decorated in the geometric-Opal pattern.

I absolutely adore it and as well as being super-stylish it also has many uses.

Fed up of working on a plain desk then it will transform your home office, bored of not having anywhere to store your lotions and potions, it makes the perfect dressing table. And if your hallway is lacking interest and pattern, then it makes the ideal console table.

I, for one,really hope this isn’t the only piece of furniture we’ll see from the talented Miss Doran as I think her prints would make wonderful sofas and chairs – here’s hoping…

Opal Table £350 Ella Doran

40s-Style Industrial Wooden Desk Lamp from Graham & Green

40s-Style Industrial Wooden Desk Lamp from Graham & Green

Go for the nostalgic look with this 40s-Style Wooden Desk Lamp from Graham & Green. £169

As much as I love a comfy chair to sit in after a hard day’s work, my fluffy throws and extra thick duvet, the utilitarian look has always been a favourite one of mine.

I adore the parred back look, the no-fuss approach to design, one or two key pieces of loveliness rather than a room full of junk.

Which is why I adore this 40s-style wooden desk lamp from Graham & Green.

The combination of wood and brushed steel is simply divine and will add a touch of industrial style to any room.

Lauren Storage Boxes from Idyll Home

Keep boring paperwork in check with these colourful Lauren Storage Boxes from Idyll Home. £55

Storage is a constant battle for me, it’s not that I don’t like being tidy, it’s just that I can’t seem to find any storage furniture and boxes that I like.

Well, until now that is. Because at the weekend, I also happened across Idyll Home, a relatively new home wares site which I am super glad to have found.

Idyll Home sell a selection of carefully selected products for the home from lighting to bed linen.

My favourites are these retro-inspired Lauren storage boxes.

Made from metal, they’re available in bright red and exotic turquoise and are just the ticket for stashing away everything from bills (we’d probably all like to see a few less of those at the moment) to photos and keepsakes.

See this product at Idyll Home…

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Bookshelf wallpaper by Y&B from Bodie & Fou

Not well read? Fool visitors with this Bookshelf wallpaper by Y&B from Bodie & Fou. £68

I’ve written before about just how much I love books. Not just reading them but their look, feel and smell.

Even though I have plenty and that adorn the shelves in my dining room, I still love this fake-it Bookshelf by Y&B available from Bodie & Fou.

If you’re not a reader then this wallpaper is ideal for you.

The Trompe-l’oeil design mimics a wall of shelves full of books which is perfect for any room and the ideal way to bluff your friends that you’re a serious book worm.

Add some depth to the design by installing real shelves on it with a few books dotted here and there to create a real focal point.

Wilson desk from EDC London

Work from home in style with this Wilson desk from EDC London. £

When I worked from home last year, my dining room was my office, my dining table my desk, which was all in all, less than convenient.

Not only could I not get reception on my mobile, which meant wandering into the living room and inevitably getting distracted by Diagnosis Murder but working at a dining table is bloody uncomfortable.

So I vowed that should I ever be a home-worker again, I would invest in a proper desk.

My first choice would be this Wilson desk from EDC London. Made from layers of plywood, Wilson is available in wenge or natural oak veneers as well as range of colours which is perfect if you want to brighten up your home office. Spacious enough to allow you to spread out and be creative, its practical too with a nifty PC holder.

With desks this gorgeous around, it almost makes me wish I was still working from home, almost...

See this product at EDC London...

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Propello from Black+Blum

Keep you and your home cool with this Propello desk fan from Black+Blum. Was £79 now £71.10

With this heatwave (friends from Australia recently commented it's not a heatwave, it's what summer should be!) it seems everyone is doing their utmost to keep cool.

While that's near on impossible on the Northern line, it certainly is at home thanks to fans. But, if like me, you've found that your local DIY store has been massacred of all keeping cool products then help is at hand.

And it comes in the shape of the Propello desk fan from Black+Blum.

Another example of design genius from Dan Black and Martin Blum. the Propello has rubber blades and is, so they claim, virtually silent making it the perfect for desk fan for when you're hard at work but also melting slightly in the heat.

Best of all, you can stay cool and save some pennies as the Propello is now priced at £71.10 (usual price £79) which leaves more than enough for 99 when the ice cream man comes calling.

Giant Paperweight/Doorstop from OKA

Giant glass paperweight/doorstop from OKA

Keep your papers tidy, prop open your door, or just gaze in delight at this giant paperweight from OKA, £38

I love the gloopy bubbles and spherical shape of this giant glass paperweight from OKA. It makes a really attractive doorstop and a stylish alternative to the ‘comedy’ doorstops all over the place at the moment. In clear glass it’ll fit in with any room scheme and any furnishing style, but at the same time it’s got its own personality.

Used on a desk it’s transformed into a trend piece, picking up on the vogue for oversized proportions. And if you’re anything like me, tending to shift papers about and put them into piles rather than actually tidying up, it’ll sit on top of your papers and impart some style and logic to the confusion. A tip for the lazy: putting things at right angles always makes it look like you’ve tidied up.

This functional piece would look equally fabulous as an ornament: catching the light on a coffee table or as a centrepiece for the dining table.