6 big-ticket home office items to invest in for comfort, style and productivity
If your home is going to be your primary office for the foreseeable future, you might consider making some real investments. Here are six suggestions.
The new normal
Do you remember what your workspace looked like at your office? Your real office, not the office that you hastily erected in the dining room back in March, when you started working from home. Neither do we.
Just like 9-to-5 office hours have gone the way of the dinosaur during the pandemic, companies may opt to reduce their office footprint, making WFH less the exception and more the new normal.
It's time to get serious.
If your home is going to be your primary office for the foreseeable future — or years to come — you might consider investing in outfitting your space for efficiency, ergonomics and a little enjoyment. Here are six ways to help you think of this as an investment in yourself.
Put a rug on it
Chances are you aren't wearing office dress shoes — or any shoes for that matter — to work from home, and a chilly floor underfoot is a bad way to start your workday. Ikea's black and white handwoven wool Stockholm rug is not just unique looking with its bold stripes, it's durable and soil-resistant, and the flat weave makes it a great staple for your office. $199, ikea.com. The handwoven soft wool and earthy red tones of the Vesterborg rug adds a cozy layer of warmth to your floor and ambiance to your space. $299, ikea.com.
Consider a larger screen desktop
Making do with a laptop? Not anymore. You can keep the laptop when you want to move around your house. But a desktop computer, with a bigger screen, can help alleviate some of that neck and eye pain. This 27-inch iMac has a Retina 5K display, and higher quality camera, speakers and mics (which can make Zoom events more vivid). $1,799, apple.com.
Take care of your posture — and comfort
Consider investing in a chair with both style and substance. The Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair is adjustable, comes in six colors, and provides a breathable mesh back, lumbar support with a padded and contoured mesh seat cushion. $142.79, amazon.com.
If you're looking for the Ferrari of desk chairs, go for the iconic Herman Miller Aeron Chair, which has been the go-to office chair since its debut in 1994. $995, hermanmiller.com.
Get a desk that functions for you
Yes, other people in your household may use it, but get what works for you and your needs. Need storage space (get one with drawers), need something wide with plenty of space to spread out? A desk is out there waiting for you. Crate & Barrel's Spotlight Ebony X-Leg Desk may be perfect for you and your space given its sleek tabletop, left-side drawer divided into organizational compartments for office supplies; and space for a keyboard or laptop. $599, crateandbarrel.com.
Get better lighting
Don't just make do with what you have; upgrade your lighting to help with eyestrain, headaches and blurred vision symptoms, which can detract from productivity. Flos' Tab LED table lamp has a tent-like head of painted aluminum that swivels 45 degrees to direct light on your desk or to aid reading on the couch. The diffuser is specially designed to avoid the "multi shadow" effect of multiple LEDs. $395, store.moma.org.
Fashion icon Paul Smith has updated the classic Anglepoise Type 75 Desk Lamp with an edgy color palette. The aluminum shade and weighted base can be repositioned with the lightest touch, and remain perfectly in place once released. $255, rejuvenation.com.
Keep your desk clean with shelving
The piles of books and paper on your work desk can impede your elbow room, so make sure you have a place to store the things you need nearby. CB2's V Bookcase and Room Divider has seven slanted shelves in alternating angles which create an airy, uncluttered silhouette. It disguises clutter while adding style. $799, cb2.com.
___
(c)2020 Chicago Tribune
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.