As we enter a post-covid world, some of us have transitioned to a work-from-home life. While we grapple with this new reality, one important aspect of working from home is the space in which we conduct our zoom meetings and/or get inspired to complete those overdue projects.

I’ve come up with some ideas on creating the ideal space for a home office that will hopefully inspire you and help you get through lockdown. Keep a lookout for my tips & tricks and recommendations!

How To Design A Home Office

Location is Key

You may be lucky enough to have a spare bedroom dedicated to a study. But for most, space is a precious commodity especially for families with little kids. Unused space from a landing, hallway or even under the stairs can make a purposeful, functional space. Ideally, this space will be void of distractions and will keep you focused as you buckle down to business.

An interesting way to use closets is to repurpose them into a home office. Wardrobe/ closet doors can be removed and its shelves readjusted to make room for a desk within the space. Add file cabinets, shelves and vision boards and you’ll have a dedicated space for a home office.

Lighting & Ambiance

Lighting can transform the way a room looks and feels. In a home office, lighting can help keep you engaged and focused. Where possible, position your desk near a window and keep heavy window treatments like drapery to a minimum letting in as much natural light in.

Should you have a nook without a window, consider layering the lighting with standing floor lamps and table lamps. Quirky lamps and lanterns add interests in a dull corner.

A windowless wall is also the perfect canvas for you to get creative within your home office. Framed prints, mirrors, tapestries that resonate with your personality adds character to your home office and will provide a brilliant backdrop to all those virtual video meetings.

What Do I Need For A Home Office?

Furniture & Ergonomics

Comfortable furniture within your home office should fit not only your needs but also your space.

Choose a desk with drawers to tuck away small items such as stationery. Where space is available, bookshelves or floating shelves on the wall provide you with a display space without taking up precious floor area. Your shelves can be painted in the same colour as your wall for a modern look.

If you are spending hours on end in your home office, an ergonomically friendly office chair is essential. 

Important Tip: When seated, your feet should rest flat on the floor with your thighs parallel to it. Choose a chair that offers ample back support, supporting the natural curve of your spine.

Extra Tips For Designing Home Offices

Get Organised!

A well-organised space will not only look good, but also enable you to be fully productive. Labelling your filing and storage boxes help to keep your office organised. 

Georgia’s Tip: My bookshelf is stacked with labelled boxes of the same style and design, a mix of books placed both vertically and stacked horizontally. I also include a few special and meaningful trinkets and photos to the shelf. I love having some hanging greenery that gives a lovely effect on the shelf. 

Cables and wires that run rampant are not visually appealing, much less safe for you to work in! So tidy up with cable tidies, or reusable Velcro wraps that can be strapped under your desk.

Touch of Green

Natural greenery will bring life and a sense of tranquillity into your home office. Plants also act as a noise barrier and air filter that will certainly keep your workday feeling fresh and relaxed.

Where space allows, having your plants on different levels on a bench, windowsill or trolley will give your home office a nature-reserve vibe. 

Georgia’s Tip: Fill the top shelves of your bookcase with a collection of ferns and leafy indoor vines like philodendrons and hang some macramé planters by the window. 

Final Words

While it is uncertain if we will ever get back into our offices this year, we can take into our hands the design of our home offices and create the space we need to feel happy, content and productive. Hopefully, my tips can help you start on that journey! 

If you’re still feeling creative and want to spruce up the rest of your home, check out our guide to designing your living room.

Keep well and stay safe

xGeorgiaK.

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1. Today I want to be.. Decide on the look and feel for your event

Pictured: (Top to bottom) Designs to Inspire Coastal Styling and Oz Design Furniture as seen in Home Beautiful, https://www.instagram.com/homebeautiful.

The look of your table should complement the style of your home. Think about the mood you want to create for your fabulous get together-

– Coastal and laid back: Think pale colours, linens, rattan and washed timber for a coastal look

– Lux and classy: A touch of shimmer and shine like gold cutlery

– Monochrome and hip: Go for modern black candelabras for some drama!

2. Add layers to your table settings- Place mats, napkins, boards, dinner plates, side plates and more

Pictured: Designs to Inspire Rustic Styling

The more layers, the merrier!

For a different take on your traditional placemat, check out Provincial Home Living Kriss Paper Placemat. Set with colouring pencils for some fun at the table, http://www.provincialhomeliving.com.au/christmas/set-the-christmas-table/paper-placemat-4011.

If you’re unsure of how to set out the cutlery and piles of plates, see how with this video from https://www.brosa.com.au/blog/how-to-set-a-table-guide.

3. Create your centerpiece

Pictured: Designs to Inspire Styling

This can be as simple as using:

– 1 board or tray with a stack of crockery for a casual get-together

– 2 candelabras create symmetry for a formal dinner

– 3 vases with flowers or ornaments for a more eclectic look

Check out these 7 Tips from Ash Bailey from The Byrd Collective for Creating Beautiful Flower Arrangements at Home, http://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/entertaining/7-tips-for-creating-beautiful-flower-arrangements-at-home-pictures

4. Add personality

Get creative with finishing touches to add more character to your table

– Greenery from your garden or fruit is a great way to add interest and colour to your table!

– Personalise your table setting with chalkboard signs or wine markers to write guests names on glasses, https://www.house.com.au/cellar-glass-marker-pens-2-pack

Pictured: Designs to Inspire Styling

5. Repeat

Pictured: Designs to Inspire Styling

Repeat the pattern – everything in rows looks pretty and plentiful!

Final words

Lastly, make sure you prepare as much as can in advance to make enjoy every moment your time with family and friends.

Oh, and if you want to extend your style to the rest of your home, why not style your console to create that wow moment your guests arrive into your home! Check out our blog, https://www.designstoinspire.com.au/consoles-5-steps-style-perfectly/

Here’s to a summer of fun!

Happy styling,

The DTI team x

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After enjoying the most blissful summer holiday in Europe and the UAE (sorry, I don’t mean to rub it in), I was both overjoyed and underwhelmed with many hotel rooms. And why is that? It all came down to one reason. Poor decision making and not a lack of money. So here are the top 5 style lessons learnt from my holiday vacay that you can apply to your own home.

Top interior design tips – what hotel interior design can teach us

Style Lesson 1 – Monochrome magic

There’s a certain feeling a monochrome room evokes. A sense of restrained drama,
class and timeless style.

Remember going without colour means you need to add interest. To do this, try mixing styles of furniture, adding patterns and contrasting fabric types. Here this Lebanese restaurant in the UAE nails the look with patterned tiles and hanging pendants in contrasting yet harmonious shapes. And the best part, the food was amazing!

Image: Ayamna Restaurant, UAE

Style Lesson 2 – The journey makes the destination sweeter

Led across floating slabs of stone and down a dimly lit passage, I entered the most amazing foyer at ShuiQi Spa. Transported away with this visual?

Image: ShuiQi Spa, UAE

While water passages may not be pragmatic for your home, you can leverage elements of this design. Here I’ve used paving with aggregate to a similar effect, which helps guests slow down their steps and take in the surroundings.

Image: Kat Peri Design

Side note. Melbourne’s Vue De Monde is a must for the sensory and culinary experience as you’re lead down dark halls before the dazzling Melbourne skyline views are revealed.

Style Lesson 3 – Never enough storage 

As Shaynna declares on The Block, a lack of storage at face height is a sin. I would have been happy with hip storage in some boutique hotels. This gorgeous angled waterfall vanity is drool-worthy but where do you place your toiletries? Storage is always a must.

Style Lesson 4 -Poor colour choices spoil a room

One of our splurges was to stay at The Atlantis Hotel, which is the size of the Crown Casino and with a price tag to match. Unfortunately the riot of bright colours let this luxury hotel down. Despite any theme (think you can guess this one!), downplay your accent colour to add sophistication. You can try the 60:30:10 rule as a guide when planning your home colour scheme.

Image: Atlantis Dubai

Style Lesson 5 – Love luxury fittings

When the fam saw this amazing shower we immediately said, we need one! If you can splurge on luxury fittings for your bathroom, especially those that are pragmatic yet indulgent such as this multiple shower head, you’ll enjoy the indulgence every day.

Image: AD Athens Luxury Rooms and Suites

Holiday Snaps – Enter to win!

Do you have any holiday snaps of a great hotel style you loved?! Share them with us on Instagram @Designstoinspire with the hashtag #style, and we’ll randomly give away 3 of our Designs to Inspire – Home Staging + Interior Design Fragrances “Intrigue” to lucky Australian followers in October to transport your mind to an exotic location.

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The following styling tips will help make your bathroom feel more enticing, luxurious and warm this winter.

Stack, layer and group

Layering items create a sense of opulence. Stack towels, with a soap or coral on top or use a tray to group items together.

Green bathrooms

Escape at home with greenery – oh so restful, uplifting and inviting.

From potted plants that love humidity to a single green leaf. And who said you can’t introduce a vase with flowers in a bathroom? For a master bathroom (and needless to say a kid-free zone), these gladioli make a big statement.

For a low-cost option, forage around your garden and place a succulent in a small vase or flower in a glass.

Bathing rituals

Look across cultures, and you’ll appreciate bathing rituals.

From Cleopatra’s milk soaked baths, heavenly warming hot springs in Japan to the quintessential Russian banyas. How do you bring this sense of pampering to a humble abode?

Occasional tables or drums layered with fragrant candles, soft wash cloths and scrubbing brushes invite you to unwind.

Artful designer towels

We’re coveting Ninnho designer towels for their standout designs and sumptuous feel. Take a look at how they’ve added a wow factor to homes we’ve styled recently.

For neutral bathrooms, towels can add welcome colour. Add a luxurious gold sheen with the Sapphire or Diamond design which lift the room with their sparkle. Further, you can accentuate graphic elements in a monochrome bathroom scheme with black and white towels, such as one of our favourites, the Watermark.

Wall art

Apart from the regulatory mirror, walls in bathrooms can be adorned with art. Choose a metal or plastic frame to withstand humidity and start out with an inexpensive print and see the difference it makes!

Creative storage

Need additional storage? Baskets can be used to store towels or even toilet rolls in bathrooms which lack cupboard space. Here these two baskets act as a clothes hamper and towel storage.

Final words

These simple tips can help add both style and function to your bathroom.

Remember, the little items can add up to provide a lot more character and help place the finishing touches to one of the hardest working rooms in your home.

Happy styling!

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Now you’ve found a place for your sideboard, how do you achieve that elusive look that warrants more than a quick sideways look? No matter your personal taste; traditional, Nordic, Hamptons, Industrial..follow our 5 steps to style your console like a pro.

1. Create height

A good place to start is with a statement lamp or set of lamps for a more formal look. In addition to adding ambient lighting, the height establishes the foundation for how you style your console.

With a lamp, go for a solid base to anchor it to the console. A graphic black base adds designer flair, washed timber suits a Hamptons-inspired look or go for a quirky lamp, such as our stylist’s pineapple lamp, for a sense of playfulness.

Importantly, a high component on your console creates scale. It also helps your eye travel across the different layers you’re about to build for your perfectly styled console.

2. Add a mirror or artwork

To inject a sense of your personality choose an artwork or group of artworks that scream ‘this is me!’ Artwork can be centred above a smaller console or propped up against a wall or hung off centre as a stylish alternative. We’re crushing on Antoinette Ferwerda’s colourful and layered art at the moment, and mist filled escapist prints.

There are so many pluses in having a mirror in your space. Mirrors make spaces look larger, bring in much-needed light to a room and can be positioned to reflect a beautiful view. With many options to choose from, we love bold sculptural frames to make a statement and metal frame with a leather strap for a modern edge.

3. Group elements

Layer, layer. layer and did we say ‘layer?’. The keys to success with your console styling are building different levels of height and layers. To create your layers you can:

• Stack hard bound books together with a decorative object on top
• Place decorative items on a tray and see the difference it makes. As a side note, we love how the talented Mr Darren Palmer positions trays on top of old bedroom side tables to enhance their look (genius!)
• Group vases with alternating heights together for interest. The added bonus is they no longer need to be stored away!
• Add a sculpture as an art aficionado and make a statement

4. Soften with foliage and flowers

Feathery maidenhair ferns, lush magnolia flowers, fiddle fig leaves and orchids bring a touch of green touch to your table. Choose seasonal flowers to celebrate with warm autumnal colours or try branches and twigs for a long lasting display!

5. Maximise space

Amp up the practical nature of your console. Don’t forget to use the space underneath to add baskets for storage of cushions, firewood or shoes. A stool or pair of ottomans underneath a console can turn it into a powder room table or functional workspace.

Final words to perfectly style your console

With this newfound knowledge, you’ll be able to dissect images of artfully arranged consoles and see how they follow these 5 steps!

A word of caution, to avoid your console looking like a circus, don’t go for too many colours. Choose similar tones for decor to create harmony, and then you can add one pop of colour for a welcome burst of delight.

Most of all, have fun playing with the arrangement on your console. When it works, you’ll know! And enjoy how guests pause to take in that beautiful new space you’ve created in your home.

Happy styling!

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Designer embrace

You are: Bold, flamboyant and not afraid of risks. A natural entertainer with the highest standards of order that mere mortals aspire to maintain.

Create the look:

• Be daring. Contrast graphic patterns in black and white for a bold look
• Choose a pair of occasional chairs that are stately and luxurious
• Add luster to glass tables with chrome metal frames. After all, why shy away from drama?
• Consider decor that is over sized, polished and eye-catching

Style tip: Balance strong angles and cooler metals by using a shag pile rug or textured wool rug for warmth.

Beach side elegance

Your personality: Relaxed, calming, a nurturer with classic charm. A gentle spirit.

Create the look:

• Choose weathered or light timbers for an airy look
• Use a linen throw over a neutral couch to soften the look
• Pattern play. At first, it may seem contrary yet patterns need to be paired with more patterns to create a unified scheme. The trick is to choose a similar colour palette to achieve a cohesiveness look
• Tactile and natural decor such as driftwood or shells brings the outdoors in

Style tip: Select thinner stripes and diamond patterns for a more contemporary take on the classic Hampton look.

Vibrant modernity

Your philosophy: Life is about making your own fun, taking the lead and enjoying the moment.

Create the look:

• Use bright colours to enliven your mood. Tangerines and yellow scream fun
• Show off all aspects of your personality and mix eclectic items with modern, clean lines
• Brighten up your walls with the photographic art of a sun-drenched beach or a stunning femme fatale. Hip holiday and cocktails, anyone?
• Mix different coloured crockery for an all year round celebratory feel to your dining table

Style tip: Balance a youthful vibe with a few classic designer pieces, such as a mid-century butterfly chair.

Tactile sophisticate

Your personality: Thoughtful and considered, with attention to detail and a love of quality and craftsmanship.

Create the look:

• Think textures! Mix sumptuous velvets, timber, marble and metal for textural contrasts
• Curated items. Acquire the right pieces over time and don’t buy it if you don’t love it
• Use a sophisticated colour palette that’s subdued yet appealing

Style tip: While a paired back is key to this aesthetic, you need to take care to avoid a room looking stiff. So inject some fun with a sequined cushion, a wistful artwork or quirky decor item that has meaning to you.

What’s Next?

As your living room will reveal a lot about your personality it’s helpful to understand what you want it to say. Finally, if you’d like help to uncover more about your personal style, you try this fun quiz! Enjoy!

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