The work area often doesn’t get as much attention and care as the other rooms around the house, but a beautiful workspace might just provide the inspiration and motivation you need for a productive day out of the office. Here are some ways to brighten up that corner at home
Tatler Asia

Table Talk

It all starts with the desk. The Excelsior writing desk by Commune makes a great addition to your work space; it's made with solid American walnut legs with walnut overlay on engineered wood for the tops and sides. The desk is inspired by furniture from the middle of the 20th century and features grids and lines for a modern retro look and includes a five-drawer compartment with extension cable storage to store all your necessities. There is also the Bowen writing desk, a simpler design that has three drawers to hide away your to-do lists, receipts and other bits of paper that you can’t seem to get rid of. The aesthetic of this desk is a classic, understated one—definitely for those who prefer a mid-century modern look. 

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For additional storage space, the Como bookcase from Bo Concept is a slim shelf that comes in four colours and is a stylish way to organise all your books, files and that all-important trove of snacks.

(Related: How to Design a Healthier and Happier Space at Home and in the Office)

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Photo 1 of 4 The Portobello notebook in azure (Image: Smythson of Bond Street)
Photo 2 of 4 The Dreams and Thoughts Premier notebook in Pink (Image: Smythson of Bond Street)
Photo 3 of 4 The Channel Point Pen Grid (Image: Postalco)
Photo 4 of 4 Ember mug (Image: Selfridges)

The Essentials

No one makes notebooks quite like Smythson of Bond Street. The Portobello notebook—192 pages of quality paper in the brand’s signature pale blue tone and sandwiched between leather covers—will make note-taking less of a chore. There is also the Dreams and Thoughts Premier notebook to capture all the random ideas that pop into your head throughout the day.

Take your stash of stationeries to the next level with the Channel Point Pen Grid by Japanese brand Postalco—an elegant, metal ballpoint pen enhanced with a grid pattern. For something more playful, Kikki.K has ballpoint pens in a rose gold or dusty pink casing that comes in packs of four (two with black ink, one with blue ink and one with red ink) to add colour to your pencil jar. The brand also has a straightforward monthly planner in a generous A2 size so there is plenty of room for you to scribble in notes and reminders for every day of the week.

Sip your morning cup of joe in the Ember mug, a smart mug that allows you to set the temperature that you want to keep your coffee at and will sustain it for up to 90 minutes, so your coffee will stay warm (or piping hot) till its last drop.

(Related: See How This Designer Transformed A Former Office Into His Colourful Apartment)

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Photo 1 of 5 Fornasetti Coromandel candle featuring the Otto scent (Image: Shopbop)
Photo 2 of 5 Dipytyque Paris En Fleur candle (Image: Diptyque)
Photo 3 of 5 Bottega Veneta tissue box (Image: Bottega Veneta)
Photo 4 of 5 Byredo Tulipmania hand and nail cream (Image: Byredo)
Photo 5 of 5 Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream (Image: Nordstrom)

Pops of Pretty

Whether it is a candle or some fresh flowers—these are the little touches that will make a difference to the area. Fill the air with the smell of rose and patchouli with the new Paris En Fleur candle by Diptyque, or with the more rustic combination of thyme and lavender and cedarwood in Fornasetti’s Otto scent, encased in a red jar with an exquisite design of vines and birds from the furniture brand’s Coromandel collection. Fans of Bottega Veneta’s signature intrecciato weave pattern can now have it as an accessory on their desk as well with the brand’s tissue box in dark brown. 

(Related: 7 Stylish Ways To Revamp Your Workspace)

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Above Portofino leather tray by Giobagnara (Image: MatchesFashion)

Keep paper clips, loose change, jewellery and other miscellaneous items organised in a tray, such as the gorgeous Portofino leather tray by Giobagnara which is handmade in Italy from saddle leather that’s dyed with vegetable extracts and treated with a scratch-resistant finish. Other necessities that you might want to place on the tray may be a tube of say, the luxurious Byredo hand and nail cream in its latest scent, Tulipmania, and as well as Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream, the perennial beauty favourite for anything from dry lips to unsightly cuticles.

(Related: From Obama To Clinton, See How 3 Presidents Decorated The Oval Office)

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Above (Image: Xtra)

Last but least, add some colour and greenery with fresh flowers. Keep a smaller bouquet at your desk and save the bigger arrangements for elsewhere around the home—as a full vase of flowers might be too overpowering in both smell and look. The Tank Vase Stem by Tom Dixon, available at Xtra, measures 11cm in diameter, ideal for small to medium arrangements of tulips in cheerful colours of yellow and orange or ranunculus in shades of dusky pink and white. 

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