Tag Archive • design

DESIGN ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR HOME OFFICE

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home office

A space that is gaining more and more attention in new ways is the home office.  Of course having a space to sit and do ‘the bills’ has been around for a while, but home offices have taken on a different, more modern use as the numbers of ‘mompreneurs’ and those working from home continues to grow.  It is no longer an afterthought that is hardly used and functions as the catch-all space. It can be a space that provides an inspirational, functional and of course, stylish room to work in.  In this blog post we will list the essentials to create your perfectly-styled and well-equipped home office.

 

First up: THE DESK

The key here is to give yourself enough surface area for the specific activities you will be doing.  Tap into your personal style and what elements will motivate and inspire you to get down to work.  Below is a beautiful glass top desk with shaped lucite legs.  Perfect for a clean lined, modern- yet classic office desk.

Glass top desk

This rustic wood desk reads playful with a pop of colour on the legs to allow it to be placed in either a rustic or more transitional style space.

desk with pink legs

Don’t Forget: THE CHAIR

Will you be sitting at your desk for long periods of time, or only here and there?  Make sure you consider comfort in your chair selection so as to not discourage yourself from getting work done or potentially cause you pain over time.  After considering the comfort of the chair- select a chair that goes nicely with your desk.  Modern, traditional or rustic?  Check out some of our faves below:

colourful chair

cross back chair                   white desk chair

 

 

What is an office without: STORAGE

Proper storage is important for your home office.  There is nothing motivating or encouraging about a pile of paper sprawled all over your desk from the day before.  Whether the storage is built into your desk or incorporated with shelving and baskets- it is an essential element of your home office.  We love these Kate Spade magazine holders; and why not add some open shelving to add both storage and style above your desk?!

 

open shevling 2

If your space allows for it, a bookshelf is a great way to add plenty of additional storage to your home office while also providing ample room to add art, personal items and decor.

 

How could we forget: ACCESSORIES

The details.  Our favourite part of any space.  There are loads of stationary companies out there to help outfit your desktop and pull together the style of your home office.  Your desktop would not be complete without some form of: pens and colourful markers; notebooks to write down your goals and to create lists; general office supplies like scissors, staplers and a hole punch; and finally- unique elements that personalize your space.  Here are some of our favourites to make your home office complete.

rifle notebook

Kate Spade- cards               poppin stapler

All in all, a well put-together and professional space is not only about aesthetics and design, but about creating an inspirational space to dedicate time and productive thought.  Start yourself off on the right foot and make the most efficient use of your home office by having all of the right elements and-as always- contact Alex & Lily for more details and assistance.

 

Alex & Lily

NEW YEARS GOALS- 2016

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A fresh, organized start to the new year- all around.

A new year brings new hopes, dreams and promises. It’s a time of reflection and self-awareness. It’s a time for improvement and change. It is not however, a time to set unrealistic goals that are unlikely to be attainable in a calendar year.

 

Is your goal to have a more organized home?

To finally tackle that home renovation project?

Or to plan your dream wedding without the stress?

 

An organized home is a matter of using your current space in a better, more efficient way. Below are some clever uses of space that allow for easier access to often used items.

 

It is always a good idea to sort through drawers and closets several times in a year. It is alright for things to build up over time, but sorting through things more than once a year will keep things from becoming too hectic or overgrown.

 

Once the excitement and celebration has settled down from the holidays and your life’s ‘to-do list’ comes flooding back into mind- home improvements become a focus again. Research is an important part of any project. If you are looking to save up a bit more money after the expense of the holidays, spend some time now researching and brainstorming. This will be helpful when you begin the project or look to hire a pro. One of the first things a professional will ask you about is your style and functionality preferences. This is where your research will pay off.

Check out these images from one of our most recent project, where used Paris and the client’s warm nature as inspiration for the space.

http://www.houzz.com/projects/1484205/soft-feminine-den

Another consideration is to take the time to prioritize your home improvements to know which project to tackle first. Not everything can be done at once, regardless if you have the budget to do so. There is a process that occurs with every project and some aspects are contingent upon the completion of other installations. The more prepared you are to begin your project, the smoother it will go.

If you are engaged or newly engaged- firstly- Congratulations! Secondly, we know there are a lot of things to do for your wedding- and we’re here to help. Planning a wedding can be stressful because of the many decisions to make and tasks to complete. To help you get organized, consider the accessory tasks or activities that you need help with, aren’t interested in, or don’t feel that you will have time to do. These can be things like building welcome baskets for your out-of-town guests, maintaining and following up with RSVPs, or planning and organizing your rehearsal dinner. There are plenty of resources available online to help point out the tasks to be completed. For example, The Knot is great free source for wedding inspiration and guidelines. Alex & Lily will help you complete all of these tasks and reduce the stress of planning!

 

So, creating a fresh, organized new start to the year is all about the small planning steps to do prior the start of your project. Though it may seem daunting in the beginning, take it one step at a time, take care to think about what you want and need before seeking a professional’s advice and have fun with the idea of a satisfying project that you can be proud of!

***To gain a better sense of what a wedding concierge can do to help you and your fiancé with your wedding needs, attend the Swank Wedding Show in Vancouver on February 6th at the Vancouver Art Gallery and visit our booth!

Alex & Lily