Here's an easy question for today: what's the nicest thing you've bought for your office, whether at home or at work? Did you splurge on a decorator or a fancy chair, or perhaps a great piece of art? Do share…

In the past, we've talked about how to make your office more comfortable, essential items to keep at your work desk, how to decorate your workspace, where to get cute office decor, how to improve ergonomics at the office, and how to liven up your office walls… we've also rounded up the very best office chairs for women!

We've also talked about some of our favorite weird products to keep at the office: pashminas, foldable flats, items to cool you down after a sweltering commute, and mini-fridges if your situation allows!

The Nicest Thing I've Bought for My Office

When I was at the law firm, I didn't splurge very much on my office because it all felt really temporary, even though I was there for six years — but some of my colleagues definitely had couches, artwork, even (for the partners) wallpaper and drapes.

For my current home office, I think the nicest thing I bought for my office was splurging on a decorator — I have a navy and hot pink theme (shocker) but it feels pulled together and happy — it's also nice to have a somewhat girly space, complete with a hot pink armchair and a bookshelf displaying all my fashion-related books.

My artwork purchases have been pretty thrifty — I have a painting that I absolutely adore but got at a local auction for $50, so it wasn't terribly expensive. Based on reader recommendations, I also recently bought a Steelcase Leap chair on auction for about $150. (No complaints, although it's so much lower than my former Ikea chair… I'm still kind of getting used to it!)

Otherwise, my big office expenses have been tech things… two monitors, a nice computer that now needs to be upgraded, etc.

How about you guys — what's the nicest thing you've bought for your office, whether at home or at work? Did you splurge on a decorator or a fancy chair, or perhaps a great piece of art?

The post What’s the Nicest Thing You’ve Bought for Your Office? appeared first on Corporette.com.

Do you “style” your bookcases with objets d'art, bookends, and so forth, or do you just use bookends for functional purposes? We haven't talked about this in a while, so I thought I'd round up some cute bookends for your work space.

Related question: How do you like to organize your books — by color? By subject matter? By author last name?

In the past, we've talked about how to make your office more comfortable, essential items to keep at your work desk, how to decorate your workspace, where to get cute office decor, how to improve ergonomics at the office, and how to liven up your office walls… we've also rounded up the very best office chairs for women!

We've also talked about some of our favorite weird products to keep at the office: pashminas, foldable flats, items to cool you down after a sweltering commute, and mini-fridges if your situation allows!

Cute Bookends For Your Work Space, Home Office, or Cubicle

Amazon

In the “affordable and mostly functional department,” we have these bookends, which are ranked #1 for decorative book ends at Amazon. In general, there a lot of decorative wire bookends and other functional pieces.

The pictured bookends are under $20 for a 4-pack; you can see all of the Amazon bestsellers for decorative bookends here.

Target

If you have a sort of minimal design aesthetic (also maybe a bit of a Scandinavian style?), these wooden bookends might be right up your alley. They're bestsellers at Target, for $24.99.

Anthropologie

These gold bookends from Anthropologie might be great if you've got a more styled bookshelf — and I like that they come in gold, black, and white. They're $58.

Crate & Barrel

I will admit it: I swing wildly between the “birds are bad luck inside the house” thing and “I love decorating with small birds.” (I guess I'm just going with no live birds inside the house? Hmmn.)

In any event: I love these black and gold bird bookends from Crate & Barrel, where it's $65 for a set of 2. They're also available in a natural wood and a beigey-white.

West Elm

I love Art Deco office style in general, so these marble and gold bookends are totally calling my name. They're $110 at West Elm for a set ($54 for just one).

(These black marble ones at Bloomingdale's have a similar appeal!)

Etsy

You can get a bunch of custom options at Etsy, including engravings and bookends shaped like a pet… but I liked this handmade custom lamppost, with signs pointing towards fictional places of your choosing. (The example includes Atlantis, Treasure Island, Tatooine, Pandora, the Shire, and more.)

This exact one is $110.83, from seller TinSharkLLC, which describes the shop as “nerd retail therapy.”

Urban Outfitters

We've said it before, and I'll say it again — you can get surprisingly cute office decor at Urban Outfitters.

These bookends are some of my favorites of this roundup — UO designs the ceramic stoneware as thus:

The Fettu's design is inspired by the organic, ribbon-like forms of fettuccine. Wide enough to have a nice bite and substantial enough to maintain its form, the Fettu is equal parts playful and grounding. Rhythmic in form, its sculptural tendencies disguise its function, allowing it to serve as bookends or an art object.

Nice! The bookends are $150, via UO MRKT.

Perigold

Another favorite from this roundup: this gorgeous hand-cut crystal bookend from Reflections Copenhagen, via Perigold. The brand recommends putting it near a window so you can catch the reflections… how gorgeous would this be sitting on an office window shelf instead of a wooden bookcase? The bookend is $495.

The post 8 Cute Bookends For Your Work Space appeared first on Corporette.com.

I recently added a walking pad / minimal treadmill to a workspace in Casa Griffin, so I thought I'd do a little post on it. Readers, do you have a desk treadmill or walking pad in your office? What are your thoughts on the products you've bought — and what would you recommend to others considering it?

How to Set Up a Walking Pad In Your Office

What to Look For in a Desk Treadmill or Walking Pad For Your Office

I looked through a lot of reviews and articles on which walking pad to get for your office, and… they all kind of look the same and cost the same. I zeroed in on a few specific products that I'd seen recommended here or in Facebook groups — specifically the DeerRun 3 in 1 (the one I ultimately got, currently under $300), the UREVO Under Desk Treadmill, and the Sperax walking pad — and figured I'd compare those models before expanding or concluding my search.

We intended to use the walking pad with a standing desk, so we weren't too concerned with handrails or the like. I've always hated running on treadmills so I wasn't interested in running on the walking pad at all — just a leisurely walk for me, thanks! — so the top speed didn't matter.

The two things that mattered the most to me were 1) the width of the treadmill, because I was worried about missteps, and 2) how loud the walking pad was.

(You may also want to pay attention to the weight limits on the treadmill, or the total weight of the treadmill — there was a big variation in both of those numbers. If I wanted the option to fold it up or move it around, a 70 lb. walking pad might not be as ideal as the 42 lb. option.)

The Width of the Belt on the Treadmill or Walking Pad

Of the options we looked at, most were around 15.5-17″ wide. This isn't very wide! The belt on the one we got is 43 “x 16”, and it's fine… but if I were to buy it again I'd probably look harder for a wider belt.

Note that this information isn't immediately clear from the dimensions that are the easiest to find. For example, the three models I was looking at had a range of depth from 18.4″-26.4″ — but that's the width of the entire product, not just the belt.

(By contrast, a typical running treadmill belt goes up to 22″ wide.)

How to Know How Loud Your Walking Pad Will Be

Most product descriptions discussed horsepower, but only one discussed decibels. This was something I hadn't considered before, but NO, I did not want to have a crazy loud treadmill. It would be fine if it were, but I was hoping to watch videos or take the occasional Zoom call, so having a loud whirring sound would not be ideal.

This information was also missing from a lot of products — the one we got noted that it was 60 decibels. It's definitely loud enough that I wouldn't want to use it while someone else was in the room working. I could take a call with it, but having a headset or AirPods in would be vastly preferable to using the speaker, though that's probably true whether you're on a walking pad or not.

(The one we got also had a higher horsepower than a lot of the others we looked at — 3 HP vs. 2.25 HP — which I think also usually has something to do with how loudly it's working.)

What Standing Desk to Get For Your Walking Pad

You may already have a standing desk for your walking pad, in which case you're set! We did not have one, and tossed around various makeshift ideas before deciding, eh, let's just buy something off Amazon. (Various makeshift ideas we had: Card table stacked with books! Somehow using a nearby shelf! Finding a used standing desk on Facebook Marketplace!

Our standing desk was less than $125, which was cheap enough that we could disregard the options as being more of a hassle than a cost-saving measure.

There are desks of different widths, obviously. When we looked, we were thinking that we didn't necessarily need a huge workspace, but we wanted to keep an old laptop on the desk… I had hoped for a space for a notepad or the like.

We wound up getting a desk that was 48″, which accommodates all of that (and more). The desk came in four width options, 40″ to 63″, and in four finishes, but we just got the cheapest option (Rustic Brown, 48″) because it was going into an out of the way spot.

In general, the desk is better than I had hoped — the mechanism to rise/lower it is smooth and easy, and once you get it to a height you like, you can unplug the desk, freeing up a spot on your outlet strip.

What Else to Get With Your Walking Pad and Desk

We've added an extra monitor, keyboard, and mouse to the space, all to connect to an old laptop that had lousy battery power. We also keep a notepad and pen nearby. I've seen a lot lately about how women ought to be walking with weighted vests, so I might get one of those to keep nearby. (The desk has a few handy hooks on the side, as you can see from the photo.) We also keep a phone charger and Fitbit charger nearby.

Something else to consider is whether you want a rubber pad to go underneath your walking pad — great if you're in a rickety upstairs apartment! We didn't bother with this step, and it's fine.

How to Track Steps on a Walking Pad Desk

This is a key tip if you want to track steps: You cannot wear your Fitbit or Apple Watch on your wrist and have it track steps — it only does that if you're swinging your arms. I find it tracks my steps fine if it's in my pants pocket. Another option: tucking it into a sock, or using an ankle strap like this one from B-Great.

How We Like Our Walking Pad

I really like it — it's convenient, and an easy way to get more steps in. Am I using it as much as I'd hoped? Of course not, because I'm horrible at working out (plus, the old laptop is a bit slow, so that's annoying if I'm actually trying to work while walking). My older son likes it also (and my husband hasn't tried it yet). But for the prices we paid for everything I think it's a great way to get a few more steps in.

Readers, do you have a walking pad set up in your home office or work office? What are your thoughts on the products you've bought, best practices for using it, etc.?

The post How to Add a Walking Pad To Your Office for Under $500 appeared first on Corporette.com.

Hunting for the best office chairs for women — or more specifically, the best fancy chair to buy for your office? Readers have had a ton of conversations over the years about this and I'm on the hunt myself, so I thought I'd comb through the comments to put everyone's thoughts together. Is a Herman Miller Aeron worth the money? Is the brand Steelcase better for women? Let's discuss.

To be clear: This article is for people who have decided they might want to invest in a fancy chair like Herman Miller or Steelcase but aren't sure where to look first or what the differences are.

(I had, um, no idea… For example, the main one I'd heard of was the Herman Miller Aeron, but many readers have noted that they preferred other chairs much more for fit reasons.)

If you're looking for a more affordable, comfortable office chair, we've rounded them up in the past. The chair I've had for almost 10 years is the Ikea Markus ($289) and I must say it's been comfortable, cool, and quite adjustable. A number of readers also gave shoutouts to the classic balance ball chair, like this one from Amazon.

(I should also mention the super old-school classic, the kneeling chair, like this one. I have owned two of these over the years, and while I can see how they would be amazing for posture, I've never found them comfortable enough to sit in all day.)

Readers, have you gone on a hunt for the best office chair, either for your home office or to replace the one provided by your employer? (Do you have a “fancy” chair at the office, like an Aeron, and what do you think of it?) If you have a more affordable chair that you love, what is it?

The Best Office Chairs for Women

Table of Contents

• The Best Office Chair for Women Overall: Steelcase Leap – read our thoughts / see the product
• The Best Office Chair for Short Women: Herman Miller Sayl – read our thoughts / see the product
• The Best Office Chair If You're Very Narrow: Steelcase Gesture – read our thoughts / see the product
• The Best Office Chair for People Who Fidget: Knoll by Generation – read our thoughts / see the product
• The Best Office Chair for a Splurge: Steelcase Gesture – read our thoughts / see the product
• The Best Affordable Office Chair for Women: Herman Miller Sayl – read our thoughts / see the product
• The Best Office Chair Available in a Lot of Colors: Steelcase Leap (34+) – read our thoughts / see the product

The Best Office Chair for Women Overall

Steelcase Leap

starts at $1006 at Steelcase

also at Amazon

The number-one name that kept coming up in the comments was the Steelcase Leap (followed by the Steelcase Gesture). A number of readers noted that they had bought it for their home office after comparing it to other office chairs their company provided, including Steelcase Think and Herman Miller Aeron.

People who were both short and tall seemed to like it, and a number noted how adjustable the chair was.

Like the Steelcase Gesture, the adjustable armrests was something commenters frequently called out, with one noting that you can move the entire armrest to a narrow settings vs. the more common “angling in the front of the armrest.”

One woman noted that she ordered hers from Amazon in basic black.

The Leap comes in 30+ different colors, and you can add a headrest, as well as choose different adjustable arms (4-way vs height only). The minimum dimensions for the chair are a height of 38.5″ H x 27″ W x 21.75″ D, with maximum dimensions of 43.5″ H by 27″ W by 24.75″ D. The seat depth range is 15.75″-18.75,” and the seat width is 19.25″; it has a weight limit of 400 lbs. The width between arms ranges from 12.75″-20″.

(Comparatively, the Gesture does have a wider range for width between arms: 10.25″-22.5″.)

The Best Office Chair for Petite Women

Herman Miller Sayl

starts at $735 at Design Within Reach

A lot of readers noted that the Herman Miller Aeron comes in different sizes, and that compared to the Aeron Size A, many preferred the Sayl.

One commenter noted, “If you are on the shorter side and have the budget, try the Herman Miller Sayl chair. Traditional office chairs are always too large for me and not ergonomic, even the fancy ones. This one actually fits me (5'4″), has a low profile so you basically don't even see the chair when I'm sitting in a Zoom meeting, and the white looks great in my midcentury modern home office.”

Another 5'1″ woman noted that when she went to buy a nice chair, the salesperson didn't have one on the floor for her to try, but told her to “Just come into the back office, all the women use these.”

This is also one of the best chairs under $1000. It comes in 15+ different color options and has minimum dimensions of 34.75″Hx24.5″Wx19.75″D (with maximum height of 39.25″). The seat height range is 16″-20″, the seat width is 18″, and it has a weight capacity of 350 lbs.

(Comparatively, the Herman Miller Aeron Size A ($1275) has dimensions of 38.5″Hx25.75″Wx16″D, a seat height range of 14.75″-19″, and a weight capacity of 300 lbs.)

The Best Office Chair If You're Very Narrow or Small

Steelcase Gesture

starts at $1331 at Steelcase

also at Amazon

A number of Corporette readers who described themselves as “very narrow” said they loved the Steelcase Gesture, with many raving about the adjustable armrests. Sample comments:

“I thought I wanted HM for the style factor, but I am very narrow and couldn't get one to fit my body after trying several Aerons and other styles. Instead I ended up with a Steelcase Gesture which is adjustable in just about every way and now I have armrests that actually function instead of being too far away for me to use.”

Another reader compared the Steelcase Gesture to the Steelcase Leap, noting, “The Leap arms were still just a little off for me but the Gesture is amazing. The arms felt much more substantial and customizable than the ones on the Leap. . . . The sales guy told me very small people tend to buy the Gesture, FWIW.”

Many agreed that the price is expensive, but worth it. One commenter said it was “worth every penny and I would buy another without question.” Another said it was “such a splurge but I've never regretted it.” A third one said she thought it helped with her neck and shoulder pain.

There are a number of customizations you can make to the product — many colors (30+), fabrics, frame colors — as well as adding a headrest, lumbar support, or wheels for carpet (vs. hardwood). The minimum dimensions for the chair are 39.25″ H x 22.375″ W x 21″ D, with maximum dimensions of 44.25″ H x 34.625″ W x 23.625″ D. The seat depth range is 15.75″-18.5,” and the seat width is 19.25″; it has a weight limit of 400 lbs. The width between arms ranges from 10.25″-22.5″.

The Best Office Chair for People Who Fidget

Knoll by Generation

$1331 at Design Within Reach

This one is a bit off book, because the recommendation comes from my brother, who got a Herman Miller Aeron chair but returned it because it made his back hurt. After more research, he decided to go with Knoll by Generation (a Herman Miller company), as he was swayed by reports he heard that it was more flexible and designed for people who fidget and move around a lot.

Here's the product description from Design Within Reach:

Freedom and flexibility are the guiding principles behind the creation of Knoll’s newest ergonomic seating solution, the Generation Chair (2009). Recognizing that sitting upright and facing forward is just one of the many positions people take throughout the day, the design team behind the Generation Chair created a seat that moves with you, as you move. Providing both freedom of movement and continuous support, this ergonomic office chair is a groundbreaking example of elastic design – where a product rearranges itself in response to its user. The Generation Chair is manufactured by Knoll.

The general dimensions for the chair are 44.5″H x 28.5″ W x 26″ D; it is $1331 at Design Within Reach.

Along similar lines, one reader noted that she loved the Herman Miller Embody chair for the “bounce factor.”

The Best Office Chair for a Splurge

Steelcase Gesture

starts at $1331 at Steelcase

also at Amazon

Starting at $1331, this one isn't cheap, but it's one of the names that came up time and time again. As one reader noted, “It is obscenely expensive and worth every penny. I could not be happier with it.”

Other pricy options include the Steelcase Leap (starts at $1006), the Herman Miller Aeron (starts at $1270), and the Herman Miller Embody (starts at $2270).

The Best Affordable but Fancy Office Chair for Women

Herman Miller Sayl

starts at $735 at Design Within Reach

Of the chairs mentioned repeatedly, the Sayl was the most affordable, starting at $735.

A few people did call out the Steelcase Series 1 or 2 chairs. Series 1 starts at $450, and Series 2 starts at $588.

Of course, a number of readers have noted that if you're looking for an affordable fancy office chair for women, you should check out used office furniture warehouses near you since so many companies are downsizing. Craigslist was another option that many people mentioned.

The Best Office Chair With Multiple Color Options

Steelcase Gesture

starts at $1331 at Steelcase

also at Amazon

All of these options come in a ton of colors, many with swatches available so you can carefully gauge the color and quality. Steelcase tops the list at 34+ colors (to Herman Miller's 12ish).

There are four upholstery types available, including the soft Era, the “hard-working polyester blend” Cogent, the “velvety soft” Billiart Multi, and the Elmosoft leather. You can choose anything from a light blue “sea salt” or a very Tumblr pink (“rose quartz”). There are also richer colors like a deep red “lipstick/merlot” or the brighter-than-navy “blueprint.”

Other Chair Company Names Mentioned (or Not) By Readers

• Autonomous: One reader noted that she got the ErgoPro from Autonomous and “absolutely loved it.”
• Branch: One reader noted she had gotten the Branch Daily chair and really liked it.
• Haworth: There were no recent mentions from readers (only one in 2011).
• Humanscale: Readers mentioned the Freedom, Liberty, and Cinto chairs, but only a few times.
• Knoll: not too many mentions for the chairs, but rather the desks

Affordable Ergonomic Chairs for Women

As we noted above: If you're looking for a more affordable, comfortable office chair, we've rounded them up in the past. (As I mentioned, I really like my Ikea Markus ($289).) A number of readers also gave shoutouts to the classic balance ball chair, like this one from Amazon.

Other Resources: Where to Research the Best Office Chairs for Women

The subreddit r/OfficeChairs has a ton of great information, but from what I could find there isn't a lot that was specific to women.

The post The Best Office Chairs for Women appeared first on Corporette.com.

We've recently started a series on how to bring specific design inspirations to your office decor… First we looked at ways to have preppy-inspired decor. Today, let's take a look at how to add Art Deco style to your office!

Readers, do you enjoy Art Deco style? Do you have any elements of it in your home or office?

{related: how to make your office more comfortable}

What Is Art Deco Style?

First, I thought it might be helpful to have a general inspiration board — all images come from Wikipedia.

I absolutely adore Art Deco style, so this was a lot of fun. I realized that some things I thought were Art Deco, like Tiffany lamps and curved chaises, are actually Art Nouveau. (In fact, Art Deco was a response to Art Nouveau — compare the Paris Métro entrances, with swooping curves, to the geometric lines and sharp angles of, say, the Chrysler Building.)

I've seen some places on the web that characterize Frank Lloyd Wright as Art Deco, but according to the better sources it looks like his early work grew out of the Arts and Crafts movement (before it became the Prairie School). This article on the Saatchi website compares and contrasts Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Arts & Crafts.

This post from TheArtStory gives a great history of the style; you can also check out these other Art Deco guides from Architectural Digest, The Spruce, and Apartment Therapy. In general I think of Art Deco as having straight lines, geometric shapes, and a fairly dark color scheme with lots of gilded details and saturated jewel tones.

(I'm obviously not an expert here, but if you are an expert I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!)

Next, here's our general vision board:

I should note that I'm not suggesting you put all of these pieces in one office — but these are all inspirational-type pieces that you might choose a few of to place in your cubicle, private office, or home office.

{related: the logistics of decorating your office}

How to Add Art Deco Style To Your Cubicle or Other Shared Office Space

You may feel like you're limited here because so many Art Deco pieces are BIG — pieces of furniture! crazy wallpaper patterns! But there are a bunch of small things you can do to bring an Art Deco style to your cubicle.

Some easy things: file folders and file holders. Pencil cups. Bookends. There are a ton of affordable Art Deco artworks you can find at Etsy and Society 6 if you have some wall space. If you wanted to go really big, you could cover any bulletin boards with an Art Deco wallpaper or poster, and then use them as you regularly would.

Another fun idea: If you're the type of person who prints labels for folders, binders, and other items, you could always download some Art Deco fonts. This pack from Etsy is only $7. Prefer free? Google fonts Limelight and Poiret One both have some Art Deco elements.

A few of the pieces I saw that would add Art Deco style to a cubicle:

{related: how to decorate your workspace}

How to Add Art Deco Style to Your Private Office

If Your Office Already Has Dark Wood Furniture

If you have a basic corporate office with dark wood furniture, you're already on your way — I tend to think of Art Deco as having a very heavy, dark style a lot of the time. In that instance I'd work to bring in gold pieces to brighten the space up, such as with a sunburst mirror or other wall decor.

On your side of the desk I'd go with an Art Deco inspired lamp, pencil cup, file folders, file holders, maybe even labels in a specialty font as noted above. On the visitor's side I'd add some throw pillows or a throw blanket with geometric patterns, bookends or picture frames, and maybe even an acrylic tray. (If you're someone who keeps alcohol in your office, there are a ton of beautiful Art Deco decanters out there.)

If you really want to get fancy, you could bring in a special desk chair or visitor's chair, or even go for an Art Deco couch or chaise. If you're the kind of person whose office furniture needs to allow you to occasionally take a nap on it, I'd go for an LC4-inspired chaise instead of a couch — they just look more comfortable.

Another thought: you could add curtains or window film in an Art Deco-inspired pattern — the window film is pictured in the inspiration photo, but there are a ton of choices.

Some pieces that would work if you have a dark office:

{related: office decor: how nice is too nice?}

If Your Office Is Corporate White or Gray

If your office isn't already in dark colors and you're working with corporate white or gray, I'd stick to some of the advice above for the cubicle. You might also want to bring in some Hollywood Regency inspiration along with your Art Deco — think silver instead of gold, fuchsia/sapphire instead of emerald/rust, and so forth. (These are just a few ideas…)

{related: decorating office walls: 3 ways to jazz it up}

How to Add Art Deco Style to Your Home Office

As always, you can have a lot more fun with your home office. Wallpaper! Geometric wainscoting! Furniture! Architectural features like columns! You can do it!

If you're making big office furniture purchases, you can absolutely go for one of the amazing Art Deco desks out there. (The pictured one is from Anthropologie and is $1698.)

Another idea: You could modify or upcycle some older furniture to add inlay (such as this one from Etsy) or painted features (this article from Upcycle has some great Art Deco-inspired DIY ideas), or just go for dark colored furniture in general. (Estate sales are a great place to find a dark desk… unless you want a keyboard tray.)

You can also add a chaise or chair, or go for a barrel chair or the more bench-like chaise. (The one we're picturing has STORAGE, too!!) Another easy hack: adding a throw blanket or some pillows that have Art Deco elements.

You can have a lot of fun with lighting elements, also, from sconces to flush mounts and more.

Some general ideas for an Art Deco-inspired home office:

{related: livening up your office walls}

Further reading on Art Deco-Inspired Office Style

• How to Add Art Deco Style to Any Room {Apartment Therapy}
• Art Deco Interior Design: Everything You Need to Know About This Opulent Style [Architectural Digest]
• An Art Deco Interior Design Guide [The Spruce]
• 9 Art Deco Office Décor Ideas to Revamp Your Office [Autonomous]
• A Look at the Art Deco Office [Le Deco Style]
• How To Blend The Art Deco Movement In Your Office’s Interior [LDB Design]

The post How to Add Art Deco Style to Your Office appeared first on Corporette.com.

I thought I'd try a new series: how to design an office, in different decorating styles. First up: how to design a preppy-inspired office.

Do you have (or want) a preppy-inspired office? If you have a very preppy style yourself, how do you think that personality shows in your office? Whether you're hybrid, remote, or in-office full time, how have you designed your space?

I had a lot of fun putting together this inspiration board, which admittedly leans heavily on some Lilly Pulitzer stuff.

All of the products are linked below the image!

How to Get a Preppy-Inspired Office If You Work In a Cubicle or Shared Space

I think the trick is going to be picking a few pieces that make you happy but don't overwhelm the space. For me this would mean maybe getting one of the custom, Lilly-inspired mouse mats, some blingy gold office supplies, and maybe some fun pushpins for your office bulletin board.

How to Get a Preppy Inspired Office If You Work in a Law Firm Or Other Conservative Space

Your biggest hurdle here is going to be overcoming the “executive brown” furniture that you likely have in your office. I would start by making the space as light and airy as possible as possible, with as much white or beige as you can bring in — a white desk mat, an ivory or beige throw blanket on your visitor's chair(s), maybe even a white (ergonomic) chair for yourself if you can swing it. I might also try to stick to white-only binders where possible, all labeled with a consistent label, sticker, or font.

After you achieve a nice white or beige base, THEN you can add accents like a pillow with fun colors, a joyful picture frame or two, a beautiful flower vase (with real flowers, of COURSE).

On your side of the desk, you can get into more twee, fun things like colorful pushpins and more.

How to Get a Preppy-Inspired Home Office

The sky is the limit here, of course! I've seen a lot of offices painted with bold wall colors like hot pink, lime, bright yellow, or some combination thereof. You could also check out Spoonflower — there's such a wide selection of wallpapers there that there are definitely some preppy-ish designs. (For example!) (I believe Lilly Pulitzer previously made wallpapers, also, if you feel like doing a hunt.)

That said, now is the time you may want to check out Core Prepsters like Tory Burch, Martha Stewart, and Reese Witherspoon — I feel like a lot of their offices are still mostly neutral, light colors like white or beige, with fun, bright pops of color as accents. Bonus points, of course, if you can mix and match different prints (toile! stripes! floral!) on chairs, walls, and other designs.

(If you want some examples of interior designs with really sophisticated mixing and matching of different prints, Summer Thornton's Instagram is full of them — such as this, this, or this. Reese Witherspoon's designer, Mark Sikes, is also an expert at mixing and matching patterns — check out this, this, or this.)

Readers, what are your thoughts? Do you have (or want) a preppy-inspired office? If you personally have a very preppy style, how do you think that personality shows in your office?

Further reading:

• Martha Stewart On Organizing Your Home Office [YouTube/CBS Sunday Morning]
• Step Inside Tory Burch’s Refined Manhattan Office [Architectural Digest]
• Inside Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine Offices [Domino]
• Go Inside Martha's Home Office Renovation [MarthaStewart.com]

The post How to Design a Preppy-Inspired Office appeared first on Corporette.com.