Returning from the summer to a home office space? Read on for tips from Nordic style expert Susanna of @shnordic and interiors writer from Simply Scandi magazine, Jennifer Morgan, on how to restyle your work from home zone, Scandi style, to shake the ‘back-to-school’ blues.
As we head into autumn, we might feel our workspace needs a refresh to restore a little home harmony after the distraction of summer. Home is our sanctuary, and creating calming and inspiring spaces is most important over the darker months. With insight into SHNordic’s home office, Jennifer Morgan talks us through how to design a considered, harmonious home office that will lift your workflow and your mood post-summer.
Find the best place for your home office
Susanna of @shnordic has created a wonderful working-from-home space, repurposing a former dumping ground - but what happens if there’s no spare room to utilise? With demands on our homes ever-evolving, they need to be much more versatile, and you’re likely to need to repurpose, reclaim or reinvent a space for your home office – so how do you do it?
“Start with natural light – the Scandinavians appreciate this so much, thanks to their long, dark winters. Position your desk with a view out – that relationship with nature is so key to well-being. Crack open a window to encourage fresh air and great ideas will flow.” - JENNIFER
Add a capsule office in the bedroom
Perhaps you’ve set up your office in the spare bedroom. Think about multifunctional pieces – the dressing table that’s roomy enough to double as a desk, the sofa bed that makes a great spot for fika, and the task lighting that can move from desk to bedside table. If you need to make more space, then consider swapping a wardrobe for a rail, making the room feel lighter and less cluttered.
“ fika ” : the Swedish act of stepping away from your desk to pause for coffee and a chat.
Zone your home office
Or have you turned a corner of your open-plan family room into your workspace? Try creating a WFH zone with a screen, a cosy rug underfoot and a compact desk. Add pinboards to the walls for inspiration, a shelving unit that can create a divide while providing storage and add a wall shelf for files.
“With the basics sorted, now’s the time to bring in those elements of Scandi style that will boost your creativity and lift your mood.”
Choose Scandi style for your home office
Scandi style is perfect for those craving a little order and simplicity. Think of its muted colours, natural materials, plenty of light, uncluttered surfaces, lagom approach (not too little, not too much, just right), greenery and pockets of warmth (or hygge), and you can already see why it should work for our desk areas too. It’s where function and good looks find balance.
“I find I’m more productive and get distracted less easily when surrounded by a clutter-free, neutral space with greenery.”
What colours are best for a Scandi home office?
Choose a muted palette for an easy-to-work-with Scandi base. Choose from delicate blush to warm whites and soft greys. Not all Scandi schemes are crisp white – often they are warmer, using soft pastels that allow natural materials like wood, rattan and wicker to blend rather than stand out.
Choose Scandi home office furniture
A happy Scandi workspace inspires - a place where you want to be. Perhaps this is sitting at a beautiful wooden desk in the corner of your living room or a bay window. The desk should give you pleasure as something well-considered; that works with the space and that you’ll love for a long time - this makes it easier to switch off when your working day ends. Likewise, the desk chair can be supportive without coming straight out of a corporate world; introduce a touch of luxe – a velvet chair in a soft blush is a win-win because it can move around the home to where an extra seat is needed.
Style a Scandi-style home office
Softness is crucial in a Scandi scheme, and an easy win is a sheepskin rug underfoot or draped on the bed (if your office is in a bedroom) or draped on a chair. Try a Berber design for a touch of pattern. Add natural materials to capture the essence of Scandi with cane, rattan and wicker. Baskets are a Scandi-style-lover’s best friend – utilise these to store charging cables, essential yet dull hole punches and staplers, or use them as planters. Bring in a few cushions for a welcoming second seating area so you can break from your screen to take a call.
“I’m obsessed with dried flowers at the moment, they are a great way to add texture and interest in a neutral room, I like having a few different varieties and displaying them in separate vases for a bigger impact.”
A Scandi office needs a big nod to nature. Add plenty of greenery – whether real or faux, bringing life to a dull corner. Trail plants from wall shelves, adding to that sense of being ‘in’ nature. Create mini pockets of ‘joy’ with dried grasses styled in simple vases – they’ll add texture and that all-important connection to the outdoors.
Bring hygge into your home office
We all know Scandinavians love candles and having a scented one reserved for your office will help you feel ready to start work. Make it a ritual and light first thing as you check emails and plan for the day ahead. Choose something fresh and uplifting, with fruity notes rather than a heavy scent, saving muskier ones for once work is done.
Bring in a few personal touches to your desk space – from a cosy cardigan to pop on if you feel cold to your own special mug, a few flowers arranged in a votive to snaps of the kids. This home office space needs to reflect you too. A hygge-inspired space has to be one of the benefits of home working… so why not embrace it?
If you’re feeling inspired by Shnordic’s style discover more here.
Photography by @shnordic
Words: Jennifer Morgan, @simplyscandimag