5 Ways to Create a Productive and Stylish Workspace

We all know that our surroundings can have such an affect on our moods, especially when it comes to our workspaces. If we have a cluttered mess of a desk, our minds will be cluttered, too. This will leave us restless and frustrated with a low level of productivity. If everything is unorganized, the level of efficiency goes down, too. Also, did you know that the color of your surrounding can affect your mood as well? It has the power to influence creativity, focus and productivity, too. This is why creating a workspace that is pretty AND productive is so important!

Whether you work from home of in an office, here are my tips for creating JUST THAT.

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SHOP THIS PHOTO: Wallpaper – Shumacher Kasari Ikat Silver / Desk – Parsons Desk / Pencil Cup / Acrylic Paper Tray – no longer available (similar) / Vase

Color:

You need to choose colors wisely. I remember learning all about psychology of color in design school and the one thing I remember from that class is that gray promoted drive and creativity. Blue & Green also promote creativity. Blue also helps calm and aids in concentration. Green can create balance and reassurance. Yellow can be energizing and lift confidence. Not everyone can paint their surroundings and sitting in an all-blue room all day may drive your crazy. I suggest creating an accent wall or bringing in color with other elements like a tray or vase.

SHOP THESE COLORS: 1. Behr – Charismatic / 2. Glidden – Pebble Gray / 3. Magnolia Home – Cupola / 4. Sherwin Williams – North Star / 5. Benjamin Moore – Silver Mist / 6. Benjamin Moore – Full Moon / 7. Benjamin Moore – Blue Echo / 8. Benjamin Moore – Blue Note / 9. Magnolia Home – Rainy Days

Organization:

It is so important to stay organized in a working environment. Clutter creates stress. Stress creates low productivity and low efficiency. My number 1 rule (not only in office design, but in ALL of life) is EVERYTHING NEEDS A HOME. If you don’t have a space to keep something or a specific place for something to land, you will have piles of clutter and never know where to find anything. You will end up buying things you already own, just simply because you can’t find the original in all the mess. You will be much more efficient when you know exactly where to look for something, instead of searching for things for 30 minutes because, “its in this pile somewhere!” I have a passion for organization. You can see my Home organization posts here and here, but see below for some of my favorite storage options for specifically offices.

SHOP THIS PHOTO: 1. Natural Rattan Cane 3 Tier Farrah Storage Tower / 2. Mid-Century Lateral File / 3. Wall Mount Hanging File Folder / 4. Modern Weave Storage Bin / 5. Silver 6-Drawer Storage Tower / 6. Desktop Storage Drawer / 7. Poppin White 2-Drawer Stow Locking File Cabinet / 8. Poppin Slate Blue Wall Pocket / 9. Design Ideas Magnets / 10. Blush Poppin 2×2 Storage Cube / 11. Glitter 4-Tier Trolley / 12. Our 2020 Best Box / 13. 6 CT Design Hanging File Folders / 14. Penn Brass Clad Narrow 3-Drawer File Cabinet / 15. mDesign Plastic Storage Desk Organizer Bins

See below for MORE organization for desktop cleanliness. These product will help you keep your desktop clean and bring a little joy with how cute they are!

SHOP THIS PHOTO: 1. Kinsey Wire Paper Tray / 2. Pretti.Cool Terrazzo Catch All / 3. Idadora Pencil Cup / 4. Rainbow Corkboard / 5. Acrylic Desk Tray / 6. Aviator Desktop Clock / 7. Mail Holder / 8. 4ct Wood Magnets / 9. Letter Rack / 10. White Marble Bookends / 11. Network Antique Brass Tray / 12. Russel + Hazel Gold and Acrylic Stapler / 13. Black Scissors / 14. Wit & Delight Blush and Bordeaux Concrete Pencil Cup & Bookend / 15. Lund London Neon ME Pen Pot / 16. Louise Enameled Tray / 17. Kaleido Tray / 18. Gold Tape Dispenser / 19. Gold 4 Cup Kiara Desk Organizer with Tray / 20. Dark Grey Poppin File Sorter / 21. Metal Wire Basket / 22. Acrylic Clear Rectangular Tray / 23. Anything Stapler / 24. Small Wooden File Organizer / 25. Rae Dunn To Do Magnet Set / 26. Metal Phonograph / 27. Paper Tray / 28. Sutton Desk Pencil Cup / 29. Russel & Hazel Marble Memo Adhesive Notes / 30. Lacquer Kinsley Pencil Tray / 31. Blush Globe in Marble Stand / 32. Codify Pencil Holder

Proper Lighting:

You can’t beat natural light. It just makes things happier and brighter. But, not all of us have that option. Be sure to incorporate accent lighting through a great task lamp or mini table lamp. See below for my picks for some great lighting options.

SHOP THIS PHOTO: 1. Zana Table Lamp / 2. Pinsoon LED Desk Lamp / 3. Hudson Table Lamp / 4. Fatboy Transloetje Table Lamp / 5. Daisy Task Lamp / 6. Jamison Desk Lamp / 7. Linear Wood LED & USB Table Lamp / 8. Valencia Task Lamp / 9. Morgan Task Lamp / 10. Textured Ceramic Mini Accent Lamp / 11. Pepin Table Lamp / 12. Donna Table Lamp / 13. Trident Metal Task Lamp / 14. Sidnie Lamp

Live Elements:

I am ALL for anything that brings life to your space! Bring the outside in by adding a little bit of greenery to your desk space. Succulents are a great way to do this, as they are low maintenance and always pretty. Buy a bud vase and snip off a few flowers from your garden or head to a grocery store and pick up some inexpensive hydrangeas to add a little “pretty” to your desk. Aloe is another great option as it is literally supposed to aid in cleansing the air.

Now, my office doesn’t allow live plants in the building which I am sure is the case for many of you. No worries, there are so many great “faux’ plants out there these days that will at least give the feeling of a live element.

SHOP THIS PHOTO: 1. Faux Potted Succulent Arrangement / 2. Rose Gold Desk Plant / 3. Echeverira Lola Plant / 4. Potted Faux Aloe Plant / 5. 2″ Live Assorted Succulents / 6. Faux Red Tipped Agave Succulent / 7. Air Plant Trio / 8. Viola Metal Planter / 9. Dia Natural Basket Planter / 10. Potted Faux Eucalyptus Plant / 11. Haworthia Zebra Plant / 12. Faux Potted Snake Plant / 13. Faux Potted Optuntia Cactus

Furniture:

Make sure you have the right combination of desk and chair. This is the pretty part. When things are pretty, we get inspired. See below for some of my favorite combinations!

SHOP THIS PHOTO: COMBO 1:Tate Walnut Desk with Power Outlet & Amaris Desk Chair / COMBO 2: Better Homes & Gardens 2 Drawer Ludlow Desk & Venice Studio Task/Office Chair / COMBO 3: Marisa Burl Wood Desk & Grant Low-Back Office Chair / COMBO 4: Marte Vanity & Whitney Faux Sheepskin Chrome Leg Swivel Office Chair / COMBO 5: Peekaboo Acrylic Desk & Modern Slope Upholstered Swivel Office Chair / COMBO 6: Audrey Desk & Jennifer Taylor Home Ivy Mid Century Modern Accent Desk Chair / COMBO 7: Finley Home Alexandria Writing Desk & Everett Upholstered Swivel Desk Chair / COMBO 8: American Trails Art Deco Writing Desk & Channel Green Velvet Office Chair