The following field filters products as you type; matching results appear below.

The following field filters products as you type; matching results appear below.

The perfect workspace – five interior design ideas

Gubi’s Bestlite table lamp is a design classic, created by Robert Dudley Best in 1930, which also Winston Churchill had at his desk.

Work and school assignments are a piece of cake in a pleasant working environment. See our five tips on how to create a well-functioning workspace for schoolchildren, students or remote workers.

1. Invest in lighting

Lighting is the number-one accessory for a desk, regardless of interior design trends. With a flexible table lamp, you can direct the light as you wish, while avoiding glare. A wall lamp is handy when you want to leave more space on the desk. Curved, flexible and round shapes are in vogue in both furniture and lamps.

The String System folding table neatly connects to the collection's floor panels.

2. Combine storage with a workspace

A desk-and-shelf combination is just the solution for a narrow or long space, if you need room for storage but a separate desk would be too bulky. Small surfaces are fine when working with laptops. Modular shelves can be expanded and adjusted to meet changing needs or uses of space.

Muuto's Stacked shelf modules are easy to assemble into a system suitable for your own needs. The Loft chair was designed by Thomas Bentzen.

3. Create a fully fitted out home office

A spacious home office has room for a large desk with chairs, and a range of storage furniture. Two or more people can work alongside each other at a long desk. A modular shelf can always be extended, or given a new look by re-positioning its doors. Pegboard, which is available from hardware stores, makes an excellent noticeboard.

Hay CPH90 desk and Matin table lamp

The CPH90 desk is part of Hay's minimalist furniture collection designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for the University of Copenhagen's new buildings. The table lamp is Matin by Inga Sempé.

4. Choose a narrow desk for laptops

For small spaces, the answer is a desk whose width is optimized for laptops. If you prefer to avoid technical office lighting, try a classic table lamp with downward-directed light. To see what's going on behind you, install a small mirror behind the desk.

Skagerak Dania letter tray

The handy Dania letter tray by Skagerak has three removable oak tiers.

5. Add office supplies as the finishing touch

Classic and stylish office supplies, tape dispensers, staplers, wooden rulers and letter trays are never out of date. You never know when you might need them, and they are a cozy counterbalance to the digital age. Invoices and important papers can be stored safely in letter trays.

See also:

• All desks >
• All office chairs >
• All desk lamps >

Text: Anna Aromaa Photos: Manufacturers

Published on 16 Aug, 2019

Related stories

Most popular

  • At home with Dima & Guy: A Berlin apartment built on contrast

    Dima and Guy are the creative duo behind The Berlin Chapters, the Instagram account documenting their hands-on renovation of a Kreuzberg apartment. Their home is built on contrast, and Vaarnii’s pine furniture fit right into that mix.

    Read story
  • Vitra Home Stories: Sebastian Soukup mixes eras in his Berlin home

    Production designer and film architect Sebastian Soukup builds entire worlds for the screen. At home in his 19th-century apartment in Berlin, he takes a similar approach, layering light, color and pieces from different eras. With Vitra classics in a starring role, the result is an interior rich in character and individuality.

    Read story
  • The Nordic House: Alvar Aalto’s quiet masterpiece in Reykjavik

    Tucked on a wetland at the edge of Reykjavik stands one of Alvar Aalto’s most overlooked works – and one of his most politically charged. Commissioned to anchor Iceland firmly within the Nordic fold during the Cold War, the Nordic House is a masterclass in quiet diplomacy through architecture.

    Read story

Seasonal

  • A home filled with nature, memories, and warm Holiday traditions

    For interior enthusiast Gro Anita Nilsen, the Holidays are all about atmosphere. Her family’s 1956 villa in Norway comes alive with forest-fresh greenery, treasured keepsakes, and playful traditions.

    Read story
  • Inside Achille Castiglioni’s studio, where design still feels like play

    We visited Achille Castiglioni’s studio in Milan, where prototypes, sketches, and everyday objects still sit exactly where he left them. His daughter, Giovanna Castiglioni, told us what it’s like to keep that space, and his legacy, alive.

    Read story
  • COMPANY’s design explorers Aamu Song and Johan Olin

    Aamu Song and Johan Olin of design studio COMPANY get to know and work with local artisans on their travels. The result is distinctive and warmly humorous products with influences from different parts of the world. Design Stories met the couple in their light-filled atelier in the artists' residence Lallukka in Helsinki.

    Read story

Design Stories is the online magazine of Finnish Design Shop, created to inspire and delight design lovers everywhere. We hope you enjoy exploring with us! Have a story tip or thoughts on our content? We’d love to hear from you.