How To Create A Beautiful (& Functional) Home Work Space

If you've been on Instagram in the last year or so, chances are you've likely had a glimpse of The Wing, the women-only co-working and community-building club in New York City. It's hard to miss (and not fall for!) the soft pastel hues that have become the community's signature.

With locations sprouting up all around the world, the design team generally keeps the pink-forward color aesthetic consistent, while taking creative license with the inherent features of individual locations. You can see this in action with the recent opening of a Wing space in Brooklyn's Dumbo neighborhood.

"Dumbo was exciting because it's two stories and we had the opportunity to do the sunken living room," explains Chiara de Rege, one of The Wing's talented interior designers. "And it’s even better to see it being used by members all the time. I love seeing everyone perched there with their computers!"

We might not all have access to a chic sunken living room outfitted in emerald velvet, but there are certainly ways to bring some of the details that have gone into making The Wing as beautiful and work-conducive as it is, right into your own homes. We tapped de Rege for specifics—she knows a thing or two about creating an inspiring and functional work environment.

"If you plan to work from home, then your desk should be in a thoughtful place. I notice people tend to hide their desk areas. But why would anyone want to work from a desk tucked away in a closet someplace?" (Hear, hear!)

-Place your desk someplace you actually want to sit and enjoy. Let it be a pretty part of a room.

-Make sure your chair can adjust so that your legs are comfortably at a 90-degree bend for ergonomics.

-If you need access to paper files, companies like Muuto make beautiful cabinets that can tuck under a desk or roll into a closet.

-Designate some closet space to store office supplies and other things that might not be so pretty on your immediate work space.

-Keep inspiration close: Save space on the wall for hanging art and mood boards. Bring in some fresh flowers if you can!

-If you're lucky enough to have a whole room for your home office, take a moment to really make it inviting. Have more than just a desk. Bring in a sofa or loveseat to sit and take a break on. Have bookshelves filled with books you might want to reference or research. It's nice to step away from the computer as one’s only source of information.

Not the desk type? Not a problem! "If that's the case," de Rege says, "just find your 'perch.' Maybe it's a sofa in the living room, and you can pull up a C-Table for your laptop so that you can sit well and work from the comfort of your sofa."

And if you're a rover on top of that? "There are some people who like to move throughout the day. Maybe they start their day at their kitchen island, then to a desk, and then to the sofa. I think if you are consistently aware of how you are sitting and create a calm environment, your home office can be incredibly conducive to work and does not have to be specific to one place."

Words by Hana Asbrink at Food52

[Photos courtesy The Wing]