Teddy Durgin
Many INTIX members have been working remotely since mid-March in the coronavirus era. To be sure, some offices are opening back up. Some jobs are returning if not to normal, then to a state of “semi-normal” or the “pandemic normal.” But for a lot of you reading this, it’s still the home office that is your place of business.
And maybe that space has grown a bit stale. The same four walls. The same old lights. The same stale décor. Why not add a little fun to your workspace? A bit of whimsy. A dash of pop culture and escapism. Below are 10 (mostly) affordable items I’ve either found or have incorporated into my own home office that are designed to “lighten the load” and relieve the monotony … just a little bit.
Let’s start with:
1. Fun light switch plate covers – I love taking a boring, old light switch plate cover and making it whimsical. My work-from-home neighbor has one that looks like an old cassette tape in his downstairs office, and I have another that looks like a classic video game controller — both from our misspent Generation X youth.
2. BLIK self-adhesive wall graphics – When you spend a lot of time in a home office, you start to crave a bit of variety after a while. Some of the best changes are impermanent ones. Ladies and gentlepersons, I give you BLIK self-adhesive, removable wall graphics. Over the years, the line has expanded through various licensing accords with some of the world’s coolest artists and brands. Now available are collections that are artful, clever and just plain cool. Personal favorites include graphics from the old Atari 2600 “Asteroids” game from the ’80s and the Wall of Amps pattern.
3. A cool hot coffee mug – It’s the little things! There are tons of mugs out there to make your morning cup o’ Joe just a little more fun. My personal favorite, though, is this “Star Wars” mug that “ignites” its lightsabers when heated by coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc.
4. A fun planter – Are you a fan of “The Office?” Are you also a fan of greenery in your home workspace? Then, invest in this super-fun Dunder Mifflin Inc. paper box planter. You don’t even have to be responsible for the plant! The succulent is fake.
5. Posters – Rather than recommend to you my favorite movie one-sheet (that would be 1995’s “The Usual Suspects”) or my favorite concert poster (Live Aid, July 1985), why not just point you to a website that has “all posters?!” Yes, AllPosters.com has movie posters, travel posters, motivational posters, and a lot more for however you are looking to theme your home office and give you inspiration and a sense of work-play throughout the day.
6. DO go chasing waterfalls – I’ve been meaning to get one of these for my home office. A colleague of mine who also works from a home office swears by his HoMedics Silver Springs Relaxation Fountain. This three-tiered waterfall sits on his office desk, and he insists it lends the room a calming, Zen-like feel whenever he really needs it (yes, it has an on/off switch). The tiers create several streams of water to create a gentle, soothing sound.
7. Heated microwaveable booties – Yeah, it’s pretty clear many of us will still be working from a home office well into the fall and winter. So, why not indulge yourself? These plush, super-soft foot booties heat in the microwave in minutes (or chill in the freezer for cold therapy). And those who own them assure they relieve stress, ease tension, and help with stiffness and muscle pain.
8. Floor lamps – Every home office should be properly illuminated, right? Well, then, why go for any boring old light? The NFL season is coming up (er, hopefully), and I love these terrific floor lamps from The Bradford Exchange. All the pro teams except one — the currently in limbo “Washington Football Team” — are currently available.
9. Home office bathroom décor – If you have a home office, you may also be lucky enough to have a home office bathroom. Keep the whimsy going there with these funny home bathroom signs (once on the page, click on the side images for all of the selections).
10. If you have the bucks – Times being what they are, I’ve tried to keep the above nine suggestions on this list fairly affordable. But I just had to throw in one big-ticket item. Seriously, if I had the disposable income, I would buy this, uh, today! It’s a full-size Pac-Man arcade game (it also plays more than 30 other classic arcade favorites like Galaga, Galaxian and DigDug) that also has … drum roll … a built-in beverage cooler! I mean, it’s only $3,200.
Note: I am hoping to do a follow-up column in a few weeks on the whimsical touches INTIX members have added to their home offices. If you'd like to be included, please email me at tdurgin@smithbucklin.com.
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