Tag Archives: Work From Home Designs

This slim wall cabinet opens into a sleek, modern, functional workspace!

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Nils Holger Moorman presents ‘der vorstand’, a slender wall cabinet that transforms into a multifunctional think tank, creating the sense of space whenever users need it. The structure features a back wall on wheels that rolls out with a single pull to reveal a work desk with integrated bookshelves and a top light at the center. The project seeks to provide maximum atmosphere and minimum surface area at the same time.

Unlike any other sleek wall cabinet, ‘der vorstand’ by Moorman can easily unfold into a small, yet convenient workspace. The fold-out ceiling creates a sense of space, affords light, and connects the essentials: the back wall mounted on wheels with its magnetic exterior and the desk at the center. In keeping with the trusted Moorman ordering principle, everything has its designated place: from pens to the books and the binders, while the electronic devices can be charged with hidden cables. In addition, a curtain can be added to the side and the illumination of the ceiling and workspace can be adjusted to the users’ personal preferences.

‘der vorstand’ was initially designed as a submission to a design competition, and since then this winner model has ventured out on its own as an independent room-in-room solution. The first prototype was developed and built by Moorman’s in-house designers following the ideals of lead designer Nils Holger Moorman. Surfaces and materials are reduced to the basics: solid ash wood and light beige linoleum where hands and eyes rest or work in concentration; black surfaces and quiet restraint where nothing should distract the users. Precise details for storing, cabling, and locking the fold-out mechanism convey integrity and guarantee self-assured performance on the executive level.

‘we are in search of furniture creations based on a special idea. Sometimes absurd, sometimes brilliant, sometimes a detail, sometimes a revolution. Typically a minimalist formal language with a high level of experience – but always with a subtle twinkle in the eye’ shares the Moorman team. When the professional slips into the private sphere, then the convertible ‘der vorstand’ piece comes in to maintain order at home. It helps generate a private space according to occupants’ needs and wishes, or otherwise, it closes discreetly and retreats elegantly into the background.

Designer: Nils Holger Moorman

This desk was designed to maximize productivity while minimizing your screen time!

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Working from home has made us all realize the importance of having a desk and one that actually makes being productive easy! Balance is a desk that was designed for helping you ‘balance’ your everyday life with work. Balance means to keep or bring equilibrium and this design does exactly that by encouraging time away from your screens and creating a more physical connection with your surroundings.

The team wanted to inspire young people to work hard and play hard – a desk that encouraged finding a balance between digital and analog environments. “The idea behind Balance product is to use digital interfaces as inspiration to create a new hybrid experience for the user. The form and modular qualities of the design evoke the digital touchscreen interfaces we use every day but with a tridimensional layer that creates a tactile and tangible experience. This new approach brings builds a bridge between the connectivity and structure of the digital environment and the visual and physical experience of products,” explains the designer duo.

Balance is a multi-functional desk that an creates organized, personalized, and productive work experience. It features a canvas and six types of modules (Surface, White Board, Cork, Kanban, Time, and Shelf) that are magnetically attatched to the canvas. You can pick and choose the modules that work best for your needs, work style, and aesthetics preference while also combining them to be integrated with productivity techniques like Kanban and Pomodoro. Assemble the canvas to the arm by adjusting four screws through the standard VESA monitor connection. A C-shaped clamp connects the arm to the desk. Each module has strong neodymium magnets that connect them to the canvas. Furthermore, the whiteboard comes with an adjustable stand so you can use it on the desk surface for a more natural and ergonomic position to draw/write. Even the light angle can be adjusted by simply moving the module up and down.

Th desk’s canvas is made from high-impact polystyrene and powder-coated steel for a rigid, magnetic, and durable surface to hold the modules. The modules are made from injection-molded HDPE giving them adequate rigidity for the structure, softness to the touch, and satin finish. Balance also lets you customize the finishes/accents with a choice of walnut, oak, and cork. Some finishes use special magnetic paint for a marker-friendly writing surface.

There was a lot of research that went into Balance’s design – the personality, work environments, and workflows of various people in their respective jobs as well as a variety of productivity and work management techniques were studied. The team also analyzed different physical and digital interfaces to understand what products were more effective, easy to use, and popular among people. This final outcome resulted in a product that is flexible, organized, modular, easy to use, and personalized!

Balance Desk and Work Manager by Hernan Gregorio and Julia Stabio is Winner in Office Furniture Design Category, 2020 – 2021.

Designers: Hernan Gregorio and Julia Stabio

The Top 10 stationery designs that promise to be the best investments for your work from home desk!

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Work from home is now the new norm! Although it can get boring at times. I mean your home is now your office, your office is now your home. You basically eat, sleep, work, and repeat the same old activities in the same old place. I’m always looking for little ways to brighten up my mundane workday! And I’ve come to find that a few innovative stationery designs can add that extra sparkle to your everyday work routine. I don’t know about you, but I always feel a rush of excitement before I use a new stationery product! Not only do these crafty designs excite you, but they can truly amp up your work from home productivity. Even the littlest of tasks are completed with more efficiency. So, we’ve curated some nifty stationery designs that we believe will truly be a valuable addition to your work from home desk. Be sure to invest in them!

CARBU is a compass and a protractor – so if you are a student or a designer, you know exactly how convenient it is to have tools that serve more than one purpose. The user can make multiple circles without measuring the distance of the opening of the legs with a ruler. The slim legs of the compass on the inside are clogged with discs that are integrated with low-power magnets for smooth movements. The compass has a 2 disc system for accuracy – the inner one disc shows the measurement in a 0.2cm interval and this is amplified with a second disc that magnifies it for ease of viewing. The inner transparent case has two options – you can measure with degrees (for angles and arcs) and also without degrees for simpler things. The second transparent case that has a magnifying glass shows the distance between the two legs of the compass precisely. The discs also tell you if you are in compass mode or protractor mode.

Designer Jeong Woo Kim created Ouverture – a conceptual keyboard accessory that is a number pad + a digital notepad when you flip the cover. It has a typing mode which is the number pad and a memo mode which is the writing pad. “The leather cover acts as a number pad on a conventional keyboard. Current from the fingertips passes through the special conductive fiber to the touchpad inside the leather cover,” explains Kim. A quick survey showed that 98% of people take notes when they are working on computers and 70% of them said it is uncomfortable and 34% complained that their desk tends to get messy or notes tend to get lost. With a device like Ouverture, your notes are saved as image files and your desk remains clutter-free.

This pen is quite literally timeless… in the sense that it will write forever, that too without a single drop of ink. The ForeverPen is a bit of a technological marvel that solves one of the most common problems in the world – needing to write but never find a pen around. Made from a unique silver composite, the ForeverPen writes without actually writing. Unlike a pen that leaves behind ink or a pencil that leaves behind graphite, the ForeverPen’s unique material can oxidize surfaces, leaving behind a mark without really wearing out or running out. In theory (and even practically), it lasts forever, letting you draw/write/doodle anytime or anywhere, infinitely.

The Constrained Ball by Gihawoo Design is one of those concepts I can easily see myself buying from a late-night infomercial. I’m not saying it’s bad but the novel approach to a simple kind of problem is endearing. Fitted with a gasket, the gadget helps you draw straight lines and indicates the length. OMG, is this the end of the ruler’s dominance?!? No, but I quite like this concept. I’m a stickler for drawing straight lines. It’s either gotta be straight and perfect or it’s a no-go for me.

This is a jellyfish that stings gently! We love stationery design and especially cute ones inspired by animals! Designed by Fabio Verdelli, Medusa is a jellyfish-shaped push pin that moves like the actual jellyfish when pushed into the board. this one is gentler. The designer has made this push pin soft and translucent just like the real ones in the ocean. It’s also slightly colored to give it a fluid visual effect. The CMF and the simple movement of the pin work together to make Medusa a functional yet realistic ode to the marine marvel. Who wouldn’t like to have a box of these!

Meet the Ferrule, probably the most significant improvement to wooden pencils since they started putting erasers on the opposite end. The Ferrule is a brass pencil enclosure and extender. It upgrades the feeling of using a tiny, frail wooden pencil by enclosing it in a hexagonal brass body that gives you confident strokes, thanks to its weight, and a much more premium writing and drawing experience. The Ferrule works with all standard pencils (7-8mm in width) up to 120mm in length. Designed to function as a high-end pencil sleeve, the Ferrule works with short pencil stubs too, giving you a consistent premium writing experience throughout. It opens and closes with simple twisting action, allowing you to lock or release the pencil within with a satisfying click.

Reusable like a whiteboard, portable and sticky like a Post-it, the Mover Erase brings one of the workplace’s most effective features to your WFH setup. You see, in our transition from the office to the home office, we missed out on quite a lot. Sure, there’s an obvious lack of workplace gossip and office chit-chat, but we’re also missing out on the kind of tools that make us more productive. The ability to stick notes around our work desk, to walk up to a whiteboard, and really brainstorm effectively. To streamline your process in a way that makes you more productive and organized. The Mover Erase turns the whiteboard into a portable setup that you can carry around with you because productivity shouldn’t be limited to a ‘place’.

Outside/Inside was created to question the traditional understanding of a “vessel” and reimagine it with materials like pine needles to not only add more function but also give it a refreshing form. “What do you understand as a ‘vessel’? What image comes to mind if I tell you to describe it? Now, how far can you stretch that image? How far is too far?” asked the duo as they worked on reinterpreting the meaning through their design. Just like wild grass, it looks like the ‘vessel’ is growing from the surface it is kept on. What I love is the usage of pine needles because it is an underrated and under-explored natural material. Pine needles also bring a touch of nature inside on your shelf or desk. It also adds a poetic theme to the design as its colors, smell, and texture change over time letting you experience the ‘seasons’ of Outside/Inside.

The Clip-Pen by Foxtail Gihawoo combines the traditional ballpoint pen with the even-more-traditional paper clip. The metal clip finds itself located on the pen-cap, where you’d normally see the cap’s pocket clip, creating a fusion that may seem weirdly clever at first, until weirdness wears right off and just feels like a good idea! The Clip-Pen retains its original functionality (of being able to be clipped to a pocket) but is capable of much more. You could use it to keep your pen and papers together, or just use the cap to hold your sheets while the ballpoint pen sits in your pen-stand.

Created by LHiDS Creative, the MagEasy Folio and MagEasy Board use a combination of powerful magnets to help keep you organized and productive. The magnetic system, embedded within a durable and waterproof board, allows you to neatly arrange your life, from your keys and phone to your stationery, notepad, wallet, or even passport. The board and folio provide a canvas for MagEasy’s series of magnetic accessories which are powerful enough to hold keys in place as well as securely store your smartphone or wallet. MagEasy’s novel approach to organizing allows you to store all your everyday essentials in one place, so you don’t have to dig in your pocket for your wallet or keys, or in your bag for your pen, or a thumb drive.

This modular appliance converts WFH+ daytime chores into an interactive fun session!

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We all have our midday rituals while working from home. While mine typically consists of going back and forth between my desk and my kitchen to get some snacks, others have formed more productive habits like cleaning and meditating. A team of Seoul-based designers has conceptualized and designed a modular WFH appliance called Fot to help get those chores and rituals done during the workday. They developed Fot so that once that final work project is submitted, the workday is done, including housework.

Fot comes in four parts and leans on a modular design to function as a charging station, vacuum cleaner, air diffuser, timer, and mood operator. Whenever a user chooses to step away from WFH duties to begin some household chores, Fot can turn into a free-roaming vacuum cleaner operated wirelessly with the ring-shaped remote. Similar to walking a dog with a leash, users only have to hold and steer the remote to indicate where they’d like the vacuum module to clean. Alternatively, Fot can be used as a meditative air diffuser simply by placing the ring-shaped remote on top of the diffuser module to activate the module’s mist function.

However, before it can enact any of its housework duties, Fot’s essential component, the ring-shaped remote must be vertically placed in the product’s charging hub. While Fot charges, users can turn the ring 90° clockwise from its neutral position to unlock the appliance’s mood operator, which delineates WFH time from housework time. Or, if users would like to operate their own timer and schedule then Fot can be rotated further than 90° to function as a timer and alarm.

Designers: Yeowon Kim, Jong Seung Kim, Daeun Kim, & TaeJune Youn

Fot comes equipped with a charging station, timer, mood operator, vacuum cleaner, and air diffuser.









Fot’s modular design allows its multiple functions.

Many people experiencing WFH struggle to accommodate household chores throughout the day. Fot changes that.

When used as a timer, Fot accommodates your schedule, indicating moments throughout the day that are devoted to household chores, meditation, or WFH time.

In order to charge Fot, users only have to place the ring-shaped remote into its charging socket.

Fot’s vacuum component is designed to feel just like walking your dog and its dust bin easily dumps anything picked up along the way.

 

Fot’s aroma diffuser functions as its meditation component, allowing for breaks during the workday to devote to relaxation.

This two-tiered desk uses loops to provide plenty of storage for your 2021 WFH setup

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Our living spaces have seen a lot of changes this past year, but none more than our work-from-home offices. Whether you’re still working from bed or if you’ve redesigned a corner of your bedroom to fit your desk, working from home has changed the spaces where we work. With that, we’re also scrubbing our walls and ditching any hint of maximalism for the fresh look of minimalism. To construct a desk that accommodates this mode of working from home while sticking to this renewed wave of minimalism, João Teixeira designed Loop Desk, a simple computer desk that’s built for the organizing nut in each of us.

The two-tiered desktop has plenty of working space and a slim build that easily adapts to any room, making it a solid choice for future WFH renovations. In addition to its slim build, Loop Desk reflects a minimalist aesthetic that feels more sophisticated than stylish or trendy. With rounded edges and a monitor stand that hovers above the main working space, Loop Desk was named for the various loops that comprise its full-frame. Computer monitors can be placed on Loop Desk’s tallest working tier, while a keyboard and any other working material can be organized on the desktop’s main working area.

The front drawer of the Loop Desk supplies some storage for lighter accessories like staplers and notebooks, while the backside reveals roomy storage pockets that can be used for rolled-up poster blueprints and hiding knots of cable and wires. Loop Desk can accommodate plenty of practical needs, while always maintaining a refined, suave look to tie up the loose ends of any home workspace. Loop Desk’s natural wood finish and clever storage options will feel right at home in any WFH office– whether it’s still in the bedroom or not.

Designer: João Teixeira

With a slim desktop and stacked loop shelves, Loop Deks maintains a small build without compromising working space.

Loop Desk’s main drawer allows space for appliances like wireless keyboards to be stored when not in use.

With such a thin frame, Loop Desk can fit into any working environment.

The slim build of the Loop Desk doesn’t take away from the ample working space made available by the main desktop as well as the top-tier desk.

Smooth, rounded edges give the Loop Desk a neutral, sophisticated finished look to fit into any bedroom or home office.

The Top 10 work from home designs that will be the best investments of 2021!

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In 2020 our lives changed completely, the COVID-19 pandemic transformed what was considered the ‘norm’, and created new norms that molded the way we lived. One of these new norms is the work from home culture, and it has continued well into 2021. We’ve been working from our homes for almost a year now, and although we have adapted to it, it can be quite a bore at times. I, for one, am always looking out for options and ways to spice up my work from home routine. And I’ve found that adding new products, giving my home office a makeover, and looking for quirky designs to amp up my productivity really does help! Hence, here’s a collection of interesting, super functional, and productivity-enhancing designs that promise to be the best work from home investments of 2021!

Designers all over the world have been inspired to create innovative and productivity-enhancing work from home product designs that range from furniture to modular pods. The latest one to catch our eye was the Zen Work Pod because in 2020 you don’t need a shed in your backyard, you rather have a warm minimalist office instead! The company behind this work shed has been acing the game when it comes to well-designed office furniture like flexible desks and ergonomic chairs. The Zen Work Pod was a culmination of their furniture design mission clubbed with the need of the hour. The minimalist backyard structure is a stark contrast to the existing toolsheds, it is a modern workspace equipped with all essentials needed for a ‘zen’ workday. “It provides a fresh solution that completely redefines the home office, providing maximum focus during every working hour,” says the team who especially kept creators and freelancers in mind while designing it. The pod features floor-to-ceiling windows and an angular roof all wrapped in a sturdy oak, walnut, and aluminum structure. It is compact but the minimal build and sweeping windows make it feel spacious.

Meet the ‘Chaise Renversée’ – a desk that can also transform into a long chair by the famous French architect Pierre-Louis Gerlier. The literal translation of Chaise Renversée is ‘chair overturned’, I love how simply the French put everything. Since we are all cooped up in our homes, we are constantly finding ways to optimize space. Especially if you live in a city, you are likely to have everyday objects that are modular so that you have a functional space. Our current situation and the need to be flexible within a small space is exactly what inspired Gerlier to design the Chaise Renversée. It is the perfect blend of work from home and Netflix from home into one piece of modern furniture, it provides a stable table area to work and can then transform into the ‘Chaise Lounge’ when you want to relax.

Fitwork’s design sort of embodies a no-excuse mentality to being fit. Whether it’s the excuse of ‘being too busy’, or of ‘not wanting to go all the way to the gym’, Fitwork combats it by bringing the gym not just to your house, but to your workspace. Designed as a product to let you work and work out at the same time, this crazy hybrid of a desk-chair and treadmill keeps your legs active while you work. Whether you’re sitting in front of a laptop or standing in front of one, it’s the sedentary lifestyle that Fitwork tackles. The setup (which is sure to grab a few eyeballs) comes with an office chair attached to a treadmill underneath, and an elliptical in front. Coupled with an elevating desk, the Fitwork allows you to keep the lower half of your body active while you work, giving you cardio as well as keeping your spine engaged, whether you’re sitting or standing while working.

This portable armrest makes working on computers much more comfortable! The Mouzen by Gašper Kumprej cantilevers right off your table, giving your forearm a place to rest comfortably, instead of hovering in space. The platform retrofits easily onto the edge of any table and takes not more than 10 seconds to fasten. The platform comes with a freely moving armrest that sits on top of it. Using a patented ErgoFlow mechanism, the armrest moves and rotates in any direction with near-zero friction, giving you the ability to freely move your hand around as you switch from mouse to keyboard and back, typing, clicking, scrolling, etc. Built to take up to 50 lbs (21 kg) of weight, the mechanism has multiple shock absorbers and silencers built in to ensure the Mouzen works smoothly and silently.

timechi

Productivity is a flexible skill, you can continue to develop and master it just the way you exercise and build up your fitness. A study shows that 80% of our disturbances are trivial and can be avoided with awareness. TimeChi is a compact desk gadget that takes care of one of the biggest distractions we all face – it blocks digital notifications from IM or your smartphone, time-wasting websites, and physical interruptions! That itself could save up to two hours from my day and I actually tested it out by putting timers on my apps to see how it would reduce my screen time during work hours. It takes 11 minutes to get your focus and attention back and while it is so tempting to see what meme your friend sent or to play a 15-second game with the filter, it unknowingly makes your day longer and eventually pushes your work into your personal time which right now is more precious than ever. “The app + device combo empowers you to reach your productivity potential, facilitate meaningful team collaborations, and boost creativity with a simple click on the TimeChi device,” says the team.

The Soul Seat helps you sit in a neutral posture that is effortless and comfortable. The springs on the elevated perch tilt the pelvis forward, open the hips and help align the spine. You can sit in several positions if crossing legs isn’t comfortable for you, the chair enables you to switch between multiple positions frequently keeping your body engaged and blood flowing. For some, this may also alleviate neck and back pain! The height of both levels can be adjusted to suit your workspace setup. I know there were many comments from our Instagram audience about it missing a backrest and while I don’t think it causes harm if you sit without one (people meditate and work in this very posture for hours in Asian countries), I do think having an option of a detachable backrest can help those who are just starting to work on their posture ease into it. It is about having that choice which opens up many more people to use the Soul Seat, however, there are countless reviews that mention it being comfortable as it is so it is a great design but it does come down to personal preference.

The Livit Studypod is a futuristic black-box style cube that you can place anywhere you want and focus on your work, study or even health! This composite cube structure works as your bedroom, home office, or study table and is designed for outdoor use. Easy to place on your backyard, garden, or anywhere with a view, the black-tinted hardened glass window gives an unobstructed view of your scenery. Since the cube is a closed structure, it keeps you safe from the weather across the year. Measuring 2.15 x 1.8 x 2.1 meters, this cube is perfectly sized for you to style it for your comfort, improving your headspace and keeping you stress-free. The pod does weigh 700 kilos but it also comes with optional wheels that let you move it and settle down for a quick change of scenery! The pod has oak flooring, a detachable desk, a power outlet, four downlights, and natural ventilation to keep the place airy.

Since we aren’t spending on cheap tickets and expensive popcorn, we can upgrade with tech like this Crestron UC video soundbar! It does a lot more than make binge-watching better, it is actually a smart soundbar that also features video conferencing capabilities and a camera to give your work from home setup a boost as well! The modular soundbar is available in three different versions, both the camera and sensor are attachable accessories depending on when they are needed. “The basic principle of the design is an architectural hierarchy, that optimizes the use of design elements and material,” describes the team. To make the soundbar more visually streamlined and ‘clean’, all technical elements of the product were moved and placed in a way that they are minimally visible.

Say hello to the Kolude KD-K1 by Jeremy Lin, a sleek external keyboard with a pretty interesting twist. With circular keys that sit within a machined aluminum base giving it a neo-retro vibe, the Kolude KD-K1 keyboard is a visual treat with tactile scissor-switch keys that make it a great keyboard to type on too. Designed to be the sleeker brother of Lofree’s keyboards, the Kolude KD-K1’s twist lies right above those keys. Built right into the back-face of the KD-K1 is a USB hub, complete with USB-A and USB-C ports, an HDMI port, and two card-reader slots.

Tai Matlin and Taiwon Choi of Fellowes have designed an office chair with a hanging seating position that follows the body movements. The hanging seat ensures maximum comfort for the spine, hips, and lower limbs at all times – no matter how long you’ve been sitting! The unique chair design with patented Omni-Kinetic Suspension Technology for micro-body movement in multiple directions prevents fatigue during long hours of sitting. Keeping in mind the extended working hours Elea chair has a contoured design to support natural spine alignment and lumbar positioning which all goes well for long-term health benefits. The chair also boasts adjustable tension and balanced support which most of the office chairs simply don’t have. Other than that a lot of thought has been put into the designing of every single little detail of this chair which will leave nothing to complaining.