Create Your Dream Home Office Inspired By The Workspaces Of Top Influencers And Entrepreneurs
Lauryn Evarts
Lauryn Evarts has the skinny on everything. Perhaps best known for her blog,The Skinny Confidential—she is taking over iTunes not just with the eponymous podcast she co-hosts with her husband, entrepreneur Michael Bosstick, but also with their newest venture, the female-centered podcast network, Dear Media.
Like her Instagram feed, Evarts’ office has a clean and stylish aesthetic with one very important natural element. “I care about light a lot,” she explained. “Since I’m shooting pictures constantly the natural light needs to flow in the room. Also, I swear I work better when it’s a light area. It feels better.”
Evarts says the key to creating a space where you can do your best work is highly personal and individual. “Surround yourself with items that inspire you and get rid of stuff that sucks your energy. Candles, oil diffusers, music all add to a room, in my opinion. Make your desk space functional. Have a door so you can shut it if you need to block out noise. Laptop stands! They really kick ass. And when in doubt—turn up the Bossa nova and add a time-blocking cube.”
While she clearly values productivity, Evarts isn’t all work and no play. “There’s a bar cart. So, you know when it’s Friday you can reach over and pop open a bottle of champagne.”
Tara Mackey
Tara Mackey’s The Organic Life blog has spun off into two best-selling books, Cured By Nature and Wild Habits. In addition to that, she is an accomplished musician and has an organic skincare line called Genetix.
Her office, which is located on the top floor of her San Diego home is organized into separate areas for all three of her pursuits. Mackey revealed, “I designed my office for maximum efficiency and inspiration. There are tokens of my past accomplishments, like my artwork, products, and books, which remind me of how far I’ve already come. Conversely, there are also reminders that push me to keep going, like my family photos, cheeky signs and goal list.”
Mackey also loves inspirational signs with three in her office that read, “GIRL (Goddess In Real Life), “LIKE A BOSS,” and perhaps most significantly, “If you’re waiting for a sign, this is it.”
Jenna Kutcher
Jenna Kutcher is a creator and host of the Goal Digger podcast. Her home has two separate workspaces. “We have two desks in our home, one is a little nook under our staircase and the other is a converted sunroom but I find myself working from the couch with dogs in my lap most often. It’s the joy of being home and able to be comfortable while doing your best work.”
She thinks one of the keys to getting everything done is being comfortable while doing it. “A great desk chair is 110% worth it. A comfortable couch is a close second!”
Another key to Kutcher’s success is knowing when to call it quits. “We’re big on having a shutdown time and a time where the screens go away! Working from home is such a great opportunity but it also means that work is highly accessible to you at all times and in the space that you need to live. So creating boundaries around work and life can help save you from burnout and help you create routines that support creativity and slow down.”
Elise Armitage
Elise Armitage of What The Fab works from a nook in the living room of her San Francisco home. Her favorite piece of furniture is a mid-century modern standing desk, which is more fabulous than she humbly cares to admit. “While this isn’t exactly glamorous, I love my adjustable standing desk platform as it can transform any regular desk into a standing one. It keeps me free of any lower back pain from sitting for too long.”
Another key to her productivity is keeping as little as possible on her desk. “My desk has a ton of storage space and drawers, which helps me keep things organized and neatly tucked away. This allows me to have a clean workspace, which is so important! Having a cluttered workspace definitely negatively affects my mood and my work.”
Angela Lanter
Angela Lanter does it all from writing her blog, Hello Gorgeous to creating lifestyle videos for her thriving YouTube Channel. So, it’s not a surprise that her home office also doubles as a studio.
There are several DIY and semi-DIY elements of the space. “I chose a glass top table as my desk to provide plenty of workspace. The glass top is easy to clean after makeup, hair or DIY tutorials. The glass top is also easy to suction lights for filming. Because it’s a table and not a desk, we placed an Ikea Alex drawer cabinet underneath for storage, but they’re easy to move whenever we need the space opened up.”
However, Lanter openly admits that setting up the room wasn’t entirely a solo effort. “I received professional help setting up my organization system when we first moved in and have maintained that system ever since. I can’t focus in a messy space, so keeping the room neat and organized is a top priority.”
If you’re trying to create a similar vibe, Lanter’s approach is a balanced one. “Check places like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist for lightly used pieces that can help keep your office design on budget. If you are design challenged (like I am) consider using a service such as Decorist for help and be sure to scan Pinterest for inspiration.”
Promise Tangeman
Promise Tangeman knows quite a bit about creating beautiful spaces as a graphic designer as well as the CEO and Creative Director of Go Live. She actually has two home offices. One is on the second floor of her home in an open loft area. The other is in a private room with two desks and a couch for phone calls.
The loft is set up simply. “Just white desks, desktop computers, and office chairs. The room feels open, minimal, and creative. Perfect for brainstorming or just hunkering down and knocking out the tasks at hand.”
But minimalism doesn’t equal boring. “We have one wall with a really creative collage mural. It’s a mixed media piece with paint, decals, and wallpaper. I just love it. It adds a fun and funky flair to the minimal room. The colors add a spunky and electric element to our workday.”
Ashley Rose Smith
As a DIY blogger, Ashley Rose Smith of Sugar and Cloth knows a lot about decorating, but her home office is a surprisingly simple room because she has a separate studio for photography and styling.
While the room has a minimalist aesthetic, it’s far from dull with boldly painted walls and an oversized print that Smith’s husband Jared, took of Harbour Island during their last trip. “It’s one of our favorite places to visit and has great memories associated with it.”
Sophie Jaffe
Sophie Jaffe does it all. She is a mother, entrepreneur, influencer and podcaster. Her line of superfoods, Philosophie, is sold at Anthropologie. Her home office isn’t just a room. It’s her entire home. “As a mom with two boys and a newborn, I can’t see running my business any other way than in the comfort and accessibility of my home. My ‘office’ allows me the space to build and grow my business while being a supportive and present mother.”
Jaffe told me she used to work offsite, but she ultimately realized it didn’t make sense for her. “[My current set up] allows me a better way to get things way more accomplished as I can seamlessly handle home life, save money on meals, have back-to-back meetings right here and not spend time commuting. Depending on a sacred home space is how I’m able to grow my business day in and day out.”
Even with three children, it was a priority for Jaffe to establish both a minimalist vibe and a flexible purpose throughout the house. “I worked with Danny from Spatial Solutions on completely cleaning out my home to nourish a mindful environment that fuels creative energy and reflects the way I run my life whether it’s a quick yoga flow in the living room or experimenting with recipes in the kitchen. Living minimally has taught me to value people and conversations rather than clinging to the objects that surround me.”
Erica Stolman
For Erica Stolman of Fashion Lush, it’s all about the arrangement of her furniture. She told me, “I have my desk against a wall and then my walk-in closet is to the right. I have a console against the opposite wall to organize all of my books as well. I kept it pretty open in the center to give the room a light and airy vibe. I have always liked to have my desk against as well, [as opposed to] floating. It feels more grounded. Also, having my closet in the room, in my line of work, is good for the creative juices.”
She also believes in making things as comfortable as they are beautiful.“Make sure your chair is comfy, the space inspires you and that everything around you serves a purpose! Also, if you have a laptop—I highly recommend a laptop stand!”
Ashley Torres
For the creator of Everyday Pursuits, Ashley Torres, her office needs to multitask as much as she does. “My job requires me to have a rotating closet of clothes and beauty products, so my workspace is part office and part closet. My clothing rack from Urban Outfitters [is my favorite accessory]. It’s such a statement and is so much more exciting than a regular rolling rack,” she explained.
While many bloggers need to neatly tuck away things, it’s the opposite for Torres. “I’m the type of person that needs to see products in order to remember that I have to talk about them on my Instagram or promote them on my blog. My clothing rack and display shelves make this possible in a neat, organized fashion versus having everything thrown all over the floor.”
Glass desks keep it all cohesive. “I also love the two glass desks from Urban Outfitters because they are actually very large but because they’re glass they don’t make the small office look too cluttered.”
Destiney Green
As and mother and creator, Destiney Green of Mom Crush Monday, knows the importance of visuals. Her office is stocked full of fun supplies. “I love girly things that keep me organized. So I focus on organizational tools when I choose office supplies. A pretty desk calendar and color-coded sticky notes are my favorite. I also keep affirmations nearby to make sure I’m feeding my thoughts positivity.”
While it can be a challenge for parents of young children to keep their own space free of clutter and toys, Green is a big believer in the importance of having a space that is just for you. “Choose a space that you don’t have to share—whether it’s a corner or a full room. Be sure everyone around knows about your special workspace.”
Jennifer Jaden
Founder of Societygal, Jennifer Jaden isn’t a DIY expert, but her home office would have you believe otherwise. “I love my desk. It was $100 from Target and I got crafty and purchased marble contact paper on Amazon. I then covered the wood paneling of the desk so it looks like a marble table!”
For Jaden, it’s not just about the objects she keeps in her space such as a microphone for recording podcasts, palo santo and sage to keep the vibes high, or her salt lamp. She also has tools to eliminate things she doesn’t need including a recycling bin and trash can.
She is constantly on top of keeping it all clutter-free. “Invest in a document scanner so you have less paper clutter and keep things simple. Also, every six months do a cleanup and revamp things a bit to give yourself some new inspiration.”
However, despite her best intentions, Jaden confesses perfection just doesn’t exist in her world. “I will admit my space is never 100% organized, but I’m just keeping it real with you!”
Amber-Lee Lyons
Amber-Lee Lyons writes the blog, Chakra Girl Co and records her podcast, Chakra Girl Radio from her home office in Vancouver. Good energy is the key to everything for her. “My office is adorned in beautiful crystals and elements of the earth. I have plants from the earth, candles and sage that represent fire, a giant citrine crystal that represents the sun, and I always have a giant glass of water on a rose-quartz coaster!”
Lyons is also a big proponent of selentie “[It is] is such a powerful crystal,” she explained. “l use it to remove negativity and transmute it into positivity. You can just place it on your desk and wave it around you in a downward motion to release stuck energy. Use it with caution! It’s been known to make people feel nauseous, it’s that powerful!”
The Keith Family
You might not know who the Keith Family is, but you’ve probably snacked on a Perfect Bar. All thirteen brothers and sisters work for the company. Leigh Keith, who is the co-founder and president, wanted to create a family home within the 9,066 square foot office space they built out. It features a welcoming foyer, living room, family/fan gallery wall, game room and a large family-style kitchen.
As for the space where the actual work gets done, Keith revealed, “The open-format office space and standing desks keep the perfect vibes flowing throughout the day, along with our conference rooms, which are adorned with old family photos, Southern California decor and one even made to look like our Dad’s Healthouse (Mission Beach’s first gym/juice bar).”
But these offices aren’t just for Keiths only. Every employee is also part of the family. “Keeping our office feeling welcoming, warm and truly ‘like home’ is a testament of how we want our team and guests to feel when they’re here. They are part of the Perfect Bar family and encouraged to stay awhile.”
Amanda Lauren I am a writer, podcaster, and comedic performer, but more so, an aspiring Eames chair owner. Originally from the Upper East Side of Manhattan, I currently live in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles with my husband and our two dogs, Lulu and Milo.