I’m always really nosy when it comes to peoples workspaces. Especially creative professionals. They vary so much some people have inspiration boards plastered all over the wall, some are so bare they look almost clinical, some look like the launchpad at the Nasa Space Station with 108 screens and every kind of tech hooked up to it.
As you can see, I'm a very lowkey designer. I don't need all the bells and whistles that a lot of other designers swear by.
Finding the balance between cozy and clutter
I was always so envious of designers who managed to keep their desks minimal - and I don’t mean people who tidy up and painstakingly style their desks for Pinterest & Instagram I mean actual real people I worked with in an insanely busy studio with desks that were actively in use. In comically stark contrast to those guys who were all super cool with tattoos, beanies, plaid shirts, painstakingly curated stubble and designer coffee; there was oldskool female me with hair sticking up all over the place, buried under stacks of paper and post it notes that held my brain together, pens and mugs of half-drunk tea scattered across the surface, usually looking everywhere for my glasses which were on my head, or my pen which was stuck in my hair
I have to say since I discovered Notion and got an iPad it has changed my game entirely!! Now I can see my desk!! I literally got up from working and took these pics. Nothing was moved or tidied. I have never had such a tidy minimal workspace and I LOVE it!! I also have never had so few mugs on my desk since I bought this mug which reminds me of the ocean. If you look closely you can see a drama school prospectus on there too - keeping my end goal in sight!!
This poor desk functions as a sewing table, diy tool holder, art table and general dumping ground. As you can see my knitting and sewing hams and watering can have to live under the desk in crates as there's no other space for them. I live in the UK so unlike American bloggers I don't have the luxury of an entire craft room all to myself. I don't even have an office. I have one corner of my bedroom which has to function as both.
Because I spend pretty much all my time here, I need to love the space I'm in, and it needs to be as bright and warm and cozy as possible, so accessorise with natural textures, plants and vintage finds that are both full of character, and also serve as useful storage.
Where my stuff is from
All the decor, the chair and the lamp is vintage and thrifted
Candles are: 'Smoke' by C.O. Bigelow which smells exactly like the cottage in Scotland I spent my holidays in as a kid which were the happiest times in my life. 'Fig & Cassis' from Tinnock Farm Tipperary, which was a lovely gift from Kirsten and it smells SO GOOD I want to eat it. Both of these are special candles to me, and Smoke I will never light.
Basket top left is by curver. I think I got it from wilko about 10 years ago but you can get them on amazon
Shelf was from Ikea... I have no idea which kind it is sorry, I've had it since I was a kid.
Desk is from ikea with I *think* Lagkapten as the surface which I had to trim off to fit in the alcove and Hilver legs
Drawers underneath the desk are also from Ikea and are called Helmer. I have had them since I was a kid and they are hands down THE most useful things in the world - I keep all my sewing and tools in there.
Small round baskets on the shelf are from Ikea but I couldn't find them on the site so I assume they've been discontinued.
Plant pots are from ikea, tkmaxx and my local garden centre. Plants are (from furthest away to closest) Asparagus (Bob Marley), Prickly pear (Sasquatch), Random cactus (Spike Milligan), Jasmine, and then on the shelf is my spider plant (Thing). Yes I name my plants. I'm *that* person.
Yellow cushion is from homebase
The hessian basket and throw I got from H&M about 8 years ago
Ipad case and wireless keyboard set are from Amazon. It's out of stock at the time of posting this blog so I don't know if it will come back in or not but I've stuck the link in anyway.
I use a Bellemond screen protector on my ipad screen because I use an apple pencil on procreate. I read a lot of stuff about apple pencil tips wearing down really qickly with it which is absolutely true. I tried the little nib covers and thought they were absolutely shit but I found a nib tip that is metal like a ballpoint pen which has got me through a year of intense scribbling with absolutely no wear down of my screen protector or the nib. It doesn't fit the pen perfectly flush but it doesn't affect usage or responsiveness at all and I absolutely recommend them. I also find the apple pencil uncomfortably skinny to hold so I got this silicone skin for it which feels so comfortable and again after a year of use looks brand new still and the colour is PERFECT. I like that the lid holds the cap of the pen too because without it I would absolutely lose that within 5 minutes.
I have had a lot of health issues the past few years with whiplash, cervical instability and slipping rib syndrome so I have to be really mindful of my posture. The keyboard that came with my ipad takes a little bit of getting used to as it's small and very clickityclackity but it's perfect really - saved me from having to buy a whole keyboard, and it means I can have my laptop propped up on this wooden laptop stand. In an ideal world I'd have a standing desk but I don't have the budget for that because I'm saving up for drama school, and the other desk risers which are cheaper than a whole-ass desk are enormous. This packs down so small I can take it anywhere with me in my laptop bag, it's super lightweight and it's wood, which always makes everything feel and look nicer. And it protects my neck and has my laptop at a good level for my eyeballs.
Lastly is this desk mat in size 60x35cm- i got it because my sewing machine really scratched up my desk, and also my apple magic mouse was having some issues because the surface of my table is super reflective and this has been great. The colour on amazon is listed as grey, but it's actually taupe.
The only tools I use on the reg that aren't pictured here are an external hard drive, my camera and a graphics tablet - which is NOT fancy - it's a Wacom Intuos Draw which has a reputation for being an entry level graphics tablet because of its pricepoint and is looked down on by snobby designers, but it does the job for me just fine. I'm a senior designer and can assure you that having the fanciest gadgets does not make you a better designer. They are only worth the investment if they actually work with your preferences and workflow - for example a cintiq if you prefer drawing directly on the screen or Intuos pro if you prefer having a bigger surface. Fancy graphics tablets are a 'like' not a 'need', but SOME form of graphics tablet is a need for basic comfort and wrist protecting. You CAN work without one at all, but as an RSI sufferer, I firmly believe it's better for your hands if you don't. I like working in cafes, in parks, moving around a lot. For me a small tablet is lightweight, comfortable to use and easy to cart around.
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