2020 has seen a huge shift in people moving to work remotely instead of at the office, leaving many of us struggling to find a suitable workspace within the home. Creating an inspirational workspace doesn’t mean having to spend thousands of dollars on expensive desks and office chairs, you can revamp second-hand furniture or upcycle existing pieces to create custom furniture for your ideal office space. Read on for some ideas on how to give used office furniture a new better life!
Upgrade your office chair
Whether your desk chair is made from wood, plastic, or leather, there are plenty of easy ways to breathe new life into tired seating. One of the most obvious solutions for cushioned chairs is to simply change the upholstery for an instant transformation, by choosing a fabric you like and stapling it over the existing one.
Before reupholstering, first, consider the type of fabric you want to use. Velvet sofas and chairs are on-trend right now among interior designers and IKEA even released their first Fasalt velvet armchair last year. The fabric pattern also impacts the room design, for a bold look try an animal print like zebra or a floral design, or for a more contemporary feel, geometric patterns and ikat are popular choices.
For wooden desk chairs, a simple repaint or stencil design can work wonders, whilst for plastic office chairs, you could add fabric or repaint for a new appearance. If you’d like to make changes to your office chair that are more understated, you could simply replace the chair legs or spray paint them gold for a luxury look.
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Make office organization fun with new filing cabinets
Home office organization doesn’t need to mean clunky storage crates or ugly metal filing cabinets. Norse Interiors offers a range of elegant design solutions to upgrade an affordable IKEA Besta cabinet into a statement piece fit for a showroom. For an art deco look try the Frida design or the Cane Storage Cabinet for a natural, sustainable appearance, or to add texture to a Scandinavian design.
Cane doors on Besta cabinets with Elisabeth chrome knobs, and an Ambrosia Maple top.
Give your desk a makeover
Office desks are one of the easiest pieces to make changes to whilst creating a huge impact. There are plenty of options to consider when upcycling an office desk, depending on how dramatically different you want it to look. If you’re an artist then you may prefer a tilted desk for sketching and drawing, or perhaps if you’re a writer, a solid and trusty wooden writing desk is more to your liking. If you need space for a printer, keyboard, and mouse, then a computer desk may be best suited to your needs, whilst a corner desk or wall-mounted desk are better solutions for workstations in small living spaces.
Repainting a wooden desk is an obvious and simple change to make to give a tired piece of furniture a total makeover. Chalk paint will give your desk an old-school look that stands out and is easy to use as it rarely requires the need for sanding down furniture before painting. For a distressed look to give a desk some character, you’ll need to use sandpaper and steel wool after you’ve painted the desk to reveal the bare wood underneath for the distressed effect.
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Sticky solutions and elegant accessories
An easy and budget-friendly IKEA hack for a boring desk or filing cabinets is to add some colorful vinyl stickers to a Micke drawer unit. You can find some fabulous designs on Etsy for decals in bold patterns and graphics such as palm leaves, floral patterns, and geometric shapes. You can also use washi tape to transform a dull desk into bold design.
For subtle changes to your desk for an understated yet elegant vibe then try changing fixtures such as drawer handles or desk legs. Try fitting rustic brass handles for a vintage feel or ceramic knobs for a country farmhouse look. Alternatively, give your desk drawers a wow factor with one of the furniture knobs and pulls by Norse Interiors, that come in stylish brass, chrome, and black for a sleek look.
The final touches
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Small details can make a big impact when it comes to home decor so once you are happy with your upcycled office furniture, pay attention to finer touches that will help to inspire and motivate you during your working day. For example, photographs, trinkets, and treasured objects will put a smile on your face and encourage you when you’re having a bad day. Keep things organized, minimize desk clutter to avoid being distracted, and keep electrical wiring out of sight but easily accessible. Add an elegant desk lamp that will light your workspace and computer screen to finish the look.
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Author: Tanja Warwick