Healthy Home Office Makeover

Come and take a peek at my new Healthy Home Office Makeover! My new work-space is complete with a motorized sit-to-stand desk, a diffuser, plants and bright, clean accessories.

When we moved into our new house last summer, we were really excited to have a dedicated home office space. We initially just put all our “extra” furniture in there and it quickly became a functional space but that’s about it. It was somewhat messy, uncoordinated and sort of a forgotten space with no rhyme or reason to the aesthetic other than a place to sit and do work.

On top of that, my primary work-space was a chair with a pop-off side desk. It’s really comfortable but not meant to be a primary work-space and was really starting to kill my back. I had my important documents piled up on a plant-stand next to the chair, my printer on the floor and I was using a nursing stool as a footrest (which actually works really well lol).

When we started talking about upgrading the space, the first thing I started looking into was creating a healthier work environment. A home office that was not only aesthetically pleasing but functional and easy to keep neat, comfortable to work in and most of – ergonomically appointed.

One of the the only complaints that I have about my business is that the bigger it has become, the more time I need to spend on the computer doing business marketing, management, PR, editing, etc. Ideally, I would like to spend the majority of my time being creative in the kitchen and beyond. I’m working towards that. In the meantime, if I am going to be sitting and working on the laptop, I wanted to create the right space for it.

I knew I wanted a functional desk and started researching standing desks. After looking at a ton of options, I settled on the Standing Desk from Autonomous. The main things that attracted me to the SmartDesk were how beautiful they were, how many different price and design options they had and how smart (literally) the functionality is.

The desk goes from sitting height (minimum 24″) to standing height (maximum 51″) with a super quiet motor in seconds. It has a hidden keypad with four preset memory buttons to set your ideal sitting height as well as standing height. The version I got (Business Edition) holds up to 300 pounds, which means that when the desk rises, nothing moves. Not even a steaming hot cup of matcha!

How cool is that!? I am in love with this desk you guys. It is everything that I hoped it would be and even more. It’s beautiful, comfortable and functional. I can sit to work or stand with the touch of a button without having to move anything around.

If you are considering getting one, I got the SmartDesk 2, Ergonomic Walnut Top, Platform Color: White, Business Edition (larger range of height options, dual motors, holds more weight, longer warranty) and the Accessory Kit (bag hooks, bluetooth speaker, USB charger port and wireless charger option).

I also went with the ErgoChair2. I have to be honest and tell you that I initially envisioned a much more luxurious, non-office like chair in this space but after testing a bunch, I knew that while it might look beautiful, it wouldn’t be functional and would most likely aggravate my back. Since Autonomous has a 30-Day trial policy, I figured if the chair wasn’t as comfortable as they claimed, I could send it back and just go with my pretty, stylized chair.

Obviously, I kept it. The chair is ridiculously comfortable! It is fully customizable for personal comfort and my favorite features are the mesh back with adjustable lumbar and neck support. I got the “B+W” as it was the only option that I felt would go with the desk. I do wish they had an all white option. I think that would look beautiful! If you want to see the desk and chair in action, make sure to watch the video I embedded below.

Finally, I wanted to share what is going on on the bottom of the desk. Something that was important for me was for the desk to maintain a clean, neat appearance and not have a gazillion cords all over the place. I went with the upgraded Autonomous Accessory Kit to help with some of that and then my husband mounted a Surge Protector with a 10-foot cord (to accommodate for the Sit-to-Stand height variations) on the bottom using heavy duty double-sided mounting tape and cord ties. Super happy with the final result!

Next up, I added an Essential Oil diffuser to help purify the air and act as an aid for productivity. I have found a few combos so far that really keep me focused (Stress Away + Lavender. Purification. Lemon + Peppermint). If you are into Essential Oils and have recommendations for other combos, I’d love to hear them!

Indoor plants make such a big difference when creating a healthier environment. Houseplants help to purify the air, remove toxins and essentially continually refresh the air. According to NASA research, indoor plants remove up to 87% of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) every 24 hours. VOC’s include substances like formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene – which can be present in everyday items like rugs, man-made fibers, inks, paint and even books and printed papers.

I used a few pieces of inspirational artwork to decorate and was lucky to find some that were modern and beautiful. I love looking over and catching a phrase or keyword when I am feeling unmotivated, tired or having a hard time staying focused. Not the prettiest but I ordered this very large quarterly dry-erase calendar. It makes it easy to stay on top of my editorial calendar and have a visual aid of what deliverables are due and when. My husband is planning on making me a custom wood frame for this. I’ll update this post with pics when it is done!

There are a few more things I plan to do to the space — paint the walls, get gold plated light switch covers and door knobs, maybe add an additional plant or two and get Miss Fergie the Berner a proper, non-toxic and perfectly coordinated dog bed to lounge on as she is the best <3.

In the meantime, this space is working really well and I absolutely love it. There is no question I am more productive, am very comfortable when working and it’s quickly become one of my favorite spaces in our house! Thanks for reading. Alyssa xo