Please visit our new site: Office-Envy.com

Hi!

You've made it to Office Envy's old blogspot site.

We're still up and running and having more fun than ever.
So come check us out at Office-Envy.com

Hope you'll join us!

Bringing the Outside In: Nature Inspired Office Designs

Last night we dipped our toes into the eternal debate for desk setters: would life be better if you had a job where you didn't sit at a desk all day. Over drinks withco-workers, we shared stories of friends who are teachers or yoga instructors or -- gasp --actors who don't sit at a desk and are therefore impossible to get an email back from immediately.

"How do they do it?" we say, shaking our heads.
"What do they do all day?"

But then, as the drinks keep coming, we start to think a little deeper about those questions that were flippant half an hour ago. "How do they do it?" becomes "Could I do it?" and "What do they do all day?" becomes "Would my day be better that way?" The debate continued both aloud and unspoken in our own heads, but by the end of the night, the only conclusion we had come to was that we'd ingested a week's worth of salty foods and carbs should be banned immediately from our lives.

We, the desk-set, may never find our own answer to would life be better without a desk job. We have a feeling that the only answer is best summed up by the pithy saying "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." And in honor of that thought, we're posting some pictures of inventive work spaces where they've brought that green grass right into the office.

For example, the design firm of HOK London has brought the ability to lounge on the lawn right into the office.

At this awesome office space in Milan, Italy, "the goal is to keep workers very relaxed." {via}

The chamber of commerce in the capital of Slovenia has put the principle into practice by filling their space with greenery.

And if you've ever found yourself admiring at the colors of fall foliage, you should know about Sugamo Shunkin Bank in Tokiwadai, Japan where it's always autumn (inside at least). The floor to window glass windows are decorated with 24 colors of stenciled leaves.

{All pictures via}

Does your work space bring the outdoors in? Let us know at OfficeEnvy@Gmail.com or Office_Envy on Twitter.

Reader Letter: Why I Love My Office

We always want to hear what you love about your office space.
One reader just sent us this picture of the sun setting over the Hudson River in Manhattan taken from the 11th floor window of their Chelsea office.




Love it.
Keep the pics coming!

Professional Advice: How to Decorate an Office with an Exposed Brick Wall

Dearest Desk-Setters,

We hope that you know that you can always come to us with an office design dilemma. Recently, one Office Envy reader did just that -- and we hooked her up with some professional help!

We received this email:
______________________________________________

"Dear Office Envy,

My desk has exposed brick behind it. How can I accessorize the wall without overpowering it...and taking into account that it's hard to hang things on?

Yours,

Feeling Exposed"

___________________________________________________

We took this design conundrum to our go-to source for design inspiration, Rekha Krishnamurthi, Creative Designer, www.divinedzigns.com who shared her design wisdom on exposed brick walls.

Rekha writes:

"Exposed brick in an office setting instantly adds character and rustic charm. What’s more is that it allows you to be creative and with the right accessories you can add a homely touch to an office setting. After all, most of hours of the day are spent in the office, so why not make it comfortable!

Some tips to keep in mind:

1. To emphasize the textured surface of the brick wall and highlight it as a focal point, avoid cluttering your brick wall with too many prints or wall hangings. Instead use large, simple prints, large wall hangings or wrought-iron artwork.
2. Use lighting to make the brick wall glow. Using spot light floor lamps or table lamps will allow you to direct the light onto the brick wall.
3. Use mirrors on the opposite side of the wall to create interesting an interesting reflection.
4. Look for interesting vintage or antique-type décor items to create a cohesive and overall retro feel.
5. Soften the industrial look and feel by adding neutral, earthy and rustic color fabrics and textiles for rugs, curtains and pillows."

Check out these mood board for inspiration!


If you have an office design dilemma, let us help! Email us at OfficeEnvy@Gmail.com or Office_Envy on Twitter!

"Day"cation

Frequent readers of Office Envy know that we almost always write as we.
But today I (I!) really need to break out and write as one...because this day is happening to just this one person, and because if the term day-cation turns into anything I (I!) want credit for it!

Today, I am taking a day-cation - more intuitively but less rhymingly called a "desk-cation" since I am working but on a day long vacation from my desk.

Here's how my day-cation came about.
Today had all the underpinnings of a work day headed for disaster.
The last two days I was traveling for business and unable to check the boxes off the to-do list like I normally would. Today I was supposed to be in a conference from 9-5, so I woke up at 6:30 to check some boxes before the work day began.

But as I frantically rifled through my bag for a fourth time it began to sink in that I had really lost the key fob I need to log into any of my work applications.

The plan was falling apart before my eyes. I wouldn't be able to get into the building without that key fob. Wouldn't be able to log into my computer from anywhere else either. How could I bang out that hour of work I was planning to accomplish before the conference started? The tech folk at the office don't arrive until 9 am - and they are the only ones (closer than their counter parts in India) who can do anything about this missing key fob issue.

Now- this author has long believed that everything happens for a reason (and, incidentally, that "everything ends up OK, if things aren't OK, it isn't the end"), and now, 6 hours after this day began in infamy and wound its way through tears and the West Village (looking for the damn key fob) I am realizing that everything really does happen for a reason because I have stumbled upon a work-life changing concept: a "Day-cation".

Once the tech team had arranged for a replacement fobs and the building security team ushered me in, rather than heading to the usual corner cubicle -- where, incidentally, I couldn't stay for long because the rest of my team would be there asking why I wasn't at the conference-- I bee-lined for a "phone room" and have holed up in there for the last solid 4 hours being blissfully productive, checking off boxes and ticking off to-dos and feeling generally cozy (my cup of tea helps with that) and effective (this morning's coffee helped with that).

And so I propose the following thesis to all those out there who are feeling a nagging case of a horrible day at work descending: if you can't take a vacation, take a day-cation, and switch up the scenery. My day-cation has left me feeling refreshed and ready to face my desk again with dignity (tomorrow, that is).

Ralph Lauren's Home Office

It's nice when an iconic entrepreneur extends their personal style to the office place -- especially when it's a global brand builder like Ralph Lauren.

This week we were invited to the offices of Ralph Lauren where we waited in this lobby where we were particularly impressed by the dark wood floors that were very Ralph.

Turns out Ralph Lauren himself has a very Ralph home office himself.

{Via}

Love RL style? He's got a whole line of home office products we'll feature soon.

A few more inspirational home office interiors

Please excuse our silence for the last few days while we worked on our site revamp project. Today we're keeping it short and sweet. For your viewing/design-loving/procrastinating pleasure: a few more inspirational home offices that mix whimsy with work.

{Via}