I’ve been working at home for over 6 years now and having a workspace that you actually like being in makes all the difference in the world when it comes to productivity. I know work from home is a new reality for a lot of people, so I thought I’d share my tips for how to make your desk more joyful. And what’s more joyful than color?! Follow these 5 easy ways to add color to your desk and you’ll be working happier in no time!
1. Change Desk Details. If you don’t have a colorful desk and don’t want to give the one you have a full makeover, consider small changes to some of the details. I made our mounted wall desk, and while I went for brown shelves and a brown stain, I was also able to add a pop of color on the brackets by spray painting them. It’s a subtle detail but it changes the feel of the desk. Maybe your desk hardware could be swapped for something more colorful? Maybe you could line the shelves with colorful paper? Take a second look at your workspace and see if there’s anything fun you can add to your base!
2. Get Organized. Adding color THROUGH organization is by far one of my favorite things to do because you don’t really have to do anything besides clean and display what you already have. If your supplies are colorful, consider opting for clear bins (this will also be easier for finding exactly what you’re looking for). You can grab colorful storage once you’ve decided a color scheme, and this will help you hide a bit of clutter if you need. Putting your supplies in ROYGBIV order will give you small rainbows throughout your entire space.
3. Art, of course. This is an area where you shouldn’t feel like you need to invest a lot of money in order to have art in your home. You can easily make your own art or search Pinterest and blogs for free printables (there’s always The Crafted Life Shop prints too). For the color swatches in my space, I cut fabric and dyed it. There are definitely ways to add color to your walls without breaking the bank. Regardless of how you source your art, just make sure it’s makes you happy and inspires you to work.
4. Plants. When it doubt, add plants. This tip goes for just about every space in your home. Not only will you get a pop of green, but they also add life and an organic feature compared to everything else in the space. I listed a bunch of my favorite hard to kill houseplants in my book Hello Color if you need guidance on which ones to buy.
5. Accessories to Bring it All Together. Swap that black mouse pad for a rainbow mouse pad or color wheel mouse pad! If your chair is a neutral color (like mine), add a colorful blanket to the back for a pop of color, and a bit of texture and comfort. Find colorful bookends, letter boards, scissors, pens, file folders, etc so that everything you use to style with brings that bit of vibrancy. Check out my shop for more of these items!
And that’s it! The only thing left is to put it all together. Here’s an action GIF of how I styled my workspace: