The 2020 coronavirus lockdown saw a staggering shift from work done in the office to employees working remotely from home. In the space of a few weeks in the early spring, the percentage of people working from home swelled to around 42% of the entire American workforce. For reference, before the pandemic, just over 5% of U.S. workers operated exclusively from home, based on data from 2o17.
With COVID-19 case numbers spiking, many people are likely to remain remote for many weeks or even months to come, and some people report plans to stick with a work-from-home arrangement even once offices are allowed to re-open.
Now that you’re spending multiple hours a day in your home office, you deserve the invest a bit in this newly relevant space. Or hey, why not invest a lot, because just think of the cash you’re saving without that commute? Here are 9 luxurious things you can buy for a home office that range from the practical to the semi-self-indulgent to the total splurge.
A Great Office Chair
The X-Chair X3 ATR Management Chair
There’s no substitute for a great chair, not when you’ll be sitting on it for hours on end, day after day. Sure, then X3 costs about a grand, depending on your options, but it is just about the most comfortable chair you will ever use. Variable lumbar support reduces back pain, an adjustable headrest, backrest, and armrests allow for custom comfort perfect for your body, and a molded foam cushion and breathable supportive mesh backrest material will keep you comfortable all day long. Also, it’s perfect for spinning in endless circles.
A Second Monitor
Auzai Full HD Panel Portable Monitor
If you don’t use two monitors when you work, then the game is going to be changed when you start. The ability to view a document, site, spreadsheet, and so forth on one monitor as you work with, email, or take notes on another will save you time and aggravation. This slim, high-definition monitor is large enough to work even on a decent-sized desk yet remarkably slim and lightweight, so you can bring it along with you whenever you start to travel again to get back to the actual office.
Your Personal Hydration Station
Fluidstance Fillup
Leaving a home office to head to the kitchen can be even more disruptive than leaving your office at work for a trip to the break room. At work, at least the colleagues who buttonhole you might be talking about work stuff; at home, it’s more likely you’ll get sidelined by the kids, by that little repair project you keep putting off, or a sad-eyed dog. With a Fillup on your desk, you can enjoy up to 70 ounces of water that will stay chilled for up to 24 hours. You’ll be better hydrated, which means more energy and alertness, which means better performance.
A High-Quality Speakerphone
Anker PowerConf Bluetooth Speakerphone
Sure, your iPhone’s speakerphone function is fine, but it’s not great. If your home office is your new all-the-time office, then you need hardware that will make sure you never miss a moment of a meeting, and that everything you say gets through with crystal clarity. This speakerphone can connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth or to a computer via USB-C cable. It will easily pick up voices even when you’re across the room and thanks to its six microphones placed around the unit’s exterior, the PowerConf can also be used in the center of a conference table once you get back to the office.
An Interactive Suite of Light Panels
Nanoleaf Canvas Smarter Kit
Add some interest to your office with these customizable light panels from Nanoleaf. They can be physically arranged however you want and can be controlled via app or even by touch. You can create a brighter, more productive workspace with cooler tones or create a more relaxed environment with warmer, softer colors. And you can even program the lights to change color at set times, ensuring you never miss a meeting or project deadline.
Add Some Living Plants
Bloomscape Money Tree
Live indoor plants add a bit of O2 to your space and a lot of great looks. A money tree from Bloomscape is guaranteed to arrive at your doorstep healthy and vibrant, and these trees are easy to take care of as long as you can get them a bit of light and remember to water the thing often enough. For smaller spaces or for your desk, they also offer plenty of smaller potted indoor plants that are equally easy to care for.
An Air Purifier Perfect for a Single Room
Partu Air Purifier
This air purifier is small enough to tuck out of the way unseen behind a chair, desk, or computer monitor yet rated for rooms up to a bit over 100 square feet. It will catch particles as small as 0.3 microns, which is sufficient for smoke, pollen, dander, and the aerosol droplets to which a virus like the coronavirus hitches a ride. It operates at noise levels barely above a whisper.
A Digital Canvas That Can Display Any Picture
Meural Canvas Smart Digital Frame
Every office needs some fine art to accentuate the space. But what if you’re in the mood for an Impressionist masterpiece today and some pop art tomorrow? Or what if you suddenly want a family photo to motivate you through a long workday? No problem: With a few taps on an app, your Meural Canvas can display a Van Gogh, a Warhol, or a picture from Disney World (back when it was safe to go to Disney World, that is). With a $70 annual membership to Meural, you get access to a staggering 40,000 works of art.
A Comfortable Arm Chair
Allform Armchair
It’s great to have an armchair into which you can sink for a moment spent thinking instead of clacking on the computer keys, to take a call while lounging in comfort, or even to grab a quick nap. Allform chairs are perfect for this WFH moment because they arrive at your doorstep in a box and can be carried into any space, even through narrow doorways, and then assembled in about a half-hour, including unboxing. Once built, no-one would ever know this was a modular chair that arrived in the mail. (Well, UPS truck.)
A Globe Bar
Design Toscano Italian Replica Globe Bar
Five o’clock comes at the home office, too, and with this classy globe bar tucked into a corner, you won’t have far to go to get that hard-earned after-work cocktail or glass of wine in hand. The interior has space for glassware or a few bottles, while the lower level can be used for storing wine or spirits or displaying your fine barware, such as the Cocktail Kingdom bar set from Hella Cocktail.
