We took a nice, long holiday break over here at HOUSE of HARPER and now we are launching full steam ahead into our 2019 goals!

As you have probably seen on the blog and our Instagram stories, we have an office at WeWork which has been fantastic for our team. Having an official place to meet (instead of around my dining room table with Andrew and Knox!) helps boost our creativity and productivity. I’m a firm believer that an inspiring and organized office space makes all of the difference in feeling motivated. One of my favorite things about WeWork is the creative atmosphere — the large communal spaces are filled with chic furniture, plants, and art books, and the individual offices are glass-walled so that it creates an open feel while still providing privacy.

Our office at WeWork Galleria is an “Executive Office” which was designed to seat up to four people and has amazing views of Houston. Our team was recently tasked with a fun assignment: decorating another WeWork Executive Office space from scratch using our favorite office decor tricks. Below we’re sharing our favorite decorating hacks for turning a bare office into a can’t-help-but-be-productive work space!

1. Textiles

Nothing can warm up a bare room faster than textiles and texture. With a corporate office space, you might not be able to add curtains or a textured wall paper, but you can bring in an area rug and pillows for your desk chairs. Unlike our very feminine office, we kept this one neutral with a grey rug and white and brown pillows. These accents create depth and also bring the space together making it feel much more homey.

2. Home-Meets-Office

Often in a corporate office setting people don’t think to mix in “non office” furniture and decor pieces that would typically be found in a home — like traditional table lamps, accent tables, lounge chairs, couches, etc. We love mixing in those homey pieces to give our office a less stale feeling. This is a decor hack that WeWork does really well in their communal areas and we applied it to this private office. WeWork offices are already move-in-ready with desks, chairs, and filing cabinets, so we were able to use our decor budget to add in a few homey accent pieces including two leather chairs and a marble table.

3. Greenery

To avoid that gloomy feeling of being stuck indoors all day, bring the outdoors in with some cheerful plants! Low maintenance plants like succulents and fiddle trees are best for office spaces (AKA plants that don’t need care over the weekend!). We even think that fake plants make a room feel more vibrant and are definitely long weekend friendly!

4. Collaborative Nooks

We’ve all experienced the restlessness that comes from sitting at a desk all day. Sometimes even just moving to a different seating area can help spark creativity and motivation. The Executive Office has plenty of room so we created a little seating nook that encourages collaborative pow wows and also acts as a quiet spot to read the morning paper before jumping into your day. WeWork’s conference rooms on each floor are also perfect for collaborative meetings and a chance to leave the office for a bit.

5. Positive Vibes

To maximize productivity, it’s so important that your office is a place you enjoy being. Of course there are going to be days you don’t want to be at work, but by placing some positive energy in the space it can encourage you to stay motivated. A board with an inspirational message, a lit candle, art books for browsing, family photos, personal mantras on display, as well as sleek notebooks and desk accessories can all help create an inspiring and positive atmosphere. If you don’t have control over your entire office, you can at least make your desk your own little haven. And who knows, you might encourage your coworkers to jump on the positive vibes train!  

Have you been looking for a new office space to increase your productivity this year? Be sure to browse WeWork’s various office options!

Thank you WeWork for partnering with us on this post!