Remote working is on the up and many of are us facing the prospect of working from home for weeks – and even months – to come. So we want to offer some simple yet effective interior design tips for creating beautiful, practical and inspiring work from home spaces. 

There’s been so much attention in recent years about the benefits of creating incredible office spaces for employees. Because it helps boost morale, increase productivity and, as a whole, make us feel happier at work. The space we occupy can impact everything from our work ethic to our mental health, so it’s never been more important.

Versatile office furniture from our trusted supplier Globewest

Why is design important at home?

We’re huge advocates of this movement. As we collectively face the uncertainty of remote working and working from home, we want to help you create a space that inspires creativity, comfort and practicality. A space that will motivate you to stay focused even while you’re away from the traditional work environment.

As the founders of Designbx, we’ve been working from home for 5 years. And along the way we’ve picked up some great interior design tips on how to create truly inspiring workspaces.

Here are 5 interior design tips to help you spruce up your workspace, today

1. Green is good

Nothing brightens up a space or your mood like bringing the outdoors in. So position your workspace by a window, or simply add the touch of some live plants or freshly cut flowers. Green is the colour of life, energy and vitality and is the most relaxing colour to the human eye. So it makes sense that adding a touch of green to your home office will make those long days a little brighter. For some inspiration, read our blog on the best indoor plants for every room.

2. Bigger isn’t always better

There are so many clever products and techniques we can use to maximise your workspace. You don’t need to live in a large home to be able to create an effective workspace. From clever desk and chair designs to space-saving storage solutions and multi-purpose furniture, we can help you make the most of what you’ve got. 

3. Add a touch of personality

Be it pictures of your loved ones, a drawing from your child, or a memento from your favourite holiday. Adding a personal touch to your workspace will ensure you don’t lose sight of why you’re working so hard in the first place. Because it’s important to foster connections to the people around you and the things that bring you joy.

An inspiration wall keeps spirits high, be sure to rotate key images week to week, stay fresh! 

4. Go towards the light

Scientific research proves there are real benefits to spending time in natural light-filled spaces. So setting up your home office somewhere that offers a source of natural light will be an instant mood booster. Because it reduces the need for artificial lighting that drains your energy, and adds to your power bill and environmental footprint. If your home doesn’t offer much in the way of natural light, consider making your workspace “transportable” and taking yourself and your laptop off to the garden, a park or a nearby cafe for a few hours each day.

5. Hit all the senses

It’s not just about how a space looks – make sure you capture your other senses…

• Try adding your favourite candle or an aromatherapy diffuser.
• Make sure you have access to your latest Spotify soundtrack.
• Add some beautiful textures by way of cushions or a cheeky stress ball.
• Make sure you have a bowl of your favourite snacks on hand.

A great space is about capturing all of the sense, and a home office is no exception. 

Everyday furniture can become beautiful, custom-designed workspaces for the home. 

Over the coming weeks we’ll be sharing more tips and hacks on maximising your work from home experience, so make sure you’re connected with us on Instagram and Facebook. 

We’re also offering 50% off our Transform Design Packages because we want to help you create a beautiful space that will support your well-being and productivity as we all navigate new ways of working. 

The post Interior design tips to create a great home workspace appeared first on Designbx.

The shade and cool of winter days are passing for another year as we get ready to bask in the warmth. Hooray! Spring brings a feel like no other season, with fresh breezes, vibrant gardens and lighter days. Let’s embrace the change and take advantage of how spring can lift the spirit of your space indoors. These five quick tips are simple and affordable ways to prepare your space for spring and look forward to summer.

1. A colour refresh

Colour is a really direct way to change the mood of any space. Packing away the warm reds, oranges and darker blues / greens will make way for the lightness of spring. Replace these colours with neutrals like blush, baby blue or sage greens. Colour change can be as dramatic as painting an entire room, or as simple as a new piece of wall art or a few scattered cushions. As long as the balance is weighted to the lighter tones, you will feel the lightness of spring in the air.

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Shop the look https://designbx.com/shop-the-look/coastal-office

2. A second set of soft furnishings

Cushions, throws, bedding and window dressings tend to get heavy in not only colour, but also texture, over winter. Having a second set of soft furnishings for the warmer months allows you to rotate with the change of season. Linens, cottons and sheers are all soft in texture and mood. The colours they absorb embrace the elements of spring and summer. Store the heavy weaves and knits into space bags after a good wash and they will be ready to bring out next autumn.

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Shop the look https://designbx.com/shop-the-look/hamptons-hangout-coastal-interior-design/

3. Bring nature into the home

One of the best parts of spring is the rejuvenated garden. Bring the outdoors in with fresh cut foliage and flowers in a collection of simple vessels to showcase on your dining table or sideboard. This is a fresh and stylish way to bring some colour and nature to your interior space.

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Shop the look https://designbx.com/shop-the-look/boho-sanctuary/

4. Pack away the rugs

Depending on your flooring, we tend to cover the floors with rugs during the cooler months. Use these warmer days as an opportunity to release the dust and enjoy the open floor. The aesthetic of a rug-free space visually opens the area, makes it feel lighter and changes the look without having to spend a cent.

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5. A Spring clean and reshuffle

During hibernation, we spend much more time indoors, and who hasn’t pondered a reconfiguration of furniture that you just haven’t been bothered to really explore? Use the spring clean as a chance to move the furniture out of its comfort zone, get to the dust underneath and move it  to a new spot. You will be amazed at how much difference a bit of a mix up can make, just rotating existing pieces of furniture. Swap the sofas to opposite sides of the room, maybe bring in a piece of art from another room or swap around some side tables for a new look. It’s like extreme musical chairs, where trial and error is the name of the game.

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So this season, literally take the indoors out and reconsider how and where everything goes back. It doesn’t have to be permanent, and now is the perfect time of year to freshen things up.

If you have a design related question or quandary, jump onto our Facebook page to ask one of our professional designers or find out more tips on interior design.

The post Top 5 ways to transform your home from winter to spring appeared first on Designbx.

Renovating can quickly and easily become an extremely expensive task. Fittings, fixtures, sinks, vanities, stovetops, bathtubs, tradespeople and those sneaky unforeseen costs. It all adds up and before you know it your budget can be blown out of the water! But you needn’t worry if you don’t have the budget for a full kitchen or bathroom renovation with these 5 simple ways to refresh your space with the costly renovation bill.

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1. Update your bathroom taps and accessories. Cost effective and a quick fix, updating tired or old school tapware and accessories can instantly bring a bathroom into 21st century design. Going for simple on trend chrome, brushed nickel or black tapware will instantly give your bathroom new lease on life.
   

2. Lighting in your bathroom or kitchen should never be underestimated, both for practicality and keeping your space looking beautiful. Changing old fluorescent lighting or improving poorly lit spaces with downlights and well placed pendants can make your space feel new again.
   

3. Do you have a retro or dark glass shower screen? An instant giveaway of a bathroom’s age can often be the shower screen. A 70’s or 80’s bathroom shower screen with thick, coloured glass and door hardware can really close in a space. By simply replacing this with a cost effective semi-frameless shower screen, you will open up your space and a achieve a quick reno on a shoestring budget.
   

4. A new sink and tap in your kitchen is a quick and cost effective way to update the most used area in your home. Modern looking sinks and taps can instantly add value to your kitchen and make it feel loved and recently renovated.
   

5. Replacing your benchtop with modern laminate can instantly brighten up a kitchen, adding value for a fraction of the cost of a full renovation. Modern laminate has comparable heat and scratch resistance to stone and many finishes mimic the natural textures of more expensive materials, making it the perfect choice. Depending on your current door hardware, updating your handles could also tie in quite nicely with a new benchtop, without the need to replace cabinets.

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If you are looking to fully renovate your wet space you can always talk to Designbx for a professional and high quality interior design solution!

The post 5 Ways to Update Your Kitchen and Bathroom Without Renovating appeared first on Designbx.

The blanc de blanc approach for the home interior style of ‘The School’ is a perfect blank canvas for the evolving creative needs of the space. Photographic studio one minute with natural light beaming off the all white surfaces, and Shibori workshop the next, full of creative souls enjoying a special kind of morning tea with friends.

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Simplicity and soulfulness seems to be the essence of Sydney-based Megan Morton’s design philosophy. Whether it’s her home interior style or photography layouts, she manages to dig deep and find the things that tell a story. Pairing back to a few curated pieces in a room is a real challenge, but Megan has this skill down-pat.

“Stylists are doing one thing one day, another the next and by weeks end have been asked to do the impossible”, she writes in her book, Things I Love. Well, she certainly makes it look easy.

Her concepts are shared among florists, photographers, engineers, embroiderers and general craftsman in a variety of impressive trades.

According to Megan, “What (stylists) do best is work with other people who are really good at their thing and deliver a result that works for everybody.”

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It is within these circles that she shares her success, acknowledging the teams of experts that make her style and its outcomes beyond amazing.

“Having something lovely to look at” is important to her, especially in her own interior style. When creating a space that is personal to you, it can be difficult to find a starting point. Great design is often found in detail that doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive – a small token that generates a memory or a moment that you can’t not have on display such as handwritten postcards, a collection of watches or a pile of linen bound books. Seeing your prized possessions in all their glory as you pass them each and every day is priceless.

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Making the most of what you’ve got is another great lesson from Megan. She writes about awkward spaces or ‘kooky small rooms’. Her approach is to embrace what you have and allow life to take place in these spaces just as they are supposed to. Never just assume a space has to take the path it has in the past. Transforming a usually ignored corner into a cosy reading nook or the space under the stairs into an office changes the way you think about your space and can open your way of living into something you had never imagined.

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“Houses don’t need to stick to one colour palette”

Megan has been seen to experiment in her own home with painting half of the floor black and the other white just to experience the difference of living in a space with two contrasting floors. There is no greater way to know what works best for you in your home until you have lived in it. Have fun with colour, because a change is as good as a holiday.

So, next time you need to make a decision on refreshing your own space, take a leaf from the pages of Morton’s style files: be original, create a space that tells your own story and have fun along the way!

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TOP 10 THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT Megan Morton:

1. She rocks a maxi skirt like no other
2. Her genuine admiration and respect for all of the creative counterparts that support her
3. Ability to hero a few key pieces in a room that could be tempted with waaay to much ‘stuff’
4. ‘The School’ and all of its unique and expert workshops
5. Appreciates the elements and principles of design ‘rules’, but isn’t afraid to break them
6. Gypsy soul that makes a work/family life balance seem possible
7. Appreciation for handmade craftsmanship
8. The collection of arm jewels. Just WOW!
9. Values a great sense of humour
10. Appreciation for art 

Top 5 Megan Morton styles I love:

1. The most successful colour schemes have a dominant colour and a subordinate colour
2. When things go wrong, it can force you to create a new set of solutions even better than the first
3. A mantra of ‘something old, something new, something rough, something smooth’
4. Don’t use the straight-backed seating from the 16th Century when no one had time to sit down
5. Even if something is expensive, it only has value if you love it.

This article was written by Kylie Monteleone, @Spacedresser and Designbx interior designer. 

The post Famous Interior Designers: Megan Morton and her home interior styles appeared first on Designbx.