Boss your home office into shape with luxury furniture, green technology and vintage design classics.
Hands up if you’ve invested in an expensive sofa and good bed, but bought a basic desk as soon as working from home (WFH) became a thing? Far from being in the minority, you are, however, doing yourself a disservice, one that Luxe Radar is keen to correct.
What began life as a temporary response to an unprecedented health scare, WFH is now our new normal. Given that we spend an average of 5 hours and 41 minutes at our desks a day (and, some days, it’s many more than that) and with hybrid location models the future of work, we think the time is right for a serious home office upgrade.
First up is a serious desk. Jonathan Adler’s Bond collection hits all the right notes, with its mid-century modern design aesthetic, all honey-hued Mappa burl and bold polished brass legs. At €4,390, it’s an investment piece that means business.
Those with space on their side (and expensive taste) can invest in matching pieces from the collection, and there’s a cool version where perspex sheets replace the brass legs. jonathanadler.com A cool desk needs a cool chair, which is seriously lacking in the home office department. Thankfully the stylish folks at LuxDeco have raised the game. We’ve our eye on their Monte Carlo desk chair, a smooth sycamore construction covered in luxurious velvet or suede. Looking seriously comfortable, it’s part of the decadent Giorgio Collection. €2,583 at luxdeco.com
If pared-back design is more your thing, you won’t find finer than USM, the high-end Swiss furniture company, who’ve been making their signature Haller modular furniture for 55 years. A smart system with industrial looks, each piece fits together to custom-create furniture and storage that’s just right for any home office set-up. Fully flexible, and available in a full suite of colours, it can be adapted and reconfigured as your needs change. Pictured is USM Haller home office desk and storage, €3,114, at usm.com.
Know what would look perfect on that timeless desk? Another design classic, the Anglepoise. The quintessential office lamp, these iconic pieces still look great and perform brilliantly. Available in multiple colours, modified sizes and as floor lamps, our choice is always the Original 1227 Desk Lamp in Jet Black. Launched in 1935, this British classic pioneered Anglepoise’s constant spring technology; in many ways, it’s the original office gadget, its sharp silhouette ensuring it still looks as cool as ever. €251, anglepoise.com.
And why not balance the vintage with the contemporary, in Bang & Olufsen’s Beolit 20? The fourth generation of the Beolit 17, their signature Bluetooth speaker, this luxury portable speaker offers a sleek new look, improved battery life and integrated wireless Qi charging capability (just rest your phone on top and it will charge). Delivering the kind of clear, refined sound
we’ve come to expect from this leading Danish company, the Beolit 20 costs €549 and comes in Anthracite and Grey Mist. bang-olufsen.com
Luxe Radar recently discovered the world’s first self-charging wireless headphones and fancies a pair for Zoom calls, podcasts and general all-round kudos. Designed by Urbanista, Los Angeles are powered by Powerfoyle solar cell material, using advanced green technology to convert all light, both natural and artificial, into energy. This guarantees endless audio, and not just on sunny days. They also have an 80-hour battery reserve on the off chance that light is not available. Featuring the latest in active noise cancellation and ambient sound modes on-ear detection, Siri and Google Assistant support, these Urbanista originals are compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows. From €203, urbanista.com
Anyone short on space and planning an exodus to the garden (perhaps turning WFH into WFG), will need a sleek office room outdoors. Luxe Radar loves the look of Tormar’s edgy Melton Pod, a bespoke outdoor room perfect for those with limited garden space. Completely tailored to your needs, the hand-built space can be fully fitted out with storage and a desk or left as a shell for you to furnish. Combining responsibly sourced wood, skilled craftsmanship and flexible design, it’s a light-filled office with a discreet side door and the standard model shouldn’t require planning permission. Built and finished on-site, The 2x3m pod starts at €14,000, see tormar.co.uk
This piece appeared in February's edition of Irish Tatler, free with the Business Post newspaper on the second Sunday of every month.
