By Karen Parr-Moody
The historical Covid-19 quarantine profoundly changed our lives and introduced societal byproducts as large swaths of people stayed home. Now, Instacart saves us from the pushcart, sweatshirt dresses are a thing and people who rarely cook bake artisan bread. The quarantine caused changes in the workplace, too. Telecommuting came into fashion, bringing with it a growth sector for home décor, according to experts.
As worker bees adapt to this swift change, they seek aesthetically pleasing props to transition a home space into a functional and spiffy office/Zoom backdrop. And GasLamp Antiques and Decorating Mall has everything one needs to make a home office sing.
This midcentury modern desk by Sligh-Lowry would be the perfect anchor piece for the stylish office ($1,395; B-120). Made out of walnut, it features a tambour top that will hide any messy paperwork from sight. Among the other delightful features: Cubbies in the back, a file wall, a slide-out tray for holding a laptop (before laptops, it accommodated a typewriter, natch) and – the charmingest feature – a little corkboard.
Those who favor a home office that blends seamlessly with its surroundings should seek a storage system beyond the filing cabinet, which can look sterile. This rattan chest by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams is a much softer accent piece that is pretty and practical ($995; B-389). The black-and-sand geometric pattern woven from rattan seems inspired by a faraway tribe, giving an otherwise sleek chest a hint of the exotic. The metal, geometric hardware ties it together nicely. To transform it into an office-ready piece, fill it with storage boxes designed to house hanging files.
Digital eye strain is real. The savvy employee will seek enlightenment via this charming desk lamp, in a vintage brass finish, modeled after a traditional piano lamp. ($48; Booth 2012). This lamp offers convenient task lighting for writing letters, editing papers or reading documents at one’s desk.
Among the many objet d’art are must-haves for a stylish home office? The world globe, which lends a sense of gravitas to those Zoom meetings. Beyond that singular task, a globe fills the viewer with whimsical wanderlust, a necessity in these times of quarantine and endless “hunkering down” (in the parlance of Will & Grace actor Leslie Jordan). Globes also provide an opportunity to spritz an office with a bit of color. This globe at Booth B-206 features a fetching palette of sage, mustard, blue and pink against a parchment-like background ($39). Set this on your desk and you’ll be plotting your next globe-trotting getaway in no time.
Since we’ve come to rely on mail service more than ever, a letter opener for one’s home office is obligatory. Why choose a utilitarian version from the modern era when you can find an infinitely more interesting one from the past? With this vintage letter opener by Virginia Metalcrafters, the choice is obvious: This solid-brass piece will flatter a desk in ways the others can only dream of. The handle – a collie motif with flowing fur and perky ears – makes the most of its functional role and couldn’t be more charming. The maker’s mark of Virginia Metalcrafters, a firm founded in 1890, stamps the opener’s back. It’s the perfect choice for someone who leans to the classic and happens to love dogs
At booth T-370, a vintage map cabinet offers the ultimate storage solution for maps, plans, art, blueprints and other flat documents ($925). Made of oak, the cabinet features 12 slide-out drawers with a Rand McNally map on the bottom of each one.
Many professionals acquire a wide array of books to be stored; this vintage doctor’s medicine cabinet provides a chic storage solution ($1,775). It is extra wide with six drawers, six shelves and glass-front doors. The dove gray color, acting as a neutral, fits into a variety of color schemes.
A well-decorated home office lets you set household distractions to the side so that you can get down to business. With a few GasLamp finds, you can turn your home office into a curated space that inspires.
Header photo: Grovemade on Unsplash.
Product photos: David Wariner.
