Design goals: Around the world in 10 WFH setups

This is not an official study but a year ago, Instagram feeds show sunsets, food, and cats/ dogs. A year later, there are still cats and dogs, but food is cooked at home, and sunsets are framed with windows or doors.

With majority of the world confined at their homes, the online world documents and reflects this shift. From IG photos of restaurant food to people in pajamas baking bread, IG Stories turn from shopping sprees to supermarket runs, and IG captions turn from stressful situations at the office to reflections of working from home.

Work from home or WFH is a worldwide “solution” to fight the pandemic. It is one of the ways to keep economies rolling. IG now is filled with photos of WFH setups that an Instagram handle is just simply called WFH Setups (@wfhsets). The page compiles all the best WFH photos submitted all over the world, from netizens as far as South Africa, Belgium, Singapore, and even our own country.

What’s interesting is that no two WFH setups are alike, much like our fingerprints. Each one reflects the user’s personality, design leaning, and gives a hint of his or her profession. But one thing is same to all—everyone has some “piece of comfort” in their space, a reminder of hope amid these challenging times.

Here are 10 of the best WFH setups and check what you could learn (or even copy) from their design.

DESIGNER DREAM The WFH setup of @emilieepoulin, a designer based in California, reflects not only her personality but also her work. Her wall is adorned with calendars from all over the world, a source of design inspiration. Netizens rate this WFH setup a 10/10.

STANDING TALL Celest Lim (@celest.lim) from Singapore shares her portable and adjustable stand desk, which is useful when you want to stand while typing. She says it’s nothing fancy but keeps her standing “for that added energy boost.” The red poster on the wall is the Chinese term for “love of family.”

COMFY PACKAGE What’s not to love about the WFH space of @simjeeu of New York? Aside from the comfy seat, the well-lighted space, and the ideal position of the laptop, there’s a space on the desk for snacks, fruits, and coffee. And did we mention the cat? Makes working from home such a pleasant experience.

CLEAN LINES An online entrepreneur and video editor, Jesus (@osocreativemedia) from California, created a WFH setup that’s sleek, clean, and coordinated. He minimized the amount of cables going down to the floor and secured them to the desk using adhesive clip ties. He personalized the space with some toy figures and potted plants.

NEAT WORK An architect in Dubai, Ann Luke (@annjluke), shares her WFH space, which utilizes the wall for both storage and aesthetic purposes. Its black-and-white palette is elegant, with greens to soften the background. “Truly inspiring,” as one netizen commented.

MALE CODE Web developer Andres Vidoza (@andresvidoza) from Canada created an ideal masculine WFH space, complete with speakers, microphone, and “under lighting” to add a cool vibe to the atmosphere. Netizens described the setup as “dope” and it is not surprising as Vidoza carefully matched the elements together as shown in a makeover video.

PLANTS GALORE Tina Yang (@imtinayang), an illustrator based in California, who is a self-confessed “plant mom,” gets her inspiration from plants. So for her WFH space, she surrounded herself with plants of different shapes and sizes. In fact, she reveals that she’s now working on a design project that has to do with, yes, plants.

HOTEL VIBE At first glance, this must be inside a room of a classy hotel. It turns out to be the WFH setup of Vania Radmilla Alfitri (@vaniaradmilla) from Jakarta. She said that the extension of work from home compelled her to finally create this setup, as her “sitting posture was getting worse from working on the living room sofa.” The first step she did was to find a well-lit place in her home.

FUNCTIONAL FUN A young software developer from Ireland, Dylan Garrett (@developerdylan) combines functional with personal in his WFH space. Storage cabinets support the desk, which help make the space clutter free. Posters on the wall remind him of his favorite movies, Pulp Fiction and Fight Club.

CHARACTER SKETCH Raji (@earthy_hue_homedecor) from India brings flavor and color to her WFH setup. A combination of old and new, the setup earned praises from netizens as it is proof that you don’t need to spend much or purchase new items just to have an ideal space. One just needs to mix and match different elements creatively.