The lost world of desk decor

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 3 of 13, F23 *
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What's on your desktop? I don't mean the one on your screen; I'm talking about the actual physical surface you sit at to do work. A second question: Does it matter?

There was a time long before the pandemic when it did, or at least seemed to. Office workers made themselves comfy with arrangements of photos and calendars and personal objects, turning cubicles into creative self-portraits.

Then 2020 happened, and we cobbled together makeshift equivalents at home. Adrian Tomine's New Yorker cover that December showed this disorienting new space with masterful precision:

Titled "Love Life," the illustration clearly represents a virtual date where what's on camera matters and everything else doesn't. But the office version had the same dichotomy, as we performed productivity while the mess of life stayed outside the frame.

Now, the return to office has many of us commuting a few times a week to unassigned desks where any belongings we bring with us get scooped up and returned home at the end of the workday. And on Zoom calls the other days, we might deliberate over digital backdrops or position a few meaningful titles on the bookshelves behind us.

We design for what's behind. And we've been misled. All along, it's what's in front of us that really matters, even though our colleagues can't see it. It's time to repopulate our desks with things that matter, things that make us feel grounded and authentic in this unsteady new realm of hybrid work.

What you choose is deeply personal, but if you're looking for a starter kit, I can suggest three items that will get you going.

A luxurious pen

Life on a keyboard is elevated by even the sight of a pen. Having it nearby might encourage you to jot down ideas in a memorable format, or allow you to escape yet another boring meeting with some artful doodling.

My go-to is a LAMY safari, a design that launched in 1980 and is still going strong. Check out the model above at Take Note, as well as lots of other stylish selections.

A hefty paperweight

The gravity-free world of endless text-messaging gets a comeuppance when you have something heavy on your desk. Even if it's not weighing anything down, it lends your space a gravitas that may help you endure the more trying workday moments.

Paperweights range from pleasingly abstract to eye-catchingly representational. If bewildered by all the options, you can simply use a rock.

A trusty stress reliever

Perhaps the most valuable desk object is one that brings your blood pressure down when work is driving you crazy. It might be a goofy family vacation photo or a small toy that takes you back to childhood.

I'm a big believer in something soft and pliable. Deep breathing and Headspace meditations can only take you so far. Sometimes you need to exorcise your demons with a good physical squeeze.

Got a desk essential that doubles as a form of self-care? Scroll down to the Comments section and let us know!

Last call for Canadian Modern

If you're a reader in Toronto and still haven't seen the ROM's brilliant exhibition on Canadian design, here's a heads-up that it's closing on Sunday, October 15. Need some extra encouragement to go? Check out Saluting Canadian design at the ROM, my review from earlier this year.

Thank you for reading.