An inside look: The Gift Designer

Feb 21, 2017|

• Domicile

According to a study in 2016 by the TUC (Trade Union's Congress), a national trade union centre in the UK that represents the vast majority of organised workers, revealed that a staggering quarter of a million (241,000) more people work from home than a decade ago. So we decided to go undercover and take a snoop around some home offices to find out more.

This week we caught up with 37 year old Abigail Warner who is based in Derby. Abigail designs luxury paper goods for weddings, businesses and people who just love design and paper.

Where is your workplace?
I divide my time between working from home and going to my studio. Home is where I can put my creative head on while the studio is where my designs get made so they're two different workplaces.

How do you feel about more people working from home?
I’m a procrastinator - and I love to spend time thinking through ideas and plans and my home is a very tranquil space so I find that I can be much more productive when working from home.

Which room is your home office in?
In one of our spare bedrooms that has a lovely aspect out to the back garden which is a small but pretty walled garden.

What does your home office look like?
I have a very minimal aesthetic - with a lot of white and the occasional splashes of pink, gold or black to give it a luxurious feel.

What's in your home office?
I love a large desk, white obviously, so that I can spread out either inspiration and ideas or work projects. I have a laptop but no cabinets or printer these are all at the main studio.

Was it easy to organise the space?
Yes really easy, my aesthetic plays to a simple approach and not over complicating design or placement choices. It's a personal thing.

How tidy is your home office?
Exceptionally tidy - everything has its place indeed! So I have folders for everything that is printed but to be honest I try and keep most notes digital - although I still have traditional diary.

Do you share your home office?
I’m the only one who could cope with all of my tidy rules so my home office is just for me. I do share my studio space though with my team and luckily they understand my quirks and need for constant tidiness (and no visible cables).

How do you plan your day?
I make sure I prioritise work before anything else but I definitely do the odd chore like washing, cleaning or prep for a weekend guest/event. I also like to browse various social media platforms like instagram and pinterest for inspiration. This is my favourite bit of the day as it's work but also relaxing.

Complete the sentence...'I love my home office because....?'
It’s an extension of my brand which in turn is an extension of my life. It's all in lovely harmony and feels very authentic.