Planning my home office

[FusionChefGeoff]

After 2 fucking years I have finally got rid of the behemoth of a wardrobe that dominated the room I use as my office.

I WFH most days and am excited about creating a proper, smart, useful space at last.

Carpet has come up lovely to reveal nice dark wooden boards. I'm thinking of getting a reclaimed planks table / worktop to fix in across the short wall as a desk.

I have a beautiful leather chair and an ok ish dark oak bureau.

I like vintage / retro / bo ho rather than Uber modern and if I see another grey grey grey room I will scream

I'm thinking of rows of white painted wooden shelves across the longer wall with perhaps a low bookcase / sideboard underneath.

What tips / inclusions should I put in at this stage? Anything you love about your home office? Anything that drives you mad??

Any images / resources of inspiration apart from searching endlessly on Pinterest..

I have afootrest and a laptop rest which I use sometimes, as varying the angle of feet on floor and laptop on desk helps avoid repetitive strain. I also have two big cork boards and some giant A2 post its. The corkboards are for inspiration, deadlines, key notes and timelines, but I also put prompt cards on them just above my eyeline so that anything very technical or detailed that I need to discuss via Skype or phone flows out of my mouth without getting stuck in menopausal wooly brain.
I have framed photos of DC and DH so that when I feel very unmotivated I look at them to remind myself why I want to get a project done and bring money in.
Loads of bookshelves, but my job involves lots of reference books, so that's not necessarily vital.

I love that idea about a board for prompts within eyeline for calls - definitely doing that!

Your plans sound similar to mine, I want a worktop as a desk which would span the whole wall underneath the window. Also dark flooring and will use the opportunity to go dark/masculine and a bit more adventurous with the decor compared to the rest of the house - thinking very dark blue walls with maybe a hint of colonial/tropical in the form of a feature wallpaper (just need to convince DH on that bit!). Big squishy brown leather office chair and dark bookcases, wooden Venetian blinds...

Had Sharps come and design something but decided I can't stand the look of their office stuff - kitchen cabinet style things on the walls - yuk!

Millie - that's great advice about the visual reminders of key points/ words. I struggle off the top of my head too and really kick myself. When I'm relaxed, I can drone on for hours about my subject (as DH will attest to).
I've just been asked about getting involved in media soundbites, etc but had to turn it down. Perhaps with more practice like this, I'll become better equipped and not as panicky.