home office work environment with brown and black desk, plush tufted mauve chair, sage green curtains, modern bookshelves, orange stool with books on it, brass lamp

Finding the Ideal Creative Environment

What is your ideal work environment? From bright, minimalist rooms to dark, moody caves, there is no correct answer to what space will inspire or nurture your creative impulses. Maybe your favorite spot is more about the perfect chair or chaise rather than an entire office. Perhaps the buzz of people or total silence is the make-or-break element in your creative equations. I don’t have all the answers, but I am starting to ask these questions as I reimagine my home office.

The Dark Cave Work Environment

My ideal work environment tends to be darker. When I wrote this article on the appeal of dark academia decor for fall, I couldn’t help but mentally redesign my home office with that choice in mind. Why? I find light and bright spaces distracting even when I am alone in them. Dark, moody rooms tend to focus me on the task at hand. There are no distractions, no playing shadows, and no bright voices outside filtering into the space. Instead, the atmosphere wraps me in comfort and allows me to lose myself in characters or ideas. Picture Alice falling down the rabbit hole. That’s my metaphorical creative writing process.

Bright, Happy Rooms

My husband is the exact opposite with his work environment. He opens the blinds whenever he enters a room. He finds the dark, moody vibe to be draining. Bright, sunny rooms or nooks raise his energy levels and allow him to channel that energy into his work. Somehow, he can block out the distractions of a gorgeous Southern California day and use the brightness to encourage his creative juices even when what he is writing is darker in tone.

The Straight-Backed Chair and Desk

I have a friend who is quite prolific, but she can’t write unless she is in a straight-backed chair at an empty desk. The room itself doesn’t matter — she can be in a public library or at her dining room table. But there is something about sitting up straight at a desk that signals to her that it is time to get to work. This scenario can work for me if I have a deadline or when I’m working on “information” articles rather than creative writing. Otherwise, I tend to squirm as I get uncomfortable, and that discomfort acts as a break in my concentration.

Cozy Comfort

Some people can only welcome their muses if they are snuggled up in a big plush chair, lying across a couch, or propped up in bed. I imagine this is because these cozy nooks represent safety. Once they feel cocooned in comfort, they can let go of their concerns about their physical environment and dive into their creative pools. Plush chairs and couches can be pretty enticing to me, and I’ve never tried writing in bed except journaling. Maybe it is time I gave it a shot.

The Retreat Work Environment

I once drove two hours to spend three days in a hotel doing nothing but writing. I was finding it hard to concentrate, and I had a deadline. So, I went to the hotel and just wrote. It was wonderfully focusing because I wasn’t going to waste my money or time distracting myself on the Internet, watching TV, etc. Instead, I had a finite amount of time to finish the draft. And I did it. Joshua Tree is a big draw for creatives based in and around Los Angeles. Being in the desert, away from daily distractions and surrounded by stark beauty, the artist tends to come out to play. I just wish I could afford to schedule more of these writing retreats!

How about you? Do you have an ideal spot? Is there a location or environment that always sparks your creative energy? Feel free to share in the comments. I’d love to know.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *