Friday Finds: WFH Aesthetics

Make your temporary situation permanent—and pleasurable—with products from these California makers.

Work from home—over the past 15 months you’ve either done a little or a whole lot, and now that some companies have decided to let their employees work from home full time, many of us are making permanent changes to our setups. For this month’s Friday Finds, we’re highlighting a few products that have made our lives easier during quarantine.

If you’re fortunate enough to have your own dedicated office space, congratulations! You probably haven’t experienced the shame of a half-naked roommate appearing in the background of your Google Meet. Temporary setups can work, but what if the lighting is bad, the room gets noisy, or you need to get dinner going for the kids while you finish up your last Zoom of the day? The Tripod Desk Pro from San Carlos, California-based company Intension Design is perfect for anyone who needs a desk surface that moves with them. The telescoping design means it can work for seated or standing positions, but more importantly it can go places a traditional desk can’t. The Pro model will set you back $299.99 versus $179.99 for the standard model, but the Pro features more than 2x the surface area so you’ve got space for things like a notepad, a mouse and a coffee cup. Add-on accessories include wheels, a portable charging hub, and a clip-on cup holder.

We’re also loving the products from FluidStance, specifically in their On Desk category. With 4 colors to choose from, the Slope ($59) is a dry-erase surface that fits perfectly between your keyboard and your monitor, and will make sticky notes a thing of the past. The Lift ($69) integrates the same dry-erase surface into a laptop riser, and the Fillup ($139) is a stylish, double-walled water tower that holds 110 ounces of liquid so you’ll never run out of water at your workstation. The Santa Barbara-based company makes a point of sourcing raw materials from within California, and uses part of their profits to fund local charitable organizations like the Santa Barbara Channel Keeper’s Alliance.

But achieving work/life balance isn’t just about work gear. You’ve gotta make sure you’re taking care of your mind and body. That’s why we’re highlighting AMASS, who infuse all their products with natural botanical extracts and essential oils for maximum self-care impact. Their line of soaps, hand sanitizers (of course), and candles will create the ultimate vibe in your home office. We’re especially loving their Art of Staying In candle ($48), with its notes of chamomile, jasmine, lavender and eucalyptus. Or mix and match with the Clean Ritual Set ($79), which include soap, hand sanitizer, and a bottle of their Riverine non-alcoholic botanical spirit.

Last but not least, don’t forget the fresh air. If you don’t have a window with a view in your home office space, why not create one? Driftward, an online purveyor of fine-art photography from around the world, offers an array of scenic vistas to daydream about between Zoom meetings. Simply browse their online gallery and search the globe for your favorite moment. Each “uncommon perspective” comes with a personalized story by the artist and can be framed or sized to your preference. So what will it be? Almafi At-a-Glance? Santa Monica Sunset? Whale Sharks in Quintana Roo? The world is your oyster.