Amy-Mae Elliott over at Mashable has done a really nice job finding cool geeky items for the office. You can check out the list here. My favorite is the Million Dollar Homepage poster. As Amy-Mae says it’s inpsiring to think about a simple idea well executed can be so successful. I hadn’t heard the story behind the graphic poster. In 2005 Alex Tew, a student from Wiltshire, England created a website to help raise money for university. The home page was made up of a million pixels and the image-based links were sold for $1 per pixel in 10 × 10 blocks. If you bought a block you provided a small image and a URL was linked to the image that directed traffic back to your site. By January 2006 the final 1,000 pixels were sold on eBay. How much did Alex raise all up? $1,037,100 in gross income. Brilliant.
We have had a great response to our Wednesday Playlist music series. It seems a lot of us listen to music while we work so I thought for todays Unplggd post we’d take a look at stylish ceramic speakers.
“Nothing like sprucing up the sound bytes with a little ceramic creativity. We were once skeptical of the ceramic speaker idea, but after having brains melted with audio heaven at a local audiophile shop, we’re fairly convinced you can mix the two without much degradation to sound quality. Here are our picks to inspire some additional shiny to your music routine.
Our favorite from the bunch? The incredible looking Phonofonics II, of course! Even though it costs $835, it’s said to be able to get a 55 dB sound level out of your iPod without using any external power. Now that’s shiny and impressive! If we could only get our hands on one to check out the sound quality…”
By Anthony.
This story appears in partnership with Unplggd, a site for people who embrace technology and design in their home.
You’ve probably heard of Danny Seo. He’s the man who at 12 founded the organization Earth 2000 and by 18 he had turned the organization into “the country’s largest teenage activist charity, spearheading worldwide campaigns on behalf of the environment.” Today he works to green all sorts of large organizations including JC Penney with their Simply Green campaign and Method Products and their line of earth-friendly cleaning products. He also has his own line of beauty products and books.
What does his bulletin board look like? Clearly Danny has a lot on his plate and a single board couldn’t come close to containing all that he’s working on - so he installed three large burlap-covered boards in the corner of the room and created an inspiration wall. He used homasote, an environmentally-friendly material that is made from recyclable materials.
A self-confessed neat freak and organizing fanatic Benita Larsson lives in “a little gray 1930’s house” with her husband, young son and two cats. They’ve lived their for 11 years and “while haven’t made any major structural changes we have made our mark on every nook and cranny.” And when she’s not blogging about her house at Chez Larsson or selling her punch art from her online store, Benita works in the marketing department of a Swedish chain of stores where she is the visual merchandiser in charge of marketing campaign themes and window displays.
How long have you worked from home…and where is ‘home’? Home is in a Stockholm suburb in Sweden. I started working from home one day a week a year ago. Fridays are good days in many ways!
What does an average work day involve? I blog and the work I do is mostly unpaid and blog related; I help readers out with projects, I take photos and edit them for blog posts, I answer interview questions, prepare photo requests and occasionally invoice ads. I also tend to my little web shop.
Is there any form of technology that really inspires you and helps you in your work? About a week ago I got a Wacom Bamboo tablet and I’m dying to learn how to use it properly. If it works the way I hope, it will help me out enormously when sketching. Now all I need are a few more hours in the day to sit down and learn…
How do you organize your space? I try to keep everything as organized and clutter free as possible. My desk space is really small so anything lying about will disturb my arm movement. Everything has a designated spot and if I want to add anything something else must go. As for virtual space I just try to keep bookmarks organized and to a minimum and photos and documents in named folders. I keep my files backed up online but also got an external hard drive recently and transferred a lot of photo folders that I don’t use daily to it. That freed up a lot of space and made the lap top less cluttered.
What item from your desktop can you not do without? I can’t live without my laptop. It’s sick but I’m constantly at it. I think I need to take a lap top free weekend but I fear I’d die in the process. Ok, that determines it. I HAVE to take a laptop-free weekend. On a low tech note I love the four slots we have built in our home office unit. There’s one for my husband Martin, one for our son Wille, one for me and one for bills to be paid. It’s what keeps the desk top clutter free. Any piece of paper lying about goes into the owners slot and that person knows where to look for it when it’s missing from plain view.
What inspires you? Other creative people; bloggers, crafters, photographers, Martin and Wille.
Earlier this week we ran an interview with photographer Ellen Warfield about her Brooklyn office. I promised we’d put together a slideshow of her lovely “Work” series. Here it is. If you’d like to see more of her work check out the photo essay she shot for the Sundance Channel’s Full Frontal Fashion of Frank Tell’s Fall/Winter show.
1. Home Designing This is not the most beautiful interiors site in the world but it’s got some very interesting content. Where to start: An amazing post on the Oval Office and how the interior has changed over time. Believe me - it’s fascinating.
2. Guardian By now you know I’m a sucker for a good news site. I’ve posted about the BBC’s excellent Day in Pictures. Well the Guardian newspaper also does a great photo essay called “24 Hours in Pictures” on their website. Where to start: Start with today and jump around. They’re all good.
3. Inspiration Bit Put together by a Canadian-based web developer and graphic designer this blog has a ton of info on “web design and development, art and photography, other bloggers, tutorials on various topics, site reviews, internet prodigies” and is well-designed and easy to navigate. Where to start: Go straight to the time management tips and waste some time reading instead of doing.
4. Subtraction I am a big fan of NYT.com’s design director Khoi Vinh and I just discovered his fascinating blog. Where to start: His insider’s take on the iPad.
5. Vogue Living One of my favorite interiors magazine, Australian Vogue Living is packed with gorgeous and often eccentric interiors. (Full disclosure: It is also edited by my friend David Clark). They recently decided to present an online version of the magazine. It’s a slightly clunky format but the beautiful photography makes up for it. Where to start: Hamish Bowles’ home office. And definitely view it in full screen mode.
Deborah Bibby has worn a lot of hats in her worklife. She began editing fashion magazines and moved into interior styling. She had a book publishing business and is now the editor of Australian interiors magazine Real Living. I was lucky enough to work for the same company as Deb in Australia and can vouch for her inimitable style. When she’s not busy editing or dreaming up new book ideas you can find Deb blogging at Real Living.
As editor you have an office in the heart of Sydney. You live about 45 minutes away by the ocean. How much time do you spend in your home office? What kind of work do you find yourself doing there? My home office is like my sanctuary – it’s my creative place and I often lose myself in there for hours on a Sunday afternoon. It feels indulgent to sit and dream up ideas for work or for myself personally. Work really is my hobby (ssshhh)!
One thing I never do in my home office is tax, bill-paying or any other day-to-day chore. Instead, the space is for me to get creative. Prior to Real Living I used to have a small independent book publishing company, so ideas for books are constantly popping into my head. I have one running around in there at the moment, about old-fashioned beach houses across Australia. I am determined to capture their essence before they have all disappeared.
A few days ago, the cottage in front of my house was demolished to make way for an uninspiring modern glass box. I am not against strong contemporary architecture – done well it can lift the soul – but I do find it a little depressing when it’s all about the money and there is no respect for the emotions of a place. The buildings are often cheaply built, purely functional, emotionless structures. Soon the original beach house will be more valuable than the bunkers popping up everywhere and developers will struggle to comprehend it. Apparently the “McMansion” loses value the minute contracts are exchanged. A positive that did come out of the GFC was that the pressure was taken off families to keep up with the Joneses. Suddenly it’s okay to be a little humble.
How would you describe your home office? What is the design aesthetic?Less about style and more about the heart. I’d say my office has evolved over the years and acquired layers. I love the scale of my old architect’s desk – it’s weighty and substantial and makes me feel secure. The drawers are deep and smell of sawdust and paper. The retro curved plywood bench saves the space and stops it looking dated. I don’t think my office has a particular design aesthetic, but if I had to label it, I guess I’d call it “classic with an Australian edge”.
Does anyone else use your home office?No, the space is deliciously all mine (although I’d be happy to share).
How do you organize the space?I don’t. I tidied it up for your shoot but usually there are books, magazines, notepads, pencils and piles of paper across every surface including the floor. I don’t have a computer on my desk – I spend so much time in front of one at work, I don’t feel the need. I love a more tactile work space and am surrounded by images, rolls of wallpaper, bolts of fabric and precarious stacks of magazines. Although I do tidy up before I start any work so my head is clear.
In your job you must see a lot of great home offices. What inspiration have you taken from them? Have you seen the shots by Mikkel Vang of architect Rob Brown’s simple shed in Mudgee? [Two shots below - for more go to Vang's site] It’s not a home office, but it is inspiring – I think it’s important to try and bring nature into the workspace to keep the balance.
What impact do you think colour has on a workspace?A lot. That’s why I prefer a neutral palette – so I don’t get distracted.
What desk accessory can’t you do without? Sharp pencils and my iPod.
Is there a piece of furniture you’d love to replace?No.
What inspires you?All things visual. I love French Vogue and the editor Carine Roitfeld is inspiring with her irreverence. Elle Decoration is also a magazine I look forward to landing on my desk each month.Photographers Arthur Elgort, Ellen Von Unwerth and Australia’s Richard Bailey. More recently I have been seduced by the images of lifestyle photographer Mikkel Vang.Artists Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Adam Cullen and Martine Emdur – I have their postcards (that’s all I can afford) taped into notebooks.Peter Beard – I only have to flick through his book Fifty Years of Portraits to get carried away; is that weird?Music – Damien Rice’s 2002 album O. I am sure it would inspire anyone. I am also inspired by the sound of the tide coming in, and gathered flotsam and jetsam from the beach, like the shark-egg cases on my desk – they make me want to sketch.
“A couple years back we mentioned some helpful tips of how to safely deduct some of your home electronics purchases. So with the beginning of a new year and the always nearing tax deadline, we thought we’d refresh this course in home electronics deductions. In a time when iPhones, Blackberries, laptops, and other devices play double duty between work and play, following the guidelines below will insure you stay on the right side of the IRS deduction rules and save on taxes.
What You Need:
A filing system for receipts
A log/notebook
A legit business or job directly related to the equipment purchased
Instructions:
A couple years back the folks at Sound and Vision gave a very useful list breaking down in detail how anyone can legitimately deduct home theater equipment with some moderately involved business-filing footwork coupled with detailed records. It’s not too late to save a little money on your…ahem PS3 investments…but even if you’ve already filed, you can start collecting those receipts and filing for a business for ‘10 tax time following these steps:
1. Become involved with a business related to the tech purchased: for home electronics deductions to qualify from the perspective of the IRS, you’ll need to prove the equipment you purchased is necessary to get your work done, predominately used for business use, and directly related to a legit business with adequate income. Starting up an ad-free blog which you update once every month praising the Apple iPhone won’t legitimize righting off the device from the perspective of the IRS. But if you write apps for it, you’d likely be in clear waters.
2. 51% for Business: So you’re working on a paid project where you had to invest in some external hard drives to store video and sound files…but you also happen to use it to store your personal collection of Lady Gaga tunes. Make sure that 51% of that drive is used for work for a legitimate write off. This is called the 50% rule.
3. Deduct by Depreciation: for those items that pass muster in regards to 50% rule above, but that have the high potential to be used for personal enjoyment/activity (your laptop, cell phones, company car, etc), you’re best advised to write-off only a portion of the depreciation value by deducting a smaller, but safer percentage of the cost each year.
4. Keep Them Receipts and Keep a Usage Log! The safest bet for proving your beloved dual use home electronics is legit to the IRS is keeping detailed logs of time used for personal use vs. periods when your device was actually putting in work. Keeping your receipts and creating a business account for electronics (and other) business related purchases further spells out you mean business when using your equipment for business.
5. Connect the Dots: When we say connect the dots, we mean to check how everything related to your work is interconnected. You purchased a laptop and external monitor, but had to also purchase some USB cables later and some cable management products. These would all be deductible if your setup was used for work. And especially relevant in regards to paying for software, software updates and other ongoing costs of keeping your machine running.
6. Set Aside a Work Zone: We work specifically in a small space at home that is designated for work, keeping all our work computing/office equipment neatly organized within the space. Designated a space for work makes it easier to separate work tasks from personal time, alongside making it easier to include office gear like task chairs and desks alongside your tech gear for deduction. You may also be able to write off some or all of your home office from your rent/mortgage, depending upon your employment situation.”
Now, you’re going to have to just sit back and enjoy. I’ve been trying to figure out connection between this video and Lifework and I have to tell you there really isn’t one. But you should watch it. Take a break from your workday and enjoy the crazy cleverness of LA band OK Go! and their collaborators Synn Labs. It’s joyous to watch. (Don’t be put off by the guy splattered in red paint at the beginning - it makes sense in the end). Via my husband who keeps on top of these important things.
Before my visit to the Herman Miller headquarters in Michigan I wasn’t familiar with the Goetz sofa. Over the course of 4 days I sat in a variety of pieces from Herman Miller’s Modern Classics collection and this sofa definitely holds its own. There’s something really lovely about those high sides sheathed in a finely finished timber veneer. I came away trying to figure out how I could afford one - I’ll be saving my pennies for a while but it is a truly beautiful piece of design. Discover has just ran an interview with designer Mark Goetz or check out this video interview with him.
This story appears in partnership with 
You’ve probably heard of 
What item from your desktop can you not do without? I can’t live without my laptop. It’s sick but I’m constantly at it. I think I need to take a lap top free weekend but I fear I’d die in the process. Ok, that determines it. I HAVE to take a laptop-free weekend. On a low tech note I love the four slots we have built in our home office unit. There’s one for my husband Martin, one for our son Wille, one for me and one for bills to be paid. It’s what keeps the desk top clutter free. Any piece of paper lying about goes into the owners slot and that person knows where to look for it when it’s missing from plain view.
Photo: Chris Warnes
