Nancy Meyers movies have shown us that no matter your job title (ad exec, playwright, bakery owner), you deserve to have a warm and welcoming office. The director behind hits like The Holiday, What Women Want, and The Parent Trap even decorates her own WFH space like the ones you’ll find in her films: A long table provides ample space to scatter about baskets filled with important papers, photo frames, and various vessels for pencils and stationery.
And for the days when Meyers wants to get a little more comfortable while she works, there’s a plush armchair and footstool nearby. Sounds like ideal emailing conditions to us. If you want to make your personal HQ a little more Nancy Meyers–like, here are seven things you’ll need to start.
A Desk That’s Actually a Dining Table
Granted, Meyers’s characters needed a little extra space to accommodate their large desktops, but anyone out there with a monitor will appreciate that this simple swap leaves plenty of room for files and a carafe of water.
A Leather Desk Pad
Just as when you layer a rug over a carpet, plopping down a leather desk pad will make the area feel a bit cozier.
Shallow Trays and Tall Baskets
Meyers’s characters tend to thrive in organized chaos. They’ve got way too much stuff on their desks, but at least everything is contained in trays and baskets, making it a little easier to find their favorite pen.
A Pencil Holder
Speaking of your favorite pen: wood, leather, rattan—you can’t go wrong with a cup-shaped holder. If you happen to have an unusually large collection of writing utensils (mixed in with scissors and Sharpies), do like Meyers and use a ceramic jug instead.
A Sleek Swivel Chair
The Eames Aluminum Group Chair makes an appearance not once but twice in The Holiday: There’s a white version in Cameron Diaz’s character’s office in L.A. and a black one in her love interest’s U.K. home.
An Articulating Table Lamp
While you’ll often find traditional lamps with big linen shades in the director’s living rooms, she prefers modern fixtures that can swivel for an office.
A Simple Vase for Flowers
This is one lively touch you should embrace whether you work from home or commute to an office.
