Home office styling with the IKEA x HAY ‘YPPERLIG’ range

[This is a paid partnership with IKEA UK, but all words and opinions are my own]

I wrote a post a couple of months ago about the hotly anticipated ‘YPPERLIG’ collaboration between two Scandinavian greats, Swedish stalwart IKEA and stylish Danish brand HAY, and it’s great to see the range now hitting the shops.

Conceived as a collection of beautiful and well-made everyday products that can be used for years to come, it includes more than 70 pieces – everything from sofas and dining tables to smaller accessories such as blankets and vases. All display HAY’s signature simplicity and clean lines but, as you’d expect from IKEA, they come as affordable and easy-to-build flatpacks. As HAY co-founder Mette Hay puts it, they’re “really good products made by IKEA and sprinkled with a bit of HAY”.

The launch of the collection has come at the perfect time for me, as I’ve been rejigging our box room to incorporate a desk area now that I work from home. It’s been a bit of a challenge, to say the least: it’s a tiny space with a boiler cupboard in one corner, and it has to incorporate a bed for guests. I was also keen to keep a homely vibe so that visitors can relax when they come to stay, rather than feeling like they’re camping out in the corner of an office. Luckily, the ‘YPPERLIG’ range includes plenty of clever designs that are stylish and functional.

First up is an ingenious wooden wall shelf, which can be hung in narrow corridors or even behind doors. It’s ideal for storing magazines and other bits and bobs that I need to keep to hand and, as it sits flat against the wall, it doesn’t take up any floor space. What’s more, it means guests have some reading material to browse!

Similarly clever is the ‘YPPERLIG’ metal mirror (also available in red and green). I’ve been meaning to put up a mirror for guests for ages, and this has a handy little shelf for additional storage. When I’m working I use it for reminders and letters that I need to post, but when visitors arrive I’m planning to leave a welcome note there for them to find.

For my desk chair, I chose the ‘monobloc’ injection-molded chair in pale grey. It’s strong yet very light so I can move it easily, and the gently curved back rest helps my posture when I sit. For a bit of extra comfort, I’ve added a striking black-and-white woven cushion.

A lamp was a must, as the window was the only place I could put the desk and so I often have to work with the blind down to reduce glare on the screen. The slim LED table lamp is ideal as it doesn’t take up any valuable work surface; it also has a built-in touch dimmer, which means I can adjust it depending on the time of day and what I’m doing. Also on the desk are handy stationery pots, together with a candlestick and a trio of tealight holders (being able to light candles while I work is a real treat now that I’m home-based).

The bedside table is actually part of a nest of three (I’m going to use the others elsewhere in the house), which are made from laquered beech and designed with shelves to make them easy to stack. To pull the two sides of the room together, I’ve added another candle holder and cushion in this corner, too.

So, there you have it: my new office and guest bedroom! It’s made working from home so much more comfortable, and I hope friends and family will like it just as much as I do when they come to stay.

Wall shelf (£12); ‘monobloc’ chair with arm rests (£40); nest of tables (£55 for a set of three); mirror (£20); LED table lamp (£35); stationery set (£8 for a pen pot, two containers and a tape dispenser); candle holder (£3); tealight holders (£4.95 for a set of three); cushion cover (£5).

See the full ‘YPPERLIG’ range here.

All photography by Abi Dare