Chic Office Inspo That Celebrates Color And Culture
Oftentimes, my creative juices flow much more freely in an office that gives the vibes. As a creative, that means anything but sterile cubicle walls, bland nudes, or spaces that just don't scream vibrant invention and individuality. I like to be inspired to do more and to elevate my thoughts in any workspace, so infusing color and culture is a must.
I often look to Instagram or Pinterest for inspiration when it's time to refresh my workspace, and I just love seeing the manifestation of professionals' auras, accomplishments, and tastes all reflected in their office spaces. Here are a few that I find intriguing, enlightening, and inspiring that I hope will inspire you as well:
Desk DIY
Fashion designer Andrea Pitter shared a DIY that I loved watching simply because it looked like something that might be sold by CB2 or any other luxury brand. And I love a good look-for-less project for home decor. This one offers a way to have a desk that's not the traditional option yet functional (and affordable) enough to get the unique look I prefer for office decor. And the fact that she did this with her partner---something else I'm a huge fan of since I'm always stressing my bae out to do the heavy lifting and assembly myself--is a plus. I literally have a meltdown when I see too many parts and screws, so having a partner to help is definitely something I can relate to.
The Color Purple
For this room, Shavonda Gardner of SG Style incorporated several decor favorites of mine: the color purple, a neon sign, and texture. All three of these elements exist in my home, and the office space would be no exception. If you're not wowed by that trifecta alone, watching her paint and put the whole look together can be soothing in and of itself.
Neutral Meets Bold
Taking a black-and-cream color theme up a notch is always a win for me, someone who absolutely cringe at all-neutral choices for home decor. This hits different. Between the natural elements (that seagrass wall decor is everything) the art deco wallpaper, the marbled table, and the use of the fur throw, I'm literally in love. The space, created by Dominique Calhoun of Remix Living, is how neutrals are done right, evoking feelings of wanting to level up and embrace the bold, luxe spirit of blacks, greens, and golds.
Pretty in Pink
This is a subdued but well-done space that incorporates muted tones that make me feel a sense of calm and safety. The simplicity and just-right tones of natural wood, khaki, white, yellow, and champagne pink ensure you won't have too many distractions when doing your work but you won't be bored to death with walls that scream nursery or nursing home.
Morning Blues
This room does something I find refreshing: It realistically reflects an everyday aesthetic that mixes fantasy with real life. While the dark blue hue gives the room a dreamy writer's mood and the printed rug along with the complimentary planter and vases accent the room well, there's still an ergonomic chair that puts any of those popular cute little seating options we all see in many popular interior decor photos to shame. As someone who sits and stares at a screen for most of my work day, I've gone through a half dozen of those aesthetically pleasing seats, all either too small, too low, or lacking the back and knee support that a real-deal office chair provides.
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ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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You've Never Seen Luke James In A Role Quite Like This
Over the years, we've watched Luke James play countless characters we'd deem sex symbols, movie stars, and even his complicated character in Lena Waithe's The Chi. For the first time in his career, the New Orleans-born actor has taken on a role where his signature good looks take a backseat as he transforms into Edmund in Them: The Scare—a mentally deranged character in the second installment of the horror anthology series that you won't be able to take your eyes off.
Trust us, Edmund will literally make you do a double take.
xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
Getty Images
Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images