Answering work calls from the comfort of a snuggly bathrobe may have appealed to the masses a few months ago, but nowadays, working from home for extended periods of time has required more of an official setup. No one likes to eat a relaxing meal where they just finished typing an agonizingly long spreadsheet, nor does the afterglow of a laptop function as an ideal nightlight. A work-life balance is still necessary—even if they both take place under the same roof—which is why we reached out to Colleen Waguespack of Colleen Waguespack Interiors to help us learn how to better create a WFH paradise with only a few investments.

“You can work from home, but you need a dedicated space that is set up to make it professional and reflect what you do for a living,” says Waguespack. “It doesn’t take a lot of square footage to create a dedicated workspace at home.”

With many people still reliant on video conference call apps like Zoom, Waguespack stresses the importance of investing in items that will make for more appropriate surroundings.

“An acoustically sound room is the best place to set up a Zoom workspace,” says Waguespack. “So adding carpets, drapes or anything to absorb the sound, and making sure that you don’t have background noise interference, is important.”

Toting around a little laptop may also make Zoom calls more awkward than they need to be. To adjust for the lack of a desktop monitor, Waguespack recommends having a stack of books to place your laptop on so that everyone on the call can see you at eye level.

“A Zoom call with your laptop at desk level is unflattering when you look down into your camera,” says Waguespack. “It’s helpful to know, when I have a Zoom call, that this is the stack of books I reach for to get my laptop to the right height.” 

Waguespack also recommends investing in a ring light for a more even-toned complexion.

“It’s a very flattering light,” says Waguespack. “When you’re having a Zoom call, you want light in front of you illuminating your face and your work surface.”

It’s small changes and tweaks, rather than huge design overhauls, that allow any room in the house to become a well-equipped workspace, according to Waguespack. “Working from home,” she says, “doesn’t mean working from the chaos of home.” 

What about you? Can you only work well when your desk faces natural light? Or maybe you absolutely can’t use a chair with arms in order to sit criss-cross-applesauce? Perhaps you like gazing into a favorite painting hung just so, or reflecting on a favorite souvenir on a shelf to calm your nerves? Let us know in the comments down below.