Three home offices that break all of the productivity rules

The anti-office

Workspaces need not be stark and minimalist, but rather as alive and dynamic as the people who use them Matthew Hague The Globe and Mail Published 16 minutes ago Will Sorrell with his backyard garden office in Victoria, B.C. Chad Hipolito/The Globe and Mail Will Sorrell with his backyard garden office in Victoria, B.C. Chad Hipolito/The Globe and Mail

In conventional wisdom, the optimal home office looks something like an Apple store touched up by Marie Kondo – stark, minimalist and pared down of personal effects. The idea is that spare and spartan spaces leave more space for thinking and doing.

Some professionals, though, swear the opposite is true. For them, breaking office design norms leads to better focus, deeper inspiration and even increased product