He's based in Orange County, California, but Jonathan Lo, founder of J3 Productions, former Apartment Therapy contributor, and the mastermind behind the blog Happy Mundane, spends his weekends at a getaway in the San Diego area. And although the rented beach house is a place to take a break from the busy week, the space still acts as Jonathan's official "second office." After all, who doesn't have to sneak in some work on a Sunday every once in a while?
Appropriately decorated with pops of aquamarine, the temporary office offers everything a guy on the go needs: just enough room to work, a designated place for a printer, bits of art for inspiration, and easy access to the ocean when break time comes around.
How would you describe your office at the beach house? What is the design aesthetic, and how does that impact your work? I generally work off of my laptop, so my "workspace" is always in flux. However, it is always nice to sit in a traditional "desk" and this particular desk area has been a great place to buckle down and focus. I generally gravitate towards modern and contemporary, but I do have a fondness for vintage and mid-century design. This area sort of blends both and I think that balance is something that gets passed on in my design work as well.
How have you organized the space? The desk isn't very big, but currently, I've divided the desktop into an area for the computer, a tray to hold odds and ends, and then the edge holds a stack of magazines and books.
What desk accessory can't you do without? A good lamp.
You're well known for your love of color. What impact do you think it has on a workspace? I like to keep my workspace pretty neutral. It helps avoid too much visual distraction. At the same time, I can't be in a space completely devoid of color. I end up feeling stifled if my surroundings are too sterile. I always need a little pop somewhere. The house this place resides in is pretty close to the beach, so hits of blue seemed appropriate.
This is a temporary office for you. If it was yours permanently, is there anything you'd replace? I love my current chair for its form, but the upholstery is a little dingy and frankly, I'd love to get a chair that can spin around and has wheels (an Eames Executive Chair would do quite nicely!).
(Images: Jonathan Lo)
Republished in partnership with Herman Miller Lifework. Originally posted by Amy Feezor.
100 DIY Ideas for the 3-Day Weekend
Danielle's Charming, Classic Walk-Up
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
White Enamel Flatwa...
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
Perfect Summer Cocktail Recipe: Honey Bourbon Lemonade
Who made that incredibly beautiful pencil cup? I love it.
The colouring looks like Bitossi - check out ebay.
the stand for the printer is really cool!
Does anyone know where the desk is from?
The desk is from Ikea and he has refinished the drawer fronts with walnut contact paper. I want to do the same to my desk but can't find the contact paper in the UK.
why would you use a saarinen table, even a knockoff, as a printer stand???
waste of good design.
What are you talking about? Its a table. Its designed to hold things. Its holding a printer. Its doing what its designed to do.
"waste of good design" is an oxymoron. Good design is never wasted. And I agree with Josea; using a table as a table is hardly a waste. It would be a "waste" to have it sit in the room unused.
Perhaps what Franzmendoza MEANT to say was that he would have used the table in another way? Or that choosing to put the printer on the table overwhelmed the best elements of the design? I don't know. What I DO know is that when we make a statement we are using words to create a different sort of "design" and it's important to craft them as carefully as we would any other work of art. It takes a little more time to say something clearly, but in the end it is usually well worth the effort.
PS I forgot to ask..Where did you get the lamp? I've been looking for something similar forever..(Please don't say "Ikea;"I live in Wisconsin and I can't buy anything from them that they don't sell online.)
Beautiful workspace! Loving all the cool tones.
I'm in total agreement with FRANZMENDOZA. I wanted to second KATHIEC's explanation, until I read the schooling on how to phrase comments. I'm more for simplicity; get to the point in the least amount of words possible.
To humor the idea: I would never buy a knock-off Saarinen side table (out of appreciation of the design(er)), and I certainly would NEVER put a piece of literal junk (ie, printer) on a piece of art. And honestly, how often do you (or should you) actually print things?? I would try my hardest to conceal that eyesore. What *should* accompany said table: something decorative, a lamp, a living plant (ie orchid), or the such. It's a matter and measure of taste.
I also do not like the exposed light bulb/socket in the "good" desk lamp. Eye-sore, pun intended.
The Ikea-hacked desk looks very nice, I must say. I also like the cool colors as well.
Is that a flip clock? where did you get it?
Just realized it was the computer haha
That screensaver is called Fliqlo:
http://9031.com/goodies/#fliqlo
The colors remind me of the Cycladic Islands.