Your home office should always be functional, but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice on style. These three small upgrades will breathe new life into your work-from-home space to give you renewed inspiration for the year ahead.

Most workspaces are quite stark and minimalist, so incorporating a few low-maintenance pot plants is a wonderful way to freshen up your desk. Aside from benefitting from cleaner air, they’re also said to promote relaxation – ideal for when you’re gunning for a deadline. Opt for plants that thrive in low-light, indoor environments: snake plants, peace lilies and philodendrons. Alternatively, an artificial orchid or succulent are just as good if you don't consider yourself to have green fingers. Bring in some texture with a woven, graphic-print rug, which will also brighten the space.  

Lighting is so important in any office space – especially if you do a lot of your work in the evenings. A desk lamp will offer intimate lighting when natural light or ceiling lighting isn’t sufficient, plus it serves as a chic accessory too. Make sure that the lampshade you use strikes a balance between functional and ambient and casts sufficient light over your work area.

An organised desk will allow you to avoid distraction and work more efficiently. Keep things tidy with a set of minimalist storage boxes. These will help to compartmentalise all your documents, notes, files and that all-important to-do list. Label them accordingly to prevent unnecessary rifling.

Another source of clutter is work certificates and achievements – choose stylish frames and give these pride of place above your desk. You can also display photographs of family and some of your favourite motivational quotes in frames of different sizes to create an on-trend gallery wall in lieu of other artwork. 

SHOP HOMEWARE

It’s a new year, so what better time for a health reboot. Power up your mornings with one of these super smoothies from local foodies and wellness experts.

Serves 1 | Ready in 5 minutes

'This is one of my favourite smoothie recipes because it’s packed with all the healthy stuff, yet it tastes absolutely decadent. You won’t believe you can have it on a detox or a cleanse! It’s also rich in fibre and additional probiotics, thanks to my Super Scoop, an organic plant-based drink mix, which makes it a healthy, filling breakfast on the go.'

Ingredients:
1 heaped tablespoon pumpkin / sunflower seeds
1 heaped tablespoon goji berries
1 teaspoon raw cacao
2 tablespoons pea protein powder
1 scoop Super Scoop Raw Cacao or Very Berry flavour
½ frozen banana or regular banana
A few blocks of ice
1 cup coconut water (no additives; you can also find coconut water in the bottom of coconut milk or cream tins when the cans have sat and not been shaken)
Sugar replacement (recommended: xylitol syrup)

Method:
Pop all ingredients into a blender and blitz, until you have achieved the desired consistency.

This recipe is from Lisa’s Elimin8 Cleanse programme. For more click here and follow Lisa on Instagram @lisaraleigh.

Serves 2

'This is a super healthy, vegan-friendly recipe that really fills you up. We love smoothie bowls as they are great energy boosters.'

Ingredients:
½ banana, frozen
1 cup strawberries, frozen
1 kiwi
1 cup mango, frozen
½ cup mixed berries, frozen
2 1/2 cups coconut water

Topping:

Fresh strawberries
Halved
 mangoes
Sliced
 kiwis

Method:
Put all the ingredients together in a blender. Blend till smooth.

Divide into bowls and garnish with toppings.

For more recipes from the sisters visit withlovefromthetwins.com.

Serves 4 

'This is one of our favourite simple smoothie recipes, especially now while mango is in season. It’s cool and refreshing and makes a delicious tropical breakfast or summertime dessert.'

Ingredients:
500g fresh or frozen mango (if fresh, make sure that it’s nice and cold for the best Lassi)
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons lime zest
1 lime cut into wedges
1½ tablespoons honey (or 2 tablespoons, dependent on how naturally sweet your mango is)
⅓ cup coconut milk
Optional: a small handful of ice

Method:
Place all of the ingredients into a blender or NutriBullet except 1 tablespoon lime zest, blend until thick and smooth.
Add the ice blocks and another squeeze of honey to taste and blitz one last time.
Pour the lassi mixture into glasses and garnish with the lime zest and some wedges of fresh lime, serve immediately. Delish!

This recipe is extracted from the Delish Sisters cook book Delish Sisters: Tasty Food Made With Love (available at Exclusive Books and Takealot.com). Follow them on Instagram @DelishSisters


For all the kitchen essentials you need to make the perfect breakfast smoothie, click below