Cosy Bedroom Desk Setup with Plants in Canada

Name: Brenda To

Location: Vancouver, Canada

Occupation: Phlebotomist and Lab Technician transitioning into a career in UX/UI design and freelance photography

Room size: 11 m² (120 ft²)

Cost of setup: ~$7K (10K CAD)

Social media: Instagram

Hello! Tell us a bit about yourself

Hi, I’m Brenda 💁🏻‍♀️

I’ve been working hard to pursue a career in UX/UI design.

I decided to switch fields after working in healthcare for the past five years.

Two to three years into my career, I felt like I was capable of doing something more and that this wasn’t the endgame for me.

I’ve been in and out of college/university for the same amount of time a doctor would’ve been in school — eight years!

During the time when I was focused on healthcare, I wanted to pursue one of four different fields.

I definitely wasted a lot of time and was indecisive.

I kept changing my mind.

When I finally decided on one programme, I stuck with it, graduated, worked for years, yet I was still unhappy.

Let’s just say that whatever I decided on wasn’t my decision — it was my parents’.

I definitely feel bad. I’m heading closer to 30 years old, and here I am changing my mind again.

But I know that this is for a better, happier future ✨

I keep reminding myself every day to stay optimistic.

It’s always been a saying that I’ve focused on since I was a kid and have written everywhere to make sure that I keep striving forward to achieve my goals.

I am now doing things that I want to be doing.

I learned UX/UI design in a non-traditional way — by studying and practicing online. I’ve been working on three different portfolios, doing lots of photography side gigs, collaborating with brands, and really focusing on my social media page that I started at the beginning of this year.

I didn’t expect people to enjoy my setup, photography, and lifestyle page. It started as a fun space where I could share my creativity.

I’m so glad that I am able to share my space and my creative thoughts with everyone!

Take us through your setup

My desk — a place of comfort, peace, and happiness — is my favourite area of my bedroom.

Yes, my desk is in my bedroom.

It’s definitely not ideal to have your work area in the same room as your sleeping space.

However, I set it up in a way where I’m able to separate the two spaces, even though they’re right next to each other.

By ‘separate,’ I mean that when I work, I’m not distracted by my bed, and when I sleep, I’m not distracted by my desk.

I noticed that when people combine their bedroom and workspace, they tend to put their desk directly next to their bed.

This makes it easier to get distracted by your bed, as it’s always in sight and within reach.

Being reminded that your bed is right next to you because you can see it causes you to lose focus and feel drowsy, which disrupts your workflow.

I prefer a clear separation of my bed from my desk space.

Whether that’s through the use of a physical divider (screen, curtain, dresser, shelf, etc.) or simply facing your back towards your sleeping space, separation helps.

Since my room is smaller, I don’t have space for a divider, so by facing my back towards the bed and strategically lining up furniture to create a walkway, I’ve created an invisible divider.

In feng shui, creating division between your sleeping and working areas helps you stay focused while working and improves sleep quality.

I also believe that the colour scheme and choice of decor in my two areas create an even stronger division of space.

For my sleeping area, I chose beige, white, and neutral soothing tones and decor.

Whereas in my workspace, there’s more greenery, life, and colour to indicate energy.

Despite these differences, my whole room still ties together.

When initially creating this space, I imagined how I wanted it to look, sketched out some designs, and executed them!

Believe it or not, I didn’t take inspiration from anywhere.

Everything I’ve designed, drawn, or created has always come straight from my own mind.

I like to be original with my work, the way I arrange things, and maintaining balance in my space.

Years later, I found out my type of interior design actually has a name I’d never heard of before — Japandi.

That’s when I started looking at pictures of the style and became even more obsessed with it.

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I positioned my desk setup in front of my window because I love how open and freeing it feels.

It gives me a nice breath of fresh air when I crack the window open 24/7.

I have asthma, so it’s hard to breathe in a tight, restricted space.

Looking out into the open sky helps me focus, brainstorm, and have deep thoughts.

The live plants give me a sense of life. They energise me when I see them thriving all around me.

They don’t distract me, but they do make me feel happy when I glance at them.

I’m glad I replaced most of my fake plants with live ones — it does improve my mood.

Another thing I love about my setup is my ambient lighting.

When it gets gloomy or dark, I turn on all three of my lights to add a warm glow to my space.

It makes my setup feel even cosier with the warm lights all around me. I feel at peace.

The one thing I’d love to replace is the fake palm tree plant next to my desk.

I’d love to have a big, live money tree or even a smaller under-desk storage space.

I’m pretty much satisfied with the space but would still love to make small alterations, add little touches, and upgrade some of my current things.

Backstory of my room/setup

Someone asked me a couple of months back, “Wow, your room is so beautiful. Is the rest of your house the same way?”

I thought about it deeply, and no — the rest of the house isn’t the same.

My room is the only part of my parents’ house that looks this way.

Then I realised it’s because I’ve dealt with so much stress, verbal and mental abuse at work and at home, and taken on so many roles within the household.

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I play the role of eldest daughter, sister, owner, worker, caretaker, etc.

I literally do everything.

Even with all these stresses and negative energy, I always try to put on a positive face.

A normal person might work, feel stressed, and then come home to relax and recharge.

I wish I had that luxury.

But instead of dwelling on the negative, I try to stay positive.

So, to answer the question, my room is peaceful, warm, and cosy because it’s the only place where I feel happy, calm, and unbothered.

I don’t have to pretend to be someone I’m not.

I can be myself here.

What’s your favourite item on your desk?

My favourite tech item on my desk is my 32″ Samsung M8 white monitor.

At first, it was hard to get used to the user experience because it’s a smart monitor.

However, over time, I’ve gotten used to its many features. What drew me to this purchase was the fact that:

• It’s white.
• It’s huge — big enough for my needs.
• It will act as a TV for my room one day if I decide to upgrade my monitor to something better.

I bought it online during Samsung’s sale and ended up paying $700 instead of $900 before taxes.

Prior to getting this monitor, I borrowed someone else’s small Dell monitor for about eight months.

I was actually in need of a bigger monitor because of the schoolwork and portfolio projects I was working on.

I was transitioning from the healthcare field into UX/UI design, and I thought it was a great time to make a big purchase for my first 4K monitor.

Originally, I wanted the Apple Studio Display — my dream monitor — but I thought to myself, maybe I’ll wait until I get an actual design job before buying it.

My favourite non-tech item on my desk is my Peperomia Hope plant.

I call it my “sprout plant.”

I have an obsession with live plants; however, this one is special to me.

It was one of my first plants, starting off small like a little sprout.

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I got it when I started posting about my room and lifestyle on Instagram at the beginning of this year.

Just like its name, it has given me lots of hope and has grown with me throughout this new journey.

It has been thriving, and so have I. I am quite thankful.

What apps or tools do you use to get things done?

I taught myself Adobe Photoshop when I was 11, starting with digital drawings and later moving on to photo editing.

It’s still my go-to for big creative projects, but ever since I got an iPad Pro, I’ve been using Procreate way more.

Procreate does almost everything I used Photoshop for, plus it lets me draw and edit on the go!

It’s definitely helpful when I need pictures drawn for my UX/UI design projects or edits for my social media posts.

Final Cut Pro was also one of my favourite video editing programs because it has a great user experience and isn’t overly complicated like other software I’ve tried.

I find it simplified just enough to get tasks done quickly.

Editing videos on it is super efficient and fun!

I’ve always loved making videos since I was a kid, but for a while, I stopped making videos for ten years.

Ever since I created my newest social media account, it has brought back my love and talent for video content creation.

Lastly, an app I think everyone should use is Notion.

It’s a note-taking app which I check and update 100 times a day.

I’m not even exaggerating.

I’m an organising addict.

My days and weeks are always structured ahead of time.

I’m one of those people who actually follow daily schedules, though most of the time, there are always more things added throughout the day.

I’m not exactly sure if being overly organised is a good or bad trait, but at least I get things done!

I also like how the app connects to all my devices. I just log in on any device and I have access to my notes and schedules.

Any tips for other makers who want to improve their workspaces?

Everyone works and is inspired in different ways, but universally, I think everyone should have lots of natural light coming into their workspace or home office.

Having your desk near, next to, or underneath a window helps you stay focused and feel more awake.

It also allows for nice air circulation.

Personally, I like my desk underneath a window because it creates a space where I can focus and feel at peace.

The greenery and beautiful sky allow me to come up with ideas or reflect with ease.

Instead of staring at a blank or cluttered wall — which makes me feel imprisoned — I prefer the sky. The view gives me a sense of zen.

What does your typical day look like?

My days are all over the place.

I’m a busy woman, taking on a lot of roles in my house while helping out others besides myself.

My routine changes almost every day because new things come up constantly.

This is why I always check my daily schedule multiple times a day to stay on top of what I need to get done.

If I were to condense it and select the main things I do every day, they would be:

• I wake up at different times — 10 am on days off and 5 am on workdays.
• The first app I check is my email for updates or important messages before starting my day.
• I then open my Notion app and add anything new to my schedule for the day.
• Next, I make my bed right away because a cluttered bed distracts me from my studies or work. It makes me feel uneasy.
• I go through my usual getting-ready routine.
• I make a matcha latte or iced coffee.
• Then my work routine begins!

On my days off from healthcare work, I spend practically the whole day in my room working on other projects.

I make sure to finish all my creative side projects first, such as photography and videography for Instagram — editing, posting, etc.

I prioritise these first because I know I can execute them quickly and well.

I know exactly how I want a shot or video to look, so it doesn’t take much time.

It typically takes one to two hours to film, take photos, and sort them out.

I edit on the same day or later when I have more time.

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After that, I take a short break and move on to my actual work or studies, which focus on UX/UI design projects, note-taking, and readings to develop extra skills in the field.

When I’m not working, I like to lie down and watch Netflix or movies.

I used to play video games, but they required more desk time, which I now prefer to avoid.

I also like to catch up on social media, reply to comments, and plan how my Instagram feed will look.

On many days, I enjoy being outside with nature.

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My favourite activities include paddleboarding, swimming, badminton, hiking, and skiing.

I’m a homebody, but when I’m outside, I like to connect with nature.

I love taking in beautiful views and being out in the open.

Stepping away from home helps me manage stress. It allows me to clear my mind even more!

Your tips for working from home?

A good habit to get into is making a to-do list or a daily/weekly schedule to keep track of what needs to get done and when.

When I have a long list of things to do and I’ve checked most of the tasks off, I feel good about the productivity of that particular day or week.

The more tasks I check off, the more motivated I feel!

Be realistic about how many hours or days a complex task will take you.

You can’t expect to finish a big task in one day.

In my opinion, if I set high expectations for myself and cannot execute them, I feel discouraged.

Staying focused can be difficult these days with all the technology around us, especially our phones.

What I like to do is put my phone on charge on the bedside table across the room, away from my desk.

I set it to “Do Not Disturb” and silence it.

I still take phone breaks — at least 30 minutes every two hours.

You don’t want to overload yourself with too much work, but you also don’t want to take a break that’s too long, or you’ll lose your work momentum.

When you lose that momentum, you begin to slack off.

Lastly, a third tip: have a nice drink and snack while you’re working.

This might not work for everyone, but snacking helps me stay focused on my work and keeps me from thinking about my stomach.

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I also feel sleepy when I’m hungry, so giving yourself a little boost of energy helps.

I love making myself a daily matcha latte with a sweet treat or small snack.

Matcha makes me feel energised without feeling jittery or sleepy, which I often experience with strong coffee.

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