Name: Gemma B.
Location: London, UK
Occupation: Community Manager & Content Creator
Room size: 5,5 m² (59 ft²)
Cost of setup: ~£3K ($3,8K)
Social media: Instagram, Twitch, X
Hello! Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m Gemma, and I live near London, UK, with my ten-year-old daughter and my two fur babies, Kylo & Boba.
I work remotely as a Social and Community Manager in the games industry and also do content creation and live streaming in my free time.
My content creation mainly focuses on building in The Sims 4, where I have spent thousands of hours creating all sorts of wonderful things, so I’m almost always at my desk!
Take us through your setup
| Item | Model |
|---|---|
| Monitor | Samsung M7 |
| Speakers | Creative Pebble |
| Headphones | Logitech G Pro X2 Lightspeed |
| Keyboard | LoFree 1% Misty |
| Mouse | Logitech G705 |
| Desk mat | Journey Official ALTI Wireless Charging Desk Mat |
| Web camera | Logitech StreamCam |
| Microphone | Logitech Blue Yeti in White Mist |
| PC tower | North by Fractal |
| Keylight | Logitech LitraBeam LX |
| Chair | Blue Elephant Mid-Back Mesh |
| Standing desk | Vernal-UK with matching Monitor Stand and drawers |
| Strip lights | Philips Hue |
My workspace, featured at one end of my living space, has a light and airy feel to it, despite the lack of natural light.
The intentional use of white and wood tones helps it to blend seamlessly into the surroundings.
The desk setup is inspired by Japandi design — my favourite interior design aesthetic: minimalist, light, airy, with the warmth and earthiness of wood.
This is particularly important since this room doesn’t get a lot of natural light and can feel very oppressive in the winter months.
I make use of hidden light strips and a key light to brighten or add warmth on gloomy days.
Editorial Team
I also use many faux plants to bring the outside in, without worrying about their care or the lack of light in this space.
The ash wood and white standing desk is particularly useful for the long hours I spend here, as it allows for a little variation and movement as needed.
Underneath the desk, I have cable management features to help keep my space clutter-free and tidy, as I prefer a minimalist look.
Editorial Team
Thankfully, the desk I have, by Vernal Space UK, has a handy built-in shelf underneath, so I was able to place power banks inside it and minimise the need to trail cables to the walls.
Instead, I have one cable that connects to a main power outlet and the rest are hidden.
I also use cable ties and Velcro strips to hold cables in place. I bought them on Amazon for a low price.
A bookshelf to the right displays some of my most treasured items and provides a pretty backdrop during calls or streams.
I also have limited-edition artworks on the walls, as well as my Stag friend watching over me.
Some of my favourite items include the Solas statue from Dragon Age: Inquisition, my Starfield Xbox controller, as well as a number of cute game-related plushies.
What’s your favourite item on your desk?
My resin Stag head.
I bought it on Etsy and it has been here for years.
During the holidays, like autumn or Christmas, I like to decorate him with various pretty things.
I was inspired by the Stag head because the overall theme for my living room when I moved in ten years ago was American Mid-West themed (I have American family).
I have artworks of bison and the Montana mountains hanging in my living room, and my curtain tie-backs are real, sustainable antlers from deer in the United States.
As a long-time Dragon Age fan, I also love my Solas statue that has pride of place atop my bookcase.
What apps or tools do you use to get things done?
For both work and play, I mainly use the Creative Suite: Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, and occasionally Premier Pro.
Recently, I tested Adobe Express for social media posts and adding captions, which I found to be super easy to use.
For streaming, I use Steamlabs Ultra.
Any tips for other makers who want to improve their workspaces?
Decide on the theme of your space — dark and moody, light and airy, green and cosy — whatever it is, start to create an idea in your head of how you want your space to look.
Once you have a theme, take a look at other people’s setups.
What have they done?
What can work for your space?
Spend some time on cable management to help declutter and tidy your space.
Add ambient lighting in the form of lamps or light strips for a cosy vibe.
What does your typical day look like?
Since I work from home, I don’t have to worry about commuting, which is a really welcome change.
I worked in an office for over 15 years and much prefer the WFH pace.
6:30 am: Wake up.
7 am: Make breakfast and lunch for my daughter while I drink my morning coffee.
Editorial Team
7-8 am: Do my make-up and get dressed. Check the school bag, etc.
8:30 am: School run.
9 am: Boot up the PC and grab another drink — either breakfast or Korean tea as well as a bottle of my favourite Waterdrop.
9 am-Noon: Community work. Usually start by checking emails, Slack, and making sure the community has not had any major issues overnight.
Noon: Lunch. This tends to be something like a bean burger with Gochujang slaw on a wholemeal bap. More tea. More Waterdrop.
1-3 pm: Community work.
3 pm: School run.
3:30-5 pm: More community work and meetings. Finish the work day.
5:30 pm: Make dinner.
6:30-9 pm: Spend time with my daughter.
9 pm: Time for myself. This is spent either creating content in The Sims, streaming, playing something I enjoy like Palia, or watching a K-drama.
11-12 pm: Bedtime.
Your tips for working from home?
It can be hard to stay motivated, but it’s also good to allow yourself time to get up and take yourself out of the workspace every now and then, particularly if you find yourself lacking focus.
In those moments, I’ll go and tidy the kitchen or take ten minutes to sit in the garden with my dog. Fresh air can really help reset.
It’s helpful to create a stand-up for yourself so you can set your intentions for the day with work, even if you find you didn’t have time to do everything you planned.
There is always tomorrow!
Make sure you try to communicate with colleagues and join occasional huddles or coffee morning catch-ups so that you don’t feel isolated.
Stay hydrated! Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to get up and get a drink — it can be too easy to get so wrapped up in the job you are doing.
We’re a reader-supported publication. This article might contain affiliate links. It means we may receive a commission if you click a link and buy a product that our maker has recommended. The interview was done independently.
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