Two-Desk Home Office in San Francisco Bay Area
Name: Rishad Amarkhel
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, US
Occupation: Art Director and Designer
Room size: 10′5″ × 11′2″ (11 m²)
Cost of setup: ~$8K — $12K
Social media: Instagram, LinkedIn
Website: Design, Glyph, Photography
Hello! Tell us a bit about yourself
My design journey began with a non-traditional path, sparked by hands-on experimentation with apps like Photoshop, 3ds Max, and Illustrator.
As I became more familiar with these tools, my passion shifted towards understanding the fundamentals of design — human psychology, design principles, design thinking, colour theory, and the history of typography.
Over time, I pursued more in-depth formal design education — investing in design school programs, courses, and certifications, delving into UX, UI, brand building, and even front-end coding.
Today, I lead the brand design team at Vivian, where I work on creating impactful digital brand experiences.
Outside of Vivian, I freelance and manage a range of side projects, including Park.Photos — a free image library of U.S. national parks, and Glyph.Supply — a resource for hard-to-find glyphs.
I’m also working on UNUSED and a book-related website, which keep me constantly learning and innovating.
Take us through your setup
| Item | Model |
|---|---|
| Monitor | Apple Studio Display |
| Monitor light bar | Logitech Litra Beam |
| Laptop | MacBook Pro 16″ M1 |
| Speakers | Bose SoundLink Flex |
| Headphones | Sony WH-1000XM4 |
| Keyboard | Logitech MX Keys |
| Mouse | Logitech MX Master 3 |
| Desk mat | Grovemade Wool Felt Desk Pad |
| Chair | IKEA ALEFJÄLL Office Chair |
| Desk | The Floyd Table |
| Standing setup | IKEA BOLLSIDAN Laptop Stand |
| Docking station | CalDigit TS4 |
| Table lamp | IKEA TOKABO Table Lamp |
| Tablet | iPad Pro 11″ |
| Power bank | Anker Prime Power Bank |
| Laptop stand | Twelve South Curve |
| Cable management | IKEA FÖRSÄSONG Tray |
| Book shelf | IKEA KALLAX |
| Coaster | Grovemade Wool Felt Coaster |
| Pegboard | IKEA SKÅDIS |
| Pegboard items | Show Your Work book by Austin Kleon Fujifilm Instax Mini 40 DJI Avata Drone Mechanical Keyboard |
| Wall poster | From the book Flexible Visual Systems |
My main work setup balances aesthetics and functionality, creating an environment where I can comfortably spend 8–12 hours each day.
I positioned my main desk near a large window to benefit from ample natural light, which keeps the space bright and energising.
To add warmth, I integrated walnut and oak finishes, creating a more grounded feel compared to my secondary, minimalist setup.
My secondary setup is designed for short, focused sessions — usually on weekends — where I can experiment with new tools, work on side projects, freelance projects, or brainstorm ideas.
This space is minimalist and lighter in aesthetic, lacking the ergonomic focus of my main desk.
Instead, it provides a fresh, inspiring environment optimised for bursts of creative work without the need for extra equipment.
One challenge was combining a classic desk look with the functionality of a standing desk.