As summer winds down and school starts again, it’s time for back-to-school shopping. Stocking up on school clothes and supplies gets us thinking about evenings packed with homework, bill paying, and surfing the internet—all of which are made easier with a good desk and chair.

No matter how you use your work space, a high-quality desk pays for itself over time with comfort and utility. A supportive desk chair adds even more value, while elevating the overall look. It doesn’t matter if you have a dedicated home office or are squeezing a desk in with the rest of your  living room furniture; you can benefit from well-designed furnishings that reflect your personal style.

Here are a few of our favorite back-to-school desk and chair duos:

If you love easygoing home office furnishings that are fabulous but not fussy, the urban and eclectic look is for you. The writing desk combines wood and metal for an urban metro vibe, and features two utility drawers and a center drop-front drawer. We’ve paired it with the fun, yet functional Frappe Desk Chair covered in a funky retro-inspired diamond fabric. 

An elegant back-to-school addition to any room, the Modern Romance writing desk is perfectly suited for a bedroom or living room. Elegantly finished all around with a fluted exterior, it can be floated anywhere in a room and is highlighted by a soft white finish and champagne-tone hardware. Add color  and comfort with the Chai Me Desk Chair featuring nailhead trim, an adjustable seat and rolling casters.

Offering an updated traditional vibe, the Rustique Writing Desk features a diamond motif in its wood top, and is accented with a black frame in an X-motif. Pair it with the Breve Desk Chair and enjoy extra touches such as a nailhead trim, casters and an adjustable seat height.

An on-trend finish in distressed shades of light gray makes the Melange Dixon Writing Desk a stunning option for any design plan. For maximum impact, pair it with a colorful desk chair, such as the Mochacinno Chair shown here. In addition to a base with casters and an adjustable seat, it features designer details such as button tufting and a contrasting welt.

Traditional doesn’t have to mean boring—as illustrated by this handsome home office pairing. The embodiment of rustic luxe, the Crafted Computer Credenza features contrasting wood finishes inspired by a bourbon barrel burnished over time. Its’ natural companion is the Walton Armless Desk Chair.

For style seekers, this stunning look is worthy of awe and admiration. Marrying a touch of glam with industrial luxe styling, the Arabella Mirrored Writing Desk offers eye-stopping elegance. Add the Cortado Desk Chair and enjoy its two-toned upholstered fabric treatment with a solid cream front and contrasting leaf-pattern on its back. An adjustable seat and designer satin chrome casters complete the aesthetic.

While working at home has become more common, creating a beautifully functional work area is often overlooked. Whether you’re finishing work you brought home, managing your family budget or studying for school—you deserve a space that is as fashionable as it is functional.

Be sure to comment below and let us know which of these back-to-school looks you’d choose!

White is the color of luxury, serenity, purity and calm.

Increasingly, white is the color of choice for  apparel, handbags, shoes, interior paint, accessories and home fashion and furniture.

Softened whites are the new go-to choice for neutrals. Used as a neutral, whites often have a creamy look or feature taupe, gray or even metallic undertones, giving them a tactile and textural appeal. 

White may be the ultimate aspirational color.

This could partially be because everyone’s “dream kitchen” seems to be white.

As dreamy as white is, for years it’s been impractical due to how easy it is to stain white upholstery or textiles. But, thanks to today’s wildly popular performance fabrics, that’s no longer a concern. Fabric companies like Sunbrella and Crypton and Culp’s LiveSmart are offering stain repellent and fade resistant upholstery fabrics. With performance fabrics, even spills like coffee or wine disappear from the lightest-colored upholstery,  just by blotting the spill with a cloth.

The beauty of white is how classic and fresh it is at the same time. So many looks can be achieved with the color. 

There’s the sophisticated and tranquil monochromatic look:

There’s the down-to-earth yet elegant mix of whites + neutrals:

And, there’s the crisp, chic look of contrasting whites with brights:

For those looking to create relaxing spaces to help you retreat from the pressures of modern life, it would be hard to find a better color choice than white–in all its beautiful shades and combinations.