A Safe Place for Magic to Happen
Workspace, where genius ideas take shape and find their way into the world
The countdown has begun! In just seven weeks, the pilot edition of my passion project—TAAD, an international design and art showcase—will finally open its doors. Every week, more and more people join the team. I’ve stopped keeping track, but last I checked, there were sixteen of us. And guess what? We need to move! Reading that should make your body feel a little heavier. The word “move” usually earns a deep, exaggerated sigh. So why am I absolutely thrilled?
This stage of the project can only be described as the “everything-is-on-fire” phase. In my experience, that’s exactly when the real miracles happen. People are such curious creatures—they somehow become wildly productive when the pressure of a deadline looms. I’m still trying to figure out how that works psychologically, but it’s fascinating.
No matter how much COVID trained us to work from home—or how many hundreds of team collaboration tools exist—I’m convinced nothing beats having everyone in the same room. Watching the team work side by side feels grounding. It reconnects me with reality. We truly need each other to make things happen.
That said, I care about my mental health (or what’s left of it), so I dedicate two days a week to working from home. Those days come with scheduled breaks for cuddling on the sofa with Matteo. Naturally, I have two desks and duplicate sets of all my essentials.
And yes, I have plenty of quirky habits. For example, I must have A3 paper under my laptop for quick notes or to sketch mind maps and organize my information. That’s why I need colored pens and a pencil within reach. I always take off my earrings when I work. Hand cream, lip balm, and eye serum are just essentials—I have them scattered everywhere. Lately, fragrances have become my latest obsession; I switch between scents twice a day, depending on my mood. Obviously, I can’t just let my hair sit nicely—I always end up pinning it up. Don’t ask why but often, I need two screens, and my Apple Pencil has been a total game-changer. I smoke far too much when I’m on the phone. And the weirdest object on my desk? A measuring tape. Sometimes, I just need to visualize the size of things.
Honestly, I’m not particularly interested in people’s living rooms or bedrooms. The spaces that inspire me most are their workspaces—their studies. If there were a book filled with photos of desks, studios, and libraries belonging to the world’s greatest minds, I’d want it on my table right now. And if that book doesn’t exist, well, maybe I’ve just found my next project. I can’t help but believe that a study is where all the magic happens, where genius ideas take shape and find their way into the world.
Despite holding executive roles for the past decade, I’ve never had my own office. My desk has always been my territory—my safe space. Yet, ask any of my past or present colleagues, and they’ll tell you the rooms I’ve shared always felt different. Yes, I have specific requirements. My desk needs to be big. Really big. A dining table for six is just about perfect. I need a couple of pinboards, a weird chair (not necessarily comfortable—my back can confirm that) draped with a blanket, rugs on the floor, an endless supply of coffee, a vase of fresh flowers, and, of course, books and art are very welcome. Being a dreamer, I’ve already built my wishlist for the study I’ll have once TAAD becomes profitable—and we can justify dropping $100,000 on the CEO’s office.
Exactly today, we’ve found a charming and suitable space in the middle of nowhere, filled with art on the walls, lush greenery, and massive windows. It’s a sublet. Strangely, the temporary nature of it bothers me more than the move itself. Uncertainty doesn’t rattle me anymore. After five years of global upheaval, I’ve learned to stand on shifting ground. Let’s challenge that old saying that “nothing is more permanent than something temporary.” The team moves in on February 1st, and you can bet I’ll be sharing it with you the moment we settle in.
Seven weeks before TAAD’s launch I still manage to enjoy The West Wing ( bless Aaron Sorkin—every episode is an intellectual masterpiece), ate-night walks with Matteo paired with an episode of Past Present Future podcast discussing The Great Political Films: The Zone of Interest (a little background on Hannah Arendt’s Banality of Evil might help before listening), and I’ve finally started reading The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal (everything happens when it’s meant to—and yes, that book sat on my shelf for far too long).
Enjoy the week and we will talk soon!
Yours,
Miri