Design for Mankind’s Erin Loechner keeps clean and contained spiral notebooks at the ready in her own home-office setup: a laptop, desk, and white Eames Aluminum Group Executive Chair combo.

It’s no surprise that notepads filling the desk of designer and illustrator Alexie Hiles contain the thinkings of an artistic mind.

Neat stacks of notebooks — including Field Notes, a Lifework favorite — await reminders and to-do lists from Rick VanderLeek, a Saugatuck, Michigan-based art director and graphic designer.

Loose-leaf paper notes and tracing paper play a part in typographer Nick Keppol’s Brooklyn home office  — a must-see space which includes, among others, a black Embody chair at the desk and an Eames Wire Base Low Table supporting the printer.

Confirmed doodler: designer and illustrator Katie Kirk, author of the children’s book “Eli, No!,” brain power behind Eight Hour Day, and owner of a pair of Eames Molded Plastic Chairs.

A collection of colorful sketchpads and notes helps keep the workflow flowing for Erin Jang, an art director and graphic designer who runs The Indigo Bunting out of her studio in New York City.

Industrial designer Joey Roth, a Los Angeles resident who frequently works in his backyard, knows that a single notebook can help him streamline his time outside. “When I can, I leave my laptop inside and take only a pen, notebook, and cup of tea or coffee with me,” he says. “The less I take, the more I tend to accomplish.”

Photos: Linked to their sources. Top photo: Carrie Strine and Tim Lahan

We started, therefore, where we always do: with a checklist. The goal was to create a comprehensive listing of everything needed to make an outside “office” as suitable as an indoor one. It began, of course, with the obvious (mobile or home Wi-Fi, laptop, notebook/pen combo). But a few hours and a hundred Google searches later, the list got long—and out of control (noise-reducing headphones! Anti-glare filters! Laptop cooling pads! Paperweights!). Overwhelmed and suddenly intimidated by the idea of our laptop being subjected for even a mere moment to the springtime sunshine, we turned to Joey Roth for a reality check. The industrial designer knows a thing or two about taking work outside, spending a lot of his time designing projects in the bamboo-lined backyard of his Los Angeles home.

“Working outside is more about leaving things behind than acquiring new tools,” he tells us. “It’s easy to mistake tools for ideas, and leaving your normal workspace helps to make the distinction. When I can, I leave my laptop inside and take only a pen, notebook, and cup of tea or coffee with me. The less I take, the more I tend to accomplish.”

Like a majority of us, though, a computer and a connection are still a necessity for Roth. He explains, “90% of my work requires a computer, however, so a laptop with substantial battery life is useful.” And the workspace setup that holds that laptop will vary. On most days, you’ll find him using a weatherproof chair and a simple table created from an old door. But the yard itself works just as well. “I also enjoy working on the ground,” he says.

For Roth, working outside acts as a source of inspiration. “I can get distracted when working, but I get distracted by the right things outside. The movement of bamboo leaves in a breeze inspires me more than the sound of my fridge.” What’s more, he says the benefits of working so close to nature can even perhaps help create better work.

“Work that’s inspired by nature has a chance of being good; work that’s inspired by other work is probably following a trend.”

Consider the checklist ditched. We’ll see you outside.

See new chairs and tables from the Herman Miller Collection Outdoor.

Photos: Joey Roth

[Via MocoLoco]

We asked Yves Behar, who designed the Leaf and Ardea lights for Herman Miller, to think about gifts that would sit beautifully in anyone’s home office. Here are his recommendations.

1. Remember to drink water and stay hydrated with the tranSglass® Lidded Carafe - a collaboration with Guatemalan craftsmen and Tord Boontje’s combines old-world craftsmanship and sophisticated design, each vessel is a unique, one-of-a-kind piece. Just add a stick of carbon to purify the water, and enjoy.

2. Working and speaking to people on the phone while having hands-free is a must (to take notes, draw cartoons, surf the web to plan the evening during that longish conference call). I designed the Jawbone Prime Earcandy headset in everyone’s favorite colors. It’s a nice way to be able to do two things a once.

3. Something inspiring and spiritual on a desk is important, like some flowers.  I would pick Arik Levy’s Ceremony. They are flower sticks made for the Turkish brand Gaia and Gino.  Choose clear, silver or bronze.

4. And enjoy your own music, without having to ask cubicle neighbors! These Semi-Audiophile Ceramic Speakers for Ipod or Computer by Joey Roth are bespoke and affordable (under 500$). The ceramic speakers are made from porcelain, cork, and baltic birch. each material is minimally finished, left to add its natural beauty to the design.

5. And take a break once a day for some body stretches and light exercise: an eco friendly yoga mat made of PER (Polymer Environmental Resin), which is a unique material that is more sensitive to the environment and your health is a good place to start.