Back to School for Grownups

With the passing of last week’s tax holiday, it became official: back-to-school-season is upon us. Even those of us in denial (me) can’t ignore the ever-so-slight drop in temperatures that we’ve enjoyed this week as an indicator that summer is exiting the building and fall is nipping at its heels. However, if you’re like us here at Spaces, you’ll find a silver lining to this cloud. Fall is a great time to shop, and stores are doing their best to fill all of your work- and school-related needs. 

But what if you’re over college-ruled paper, disposable pens, and juice boxes? Maybe you want to restock your desk or office with accoutrements of a more elegant, grown-up variety? We scouted the area for some items to help us accomplish this mission and found some excellent and beautiful things.

First, we spoke with Saskia Roskam, manager of Georgetown gift shop A Mano. Her recommendations included everyday desk accessories spruced up by leather coverings, lending these office trappings a very grown-up panache.

A leather picture frame. The gilded border “makes it elegant,” says Roskam.

One’s of Roskam’s favorite items is a leather-bound measuring tape bearing both metric and standard units. “I love the centimeter and inches because I’m Dutch. I always have it on hand; it’s practical.”

Remember the wooden ruler you’d buy for 99 cents at Bruce Variety? William Yeoward has updated it. Now it’s made of a stunning crystal, and instead of scrawling on your name on it in Sharpie, you can have it engraved.

A Mano also carries items for post-work recreation. Says Roskam: “If it gets too tough at school, you’ll need to have a drink afterwards. We have decanters and glasses for the whiskey or the glass of wine you’ll need to have after a long day!”

Carolyn Agnew of Paper Source recommends supplies dressed up with the shop’s signature charming patterns.

The Perpetual Calendar is “a grown-up planner” that offers flexibility without sacrificing any practicality or visual appeal.

This Linen File Folder Holder (shown in Pool) is a “pretty, grown-up” incarnation of the less scintillating manila version that you might find in the office.

Photos courtesy of the Paper Source

In addition to a well-equipped office, it’s important to be emotionally ready to tackle your workload. At the Georgetown custom-stationery shop Just Paper & Tea, co-owner Carolyn Waslyczuk swears by a good pot of tea to help focus the mind. Teas “don’t get you jittery” the way coffee can. “I stopped drinking coffee because it gives me that quick high—you don’t get that kind of a jolt from tea.” Instead, she says, “it’s always nice to have a cup of tea when you’re doing work” – it “just seems to ‘go’ ” with quiet, focused activities like writing letters or journal entries. The type of tea Waslyczuk brews “depends on how I feel at the time. I find it very personal.” For someone who wants to settle in and work, she recommends “a hearty black tea – you don’t want any teas that will put you to sleep!” She suggests “a really great Russian Caravan or Samovar” or “a soothing nice green” like Genmaicha, shown above. All of Just Paper & Tea’s selections are organic and imported.