I worked from a luxury co-working space in Brooklyn where a desk costs half my rent. Companies struggling to lure employees back to the office should take notes.

Hannah ToweyNov 5, 2022, 19:16 IST

Hannah Towey/Insider

I worked for a day from The Malin, a new luxury co-working space in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
It struck the perfect balance between WFH comfort and the productivity of an office environment.

The Malin, a boutique co-working space with an emphasis on luxury design, just opened its third NYC location on the ninth floor of the William Vale hotel in Brooklyn.

The Malin also has locations in SoHo and the West Village.Hannah Towey/Insider

As someone who only goes into the office a few times a week at most, I was curious how the space — whose membership prices range from $395 to $850 a month —would compare to my hybrid work set-up.

Hannah Towey/Insider

As someone who only goes into the office a few times a week at most, I was curious how the space — whose membership prices range from $395 to $850 a month —would compare to my hybrid work set-up.

Upon entering the lobby, I could immediately tell how sunny and warm the space was — the polar opposite of the fluorescent overhead lighting you typically get in a corporate office.

The Malin WilliamsburgLesley Unruh

Upon entering the lobby, I could immediately tell how sunny and warm the space was — the polar opposite of the fluorescent overhead lighting you typically get in a corporate office.

The second thing that stood out to me was the variety of seating options available. As someone who enjoys switching between a couch, table, and desk while working from home, I miss this kind of flexibility when working from the office.

The Malin WilliamsburgLesley Unruh

The second thing that stood out to me was the variety of seating options available. As someone who enjoys switching between a couch, table, and desk while working from home, I miss this kind of flexibility when working from the office.

From orange velvet couches to patterned rugs, the space was abundantly colorful without feeling overwhelming.

The Malin WilliamsburgLesley Unruh

According to Ingrid Fetell, design expert and founder of The Aesthetics of Joy, color has an array of mental health benefits. And yet much of modern design — especially when it comes to corporate environments — is grey, white, and black.

The Malin WilliamsburgLesley Unruh

According to Ingrid Fetell, design expert and founder of The Aesthetics of Joy, color has an array of mental health benefits. And yet much of modern design — especially when it comes to corporate environments — is grey, white, and black.

For the first half of the day, I camped out in a super comfortable booth with marble countertops. Access to open seating like this costs $50 a day or $395 a month.

Hannah Towey/Insider

Small groups worked at tables scattered throughout the space. If conversation became too loud, office staff politely requested folks to quiet down.

Hannah Towey/Insider

For meetings, there were around half a dozen standing desks and phone booths. If you need to take a call in the common area, you're encouraged to wear earphones.

Standing desks at The Malin in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.Hannah Towey/Insider

Members can rent a dedicated desk with lockable storage for $850 a month.

Hannah Towey/Insider

My day pass didn't include access to the desks and their $3,800 Eames chairs — but I did take a peek at the views of the East River.

Hannah Towey/Insider

Members can also inquire about renting meeting rooms with video conferencing tech that can fit up to 25 people.

The Malin WilliamsburgLesley Unruh

After answering emails and wrapping up some organizational tasks in the common area, I headed over to the silent "Bedford library" to start writing.

Hannah Towey/Insider

The library was by far my favorite room on the floor. I rotated between the couch and chairs from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.

Hannah Towey/Insider

From the wall art and plants to views of the Brooklyn skyline, it was the perfect spot to go heads down on a creative project, or catch up on some reading.

The Malin WilliamsburgLesley Unruh

Meanwhile, three or four people worked silently at a large table on the other side of the room.

The Malin WilliamsburgLesley Unruh

The Malin's reasoning behind their luxurious design is that "beautiful spaces make it easy to work hard." Based on my productivity for the day, I'd have to agree.

Hannah Towey/Insider

For cold water and free espresso drinks, I headed over to the kitchen.

Hannah Towey/Insider

Unlimited caffeine of some kind is one of my must-haves while working.

Hannah Towey/Insider

Even the bathrooms were beautiful. Plus, the Aesop hand soap smelled amazing.

Hannah Towey/Insider

The office closes at 7 p.m., giving me enough time to catch the sunset before I headed home.

Hannah Towey/Insider

By the end of the day, I had turned from being skeptical of the value of a work place's aesthetic to realizing how modern office design has failed to keep up with the needs of today's workforce.

The Malin WilliamsburgLesley Unruh

By the end of the day, I had turned from being skeptical of the value of a work place's aesthetic to realizing how modern office design has failed to keep up with the needs of today's workforce.

The Malin struck the perfect balance between the comfort of working from home and the productivity of an office — a strategic design decision, The Malin's co-founder Ciaran McGuigan told Forbes.

The Malin WilliamsburgLesley Unruh

The Malin struck the perfect balance between the comfort of working from home and the productivity of an office — a strategic design decision, The Malin's co-founder Ciaran McGuigan told Forbes.

"I spent the last year and a half imagining what it would take to inspire folks to return to the workplace," he told the outlet last year. "I knew it had to be in an exciting neighborhood, flexible to promote different modes of working and even more comfortable than being at home."

The Malin WilliamsburgLesley Unruh

"I spent the last year and a half imagining what it would take to inspire folks to return to the workplace," he told the outlet last year. "I knew it had to be in an exciting neighborhood, flexible to promote different modes of working and even more comfortable than being at home."

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I worked from a luxury co-working space in Brooklyn where a desk costs half my rent. Companies struggling to lure employees back to the office should take notes.

The Malin, a boutique co-working space with an emphasis on luxury design, just opened its third NYC location on the ninth floor of the William Vale hotel in Brooklyn.

As someone who only goes into the office a few times a week at most, I was curious how the space — whose membership prices range from $395 to $850 a month —would compare to my hybrid work set-up.

Upon entering the lobby, I could immediately tell how sunny and warm the space was — the polar opposite of the fluorescent overhead lighting you typically get in a corporate office.

The second thing that stood out to me was the variety of seating options available. As someone who enjoys switching between a couch, table, and desk while working from home, I miss this kind of flexibility when working from the office.

From orange velvet couches to patterned rugs, the space was abundantly colorful without feeling overwhelming.

According to Ingrid Fetell, design expert and founder of The Aesthetics of Joy, color has an array of mental health benefits. And yet much of modern design — especially when it comes to corporate environments — is grey, white, and black.

For the first half of the day, I camped out in a super comfortable booth with marble countertops. Access to open seating like this costs $50 a day or $395 a month.

Small groups worked at tables scattered throughout the space. If conversation became too loud, office staff politely requested folks to quiet down.

For meetings, there were around half a dozen standing desks and phone booths. If you need to take a call in the common area, you're encouraged to wear earphones.

Members can rent a dedicated desk with lockable storage for $850 a month.

My day pass didn't include access to the desks and their $3,800 Eames chairs — but I did take a peek at the views of the East River.

Members can also inquire about renting meeting rooms with video conferencing tech that can fit up to 25 people.

After answering emails and wrapping up some organizational tasks in the common area, I headed over to the silent "Bedford library" to start writing.

The library was by far my favorite room on the floor. I rotated between the couch and chairs from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.

From the wall art and plants to views of the Brooklyn skyline, it was the perfect spot to go heads down on a creative project, or catch up on some reading.

Meanwhile, three or four people worked silently at a large table on the other side of the room.

The Malin's reasoning behind their luxurious design is that "beautiful spaces make it easy to work hard." Based on my productivity for the day, I'd have to agree.

For cold water and free espresso drinks, I headed over to the kitchen.

Unlimited caffeine of some kind is one of my must-haves while working.

Even the bathrooms were beautiful. Plus, the Aesop hand soap smelled amazing.

The office closes at 7 p.m., giving me enough time to catch the sunset before I headed home.

By the end of the day, I had turned from being skeptical of the value of a work place's aesthetic to realizing how modern office design has failed to keep up with the needs of today's workforce.

The Malin struck the perfect balance between the comfort of working from home and the productivity of an office — a strategic design decision, The Malin's co-founder Ciaran McGuigan told Forbes.

"I spent the last year and a half imagining what it would take to inspire folks to return to the workplace," he told the outlet last year. "I knew it had to be in an exciting neighborhood, flexible to promote different modes of working and even more comfortable than being at home."