Hi there, my name is Nicolas. I am a 31-year-old IT consultant living in Nantes, France.
I was born in Paris, but my family moved to Nantes when I was five years old. I went back to Paris for my studies when I turned 18. I lived there for about twelve years before returning to Nantes 1,5 years ago.
The reason for this move was that my daughter was born and the COVID-19 made it necessary for our family to have more space, nature, and a calmer environment.
When it comes to his desk setup, Nicolas values comfort and warmth over a stark, minimalist aesthetic
I’ve been working as an IT consultant for about six years now, and I really enjoy it.
Since COVID, I have been working from home three to four days a week, which has allowed me to spend more time with my family.
It has been a blessing.
One thing that has always been true about me is that I love gadgets.
At the age of 12, I blew everyone’s minds by connecting two monitors to the family computer.
I have always wanted the latest phone, keyboard (for example, the Logitech diNovo when I was fifteen), computer, and other gadgets.
You could say I’m a very enthusiastic tech enthusiast.
Clearly, if I had unlimited money, I would probably become a danger to everyone in my household with all of the gadgets I would buy.
In my free time, I enjoy playing video games with my friends.
However, I prefer to play casually and have fun rather than becoming frustrated and mad when I die to a coward camper who is WAITING FOR ME AROUND THE CORNER.
Bought a “cheap” keyboard on Amazon, still with good reviews, planning to build the quietest MK possible to bring it to the workplace. Ranked Nova60, Gateron silent red switches (lubed and filmed), Oblivion XDA clones keycaps + additional mods (switch foam, silicon pad, tape mod, etc.)
With this desk setup, I aim to create a productive and optimised environment for work and leisure, as I spend most of my day sitting there.
I’m always changing and improving things, organising differently, and buying items that better suit my needs.
An ultrawide monitor has made a big impact on Nicolas’ productivity. He prefers to keep Discord, Spotify, and other apps on a vertical monitor when he needs to use the main one in full screen
My workspace has transformed a lot since I built my first setup (when I was 14, I believe).
It has gone from full RGB lighting, a dual monitor, a big tower, and a glass desk, to what I have today, which may be very different from what I will have in a few months or years.
I am now closer than ever to having a desk setup that truly satisfies me both practically and aesthetically, but I like to change things up frequently.
By adding personal touches, such as pictures, figurines, plants, or other decorative items, you imbue your desk setup with character and create a welcoming environment. It allows you to feel comfortable in your workspace. This can foster a greater sense of productivity and well-being
In an effort to make my setup feel cosy and welcoming, I have added personal items such as figurines (Marvel, Star Wars), pictures of my family and friends, and knick-knacks that have meaning to me (my lighter, Invincible comic, the art of Nantes, vinyl records of nostalgia-inducing artists and other things).
I like plants as well, although I’m not very good at taking care of them. However, I do love having a bit of nature on my desk.
For the colours and materials, I like to have a little bit of everything.
I try to mimic the mix of different materials and colours that you would see in the outdoors (a tree, a metal pole, the pavement, a window, some artwork), as it feels more lively to me.
Nicolas used to have a minimalist, black-and-white desk setup back in the day. Now he enjoys mixing things up in his workspace by using a range of colours (green, wood, black, silver, grey, and yellow) and materials (metal, wood, felt, and glass)
My work PC is a laptop.
I use the Nova keyboard for work because it’s in the ISO FR layout. It’s more comfortable for me as a French speaker than the ANSI layout.
I also built a budget custom keyboard with the goal of making it as silent as possible.
I put red silent switches on it and did a lot of modifications.
This way, no one can hear it during a call or if I bring it to work, and it feels like typing on clouds.
For my personal rig, I use a Keychron V2 keyboard (I’m in love with this thing!) with knobs and either an MX Master or G Pro wireless mouse (it’s amazing for gaming). I have a docking station to keep the mouse charged and never run out of battery.
I pair the keyboard with an MX Master 3S mouse, which is also relatively quiet and great for productivity.
