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Style Magazine

Out of Office: Home Workspace Solutions

Oct 09, 2022 09:05PM ● By Style
While some employees have returned to the office full-time, most of us have been able to embrace a fully remote or hybrid schedule. Considering we’re more than two years into the WFH life, it’s worth the investment to make your home office inspiring and comfortable. Keep reading for ideas to make yours a polished place of productivity. 

A home office should be an inspiring place to spend your time while also showcasing your personality and interests.

 


Cathy Tonks, founder and interior designer at Designs With You in Mind (designswithyouinmind.net), says many of us have spaces in our homes that we don’t use to their fullest potential. “The room pictured to the right—now a luxurious and inviting contemporary home office—was once a dining room that hadn't been used in 11 years!” she says. “Don’t let spaces go unused—it’s time to start getting the most out of them, and this might mean transforming an existing space into something else. Once you let go of how a room ‘should be’ used, the possibilities are endless. You might even end up with a new home office, too.”

One of the greatest things about working from home is being able to move your office outside when the weather is nice

 

Lauren Jacobsen, principal designer and owner of Lauren Jacobsen Interiors (laurenjacobseninteriors.com), says the past couple of years has given many of us a pause for thought about the importance of a home office setup. “Working from home is now a fixture in many of our lives, and now’s the moment to revisit how your work space fits into your home,” she says. “A home office should be an inspiring place to spend your time, while also showcasing your personality and interests.”

When designing a home office, Jacobsen always starts with the piece of furniture that will likely dominate the room: the desk. “Even when space is limited, choosing a desk that’s a beautiful piece in its own right makes for a [motivating place] to spend your days,” she says. “Positioning the desk to face a view or a piece of artwork is a simple way to incorporate visual texture and stimulation.”

Even when space is limited, choosing a desk that’s a beautiful piece in its own right makes for an inspiring space to spend your days.

 

Jacobsen also suggests selecting a spot with natural light to improve focus and saving space for a comfortable accent chair or bench so others can visit throughout the workday. “If your work area is incorporated into part of another room, being able to clear everything away at the end of the day can be essential, which often calls for hidden desk ideas,” she says.
And while an office may be a place for work, this doesn’t mean that it should lack personality. “Adding a point of interest that highlights a favorite hobby often gives the space a more personal touch and makes for a more enjoyable place to work,” she says.

by Kourtney Jason

Purchase the correct type of desk for your work style

 

Home Office Design Tips

  • Think through your daily habits and design an office that will set you up for success.
  • Purchase the correct type of desk for your work style: traditional, standing, or hybrid. Zuri has some fantastic contemporary options.
  • Consider angling your desk to look out of the room, instead of at a wall.
  • Be sure to pick the right chair that marries comfort and ergonomics with style.
  • Try integrating a printer into your desk design so it doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb.
  • Incorporate any necessary power outlets into your design. Hint: Desks located in the center of the room will need outlets in the floor. We suggest purchasing a lower cost rug in case you need to cut a hole for access to the outlet.
  • Ensure each piece of furniture has a distinct purpose.
  • Consider storage solutions and stay organized with bookcases, file cabinets, and more.
  • Incorporate an interesting background for Zoom calls.
  • Customize your office and make it feel special with curated artwork. Bonus points if it’s local!

 

TAKE IT OUTSIDE

“One of the greatest things about working from home is being able to move your office outside when the weather is nice,” says Whitney Critchley, creative director at Terra Outdoor Living (terraoutdoor.com). Here, she shares everything needed for a functional alfresco office.

  1. Comfortable seating. “When you need to settle in and focus on work, it’s important to have the right chair—[one with a] strong, well-proportioned frame and supportive seat that [works] for office hours, and even outdoor dining,” says Critchley.
  2. Easy-to-clean surfaces. “If you’re anything like me, you need space to spread out and snacks to keep you going while you work. Ceramic-style glass tabletops are smooth, expansive, and remarkably easy to clean, so you always have a fresh surface. Infused with opaque color, they offer the attractive look of ceramic with the exceptional durability of tempered glass.”
  3. Zoom-friendly backdrop. “Background envy is for real. Make your setup the talk of the Slack channel by positioning yourself in front of bright blooms, a sparkling pool, or a lush wall of greenery. Natural light is the most flattering when you’re on camera. A movable umbrella will let you keep the sun in front of you, so the illumination is soft and even. If the weather is uncooperative or your kids have commandeered the pool, download a backdrop to set the perfect scene.

Courtesy of Cathy Tonks


Top photo by Liz Zimbelman, lizzimbelman.com @liz_zimbelmanphoto. Bottom photo by Allison Pheleita (1). Top photo by Sang An and Dave Greer. Bottom photo by Liz Zimbelman, lizzimbelman.com @liz_zimbelmanphoto. Top photo by Allison Pheleita.Bottom photos by Sang An and Dave Greer.