Embracing the Work from Home Phenomenon
Many of us are two months into working from home (WFH) and we’ve settled into our routines. However, as we foresee more time spent WFH, here are some ideas for making the most of your home office space. They should be functional and beautiful. Don’t forget to create a place for your kids to do their homeschooling and homework as well.
Here are a few helpful suggestions:
When carving out space to work from home, If using a desk floating in a room, make sure the desk is handsome from all angles.
If you have the opportunity, placing a desk or table in front of a window is a preferable idea. A view of the outside world, especially blue sky or green space, is beneficial to your health. It is calming and will help you feel less isolated. You will feel less stressed being surrounded by nature.
Using a dining table gives you a bigger work surface and allows you to work communally with other family members. The position of a centralized dining table lets you see out into the space around you, rather than having your back to everyone and everything. If you can dedicate the table as office space and not have to shift back to dining at every meal, it will allow you to be more productive. This works if you have another place for dining (and we’ll be talking more about dedicated meal spaces during this stay-at-home period soon). However, it’s also okay to clear the table at the end of the work and school day, and transition into family time around a meal.
If you have to anchor the desk up against a wall, we suggest hanging a mirror above so you still feel connected to the space around you.
If you’re going to be on Zoom or virtual calls, creating a pleasing backdrop might mean shifting some furniture around or placing a folding screen behind you. Natural light is good, but the light source should be in front of you and not behind you. I spent some time re-arranging the shelves in my office which serve as the background when I’m on a video call.
FILES, CHAIRS & LIGHTING
We’re proponents of cleaning off our work space at the end of each day. Having a place for files, books and office supplies is helpful. Of course, in this digital world we’re in, there is probably less paper. Having a credenza near the desk fulfills two goals: function and beauty.
If you do have papers to store and do not have room for a credenza, we like the idea of a rollaway file cabinet or these file boxes from the Container Store. My recommendation is to have a wireless printer stashed in a nearby credenza or closet. You can use your dining room sideboard as a credenza, too, if your dining room is now your office.
A note about office chairs: Office chairs are very personal and a lot of time is spent sitting in them. I prefer not to be the reason that your back hurts, so I always recommend that my clients find their own. Ironically, three clients have chosen this leather rolling chair. It is comfortable and durable. The chair comes in a multitude of dyed leather color options.
Lamps and lighting for desks: As you can see in these work space images, I look for lamps that are functional and beautiful. I like to use something that has visual interest and that has a pop of color to brighten up a work space. I suggest finding a lamp that offers adjustable lighting for tasks that you can toggle throughout the day.
I recommend that you beautify the workspace with objects you love - paperweights, picture frames, a lovely container for office supplies, a vase with fresh flowers or a plant. To help you be mindful and able to focus, put away the stuff that distracts you. Clearing the space in your office and view around you makes space in your head. Comfort, wellness, and feel-good design is the foundation of every Dane Austin Design project.
Imagine the luxury of having your own space in which to work, write, play music, or even nap. We turned a nursery near the master bedroom in a South End brownstone into just that kind of room.
A PLACE FOR THE KIDS…
If possible, it is a great idea to have a dedicated space for the kids to do their learning and homework. Just like for the adults, it’s really nice not to have to move our books and files off a table or desk for a meal. But sometimes that just isn’t doable. In that case, those beautiful file containers come in handy for stashing the laptops, notebooks, and other school supplies.
We created this homework space for our client’s children in the South End. The colorful cabinet doors are one of our favorite elements. The upper cabinets are for additional storage, but there is a hidden bunk with twin beds, and the desk cantilevers so that all of the belongings on the surface stay in place when the bunk is opened. The college kids use this space to crash when they visit.