Tricking out your home office, 5 fab design ideas for a cool work space
(NewsUSA) - The last 12 months or so of the Coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated to a large number of employers that working from home can boost productivity, reduce turnover, and lower organizational costs. As the world returns to 'normal', some CEOs and CFOs are enjoying the bottom line benefit from a work-from-home workforce which has significantly reduced utility expenses and lower person-hours needed for support services like janitorial and housekeeping. Many no longer see the need to lease or mortgage large commercial space for administrative staff and functions.
Not everyone has a dedicated home office, but since WFH is here to stay, now is the time to create a quiet and comfortable workspace in your home. Your ultimate goal is to create and customize an efficient work space where you can also enjoy working.
Some favor a Spartan and minimalistic space free of visual distractions. Others will want to fill it with their favorite artwork, sports memorabilia, two or three additional monitors - one for watching sports, of course - a beer fridge ... you name it.
The best thing about a home office, is it is YOUR office. There’s no reason not to personalize it and make it a great place to work, right? After all, it is in your home, you can decorate it the way you want.
Over time, play around with lighting, colors, and furniture to find the ultimate setup for the space you have to work with in your abode. Redecorate when you budget and schedule allows it. You could be working in a cool space like one these home offices below. Here are some creative spaces and places to consider.
FRESH & MINIMAL
Photograph: Rebecca McAlpin
If you're able to use a whole room as a workspace, it can be outfitted fully with custom built-ins and decorated in appropriate style.
Lisa Michael Interiors juxtaposes crisp white-painted hardwood cabinetry with navy-blue nautically inspired wallpaper and accessories in this shipshape Boca Raton home office. Visit www.hardwoodinfo.com for more about putting American hardwoods to work in your home.
In a Philadelphia house, designer Mel McDaniel uses three beech desktops, purchased at a local big-box store, to turn an alcove into a simple but effective workspace for two people. Vintage chairs, painted white, and a pair of residential table lamps complete the homey yet professional look.
OFFICE IN A CLOSET
Photograph: Alan Tansey
For many homeowners, finding sufficient space for a dedicated office is a problem. One solution, even in a small apartment, is to transform a closet with hardwood built-ins. Michael K Chen Architecture shows how it’s done with this admirably compact yet surprisingly roomy example in a New York loft.
Photograph: Paul Barnaby
If you live in a multistory house, you may have a dark space under the stairs that could be made to look and function better. In Los Angeles, Hamilton Architects transform one such triangle into a bright home office with a built-in hardwood desk and a strategically placed window.
Photograph: Eric Roth
As Hutker Architects and designer Kathleen Walsh demonstrate in this farmhouse on Martha’s Vineyard, the height-challenged space under the eaves in an attic can be the ideal spot for a substantial work surface. Dormer windows bathe the custom oak-and-steel desk with daylight while also providing a view.
THE FULLY FITTED OFFICE
Photograph: Jessica Glynn Photography @jessglynnphoto
If you’re able to use a whole room as a workspace, it can be outfitted fully with custom built-ins and decorated in appropriate style. Lisa Michael Interiors juxtaposes crisp white-painted hardwood cabinetry with navy-blue nautically inspired wallpaper and accessories in this shipshape Boca Raton home office. Visit www.hardwoodinfo.com for more about putting American hardwoods to work in your home.
