Home offices have certainly taken center stage of late. Early in the shutdown, I provided information for a Houston Chronicle article on that topic. We design a home office or at least a sizable workspace in nearly every new construction or renovation project. Most of the time, we create two home offices, usually in a his and hers arrangement. Some of our married clients share office space but we still design it to have separate workstations. Even if you don’t work at all, a home office is important and helps keep paperwork and day-to-day clutter out of other areas of the house.
As mentioned in the Houston Chronicle article, a good desk, comfortable chair and adequate lighting are critical. As shown in the photo above, we created a great home office in this extra large, utility room. This client just loves her bright, uncluttered workspace and can do everything from computer work to setting up her sewing machine with her miles of desk and counter tops.
Below, this lovely study functions as a library and a cozy place to watch TV. Additionally, it has a complete desk set up as well. When you enter the home, you see this pretty room and around the corner, out of site, is a full wall of built-in desk space and storage.
In this historic renovation shown below, windows were traded for doors to the courtyard. The original brick wall was retained, and the room became a charming, light-filled home office for a busy executive. With a sunroom-like feel and a view of the trickling fountain outside the French doors, working from home becomes a delight.
The ways our lives are changing at work and at home is currently inspiring me. How has the COVID-19 pandemic urged you to re-think your home office set-up? What home office essentials are you eager to incorporate? Comment below and we’ll share suggestions for you to consider.
Check out our “Design Tips for a Home Office” blog post for lots of suggestions to implement on your own or with our help.
