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Last year we had the joy of designing some beautiful home offices that we are so excited to share with you! Creating a multi-functional work-from-home space has become very popular and we've loved working with our recent clients to re-design unused rooms and create multi-use spaces, using a lot of innovation...which might be the most thrilling aspect of Interior Design!
When we begin the planning phase of creating an office space, there are a few factors that we always take into consideration at the start of the process: Layout, function, lighting and storage. Here's a rundown of how these four pillars come into play in our designs - and some inspiration from three of our favorite past home-office projects!
1) LAYOUT
The desk placement should always take the lead in defining the layout of a home office. Having a natural light source from windows or a glass door positioned close to the desk has been proven to boost productivity, so this is always our preference. To avoid direct sunlight causing screen glare on your monitor, the desk should ideally be positioned with the windows to the side of the desk. If the best layout for your room involves placing the desk directly in front of a window, as seen in our Seaside Sanctuary project, some sheer curtains or light filtering shades are the perfect solution to minimize direct sunlight without making the room feel too dark.
Now that most work calls are becoming video calls, it's important to remember that the wall facing your computer screen will become the backdrop for your virtual meetings, so ideally, this space should remain clutter-free and polished. We would recommend selecting neutral artwork that doesn’t distract too much or shelving decorated with hardback books in a serene color palette.
We always choose to use a rug in a home office to create a more comfortable environment. Whilst they can be a bit of a pain to roll a desk chair over, especially if you choose a high pile or tufted option, we therefore recommend going with a flat weave rug with a low pile to avoid your chair becoming stuck - there are lots of options for indoor/outdoor rugs that will be easy to clean and can take a lot of wear if used heavily.
If space allows, we always incorporate an inviting seating area into our designs- somewhere to take a break, space for a second person to sit, or a cozy spot to read. We love a built-in nook or a statement chair - like this iconic leather Eames chair that worked so beautifully with the moody colors of the office in our recently completed Just Lake A Dream project.
Design by The Habitat Collective, Photography by Jeanne Canto
2) FUNCTION
Sometimes a room needs to play many roles! Whether it's an office/guest room hybrid, or a book-lover's dream library, we consider the multi-functional criteria for a space and try to tick all of the boxes for our client's needs. Consider whether the office has to provide occasional guest accommodation - how will a sleeper sofa work in the space when it’s pulled out for guests? Could shelving double up as nightstands? Could mood lighting also work as bedside lighting?
Project Seaside Sanctuary's office works triple duty as a workspace, a secondary living area, and a guest room for visitors. The streamlined sofa pulls out into a queen sized bed, with shelving on either side that can hold bedside essentials.
Design by The Habitat Collective - Photography by Trevo Studios
In Project Just Lake A Dream, we incorporated both a speakeasy bar and a floor to ceiling library - I don't think we'd ever want to leave this space!
3) LIGHTING
Never underestimate the role that lighting plays in creating the mood of a room, especially when designing a workspace that encourages productivity and serenity. We love to layer lighting and always try to include a ceiling light for general lighting, a floor lamp or wall sconce for ambient lighting and a table lamp at your desk for task lighting. We recommend using warm white bulbs and installing dimmer switches where possible, for the most inviting atmosphere!
4) STORAGE
The key to creating a calm work space is to remove the clutter and to make sure you have enough storage in your office to avoid visual distractions. To make the most of any space, we love to use the full height of a wall to incorporate storage solutions. This is also a great opportunity to introduce custom millwork which always elevates the look of a room. Do you have a large collection of books that you’ll want on display or do you need more closed storage? If the latter, we still try to include some open shelving to display a mixture of decorative objects, artwork and vintage items that will make the space feel more personal and enjoyable to spend time in. Remember to consider all of the devices you might need to work comfortably in your office, and incorporate intentional spaces for them to be stored (including dedicated outlets!). Where possible, we try to hide these items away in cabinets, using pull out trays for items like printers and shredders which make them easily accessible during working hours, and easy to tuck away at the end of the workday.
Let us know in the comments which office is your favorite!
The HabCo team x
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