Balancing the work home space
A good Home Office has become an essential consideration after the recent set of lockdowns and a lot of companies choosing to allow employees to work from home. This has led to a higher demand for homes with an additional room, and indeed villas and independent houses. While the traditional spaces did not cater to this, carving out a dedicated space where you are at your peak productivity and efficiency is now an essential design requirement for our clients who look to have a luxurious and efficient home office space.
When we design this space, we consider the ergonomics, space requirements and work life balance. When you enter this space, you should feel comfortable, energised, and uplifted to tackle the work day.
Usually, this is a shared space with husband and wife using the space either together or at different times. We understand their needs and plan as per their preferences. The first item is to understand the essentials like desk size, chair, monitor requirements; maybe standing desk and any storage needs. Some request for a recliner for the calls where they just listen. We then design the decor and lastly the accessories.
Our objective is to primarily streamline the office space so that it does the essentials very well. This allows us to allow some empty space so that as needs change, the space can evolve. We use this space to put multi-dimensional furniture that can double up as display, storage, or if needed, extra office space later. This also allows the user to focus on the task and not get distracted.
The placement of the desk is important. For your luxury project like MyHome Nishada or Paulomi Palazzo, you have wide windows overlooking the large water bodies; but do not place your desk in front of the window. You won’t be able to look at the monitor, and you will block the sunlight coming into the room. Instead, sit at an angle to the natural light so you can look out with a twist of your neck while taking the full benefits of the natural light! Have a wall to the back, with suitable wall paper or art for those virtual meetings. You can have a console or a wall furniture behind you which can double up as storage space. This helps you maintain an uncluttered desk – a key for focus.
For sitting, we recommend the best, most expensive chair with the best reviews that your budget allows. Since you are going to spend a lot of time in this chair, it must support your back. There are a myriad options in the market and we can also recommend a good brand We do not recommend extension cords. It spoils the decor and is an eyesore. Please plan enough power outlets, use cord storage, and pop up power receptacle solutions. Keep a balance of open and closed storage. Open is for quick access like files, charger etc; and closed to keep things uncluttered. Glass shutters can be used to see what is kept.
This space must be cocooned from the rest of the house and rugs, fabric coverings on the wall, thick curtains and a heavy wooden door will ensure that the sounds in the house won’t bother you, while the sounds from this room will not filter out into the home. Thus, you keep a distance between the home and the office. Choose rugs that go with the theme of the space, and a neutral colour palette that suit your tastes. Its your office space, not your company’s so feel free to add a little splash! To make the space inviting, especially during the weekend, add a plant, colours, and patterns.
Pay attention to scale and proportion. The console, desk, and storage furniture must be in proportion and any other recliners or furniture should be in proportion, and there should be some space for walking. This can be challenging for the first time designers, and we recommend going with a good experienced designer, since this is what help create magic in this space and makes you excited to take on the challenges of the workday. Lighting is key. Use layers of light effectively. Please see our article on lighting to layer lights. One important aspect is to keep a light that lights up your face for virtual calls. To create a great work space which keeps you excited and is a conversation started on your virtual calls, get in touch with Thing Studios!