HOME OFFICE TRENDS
With all the time we are spending safely at home lately, working remotely and digitally have become reality as well as the norm here in Naples. As we spend considerably more time in the home office, it’s worth investing in some needed accoutrements for work at home success. Considering the likelihood of multiple family members utilizing the home office for a variety of needs, be it work, school or social activities, your office time is now more important than ever.
Fortunately, people have been finding the necessary adaptation an easy one thanks to Zoom, Skype, FaceTime and other meeting apps that have made group discussion an easily adaptable alternative to face to face conversation.
It’s a good idea to factor a home office into the initial design if you’re building new construction. If space doesn’t accommodate, however, even a cozy nook can work when configured correctly. Consider the option of creating a room that’s part office, part homework study, and part home admin center. Keep in mind that for optimal use, you’ll want to create a different feel for your home office from the rest of the house in order to help you focus and get in the right mindset when you’re on the clock. Working at home can come with a lot of distractions and temptations to get off track. Whether you have a spare closet to convert, a stretch of available wall or a guest room that’s never used, a home office can be virtually anywhere. What’s important is to create a space that promotes creativity, concentration, and happiness.
TECH
The advancement of current wireless technologies has contributed to the growing demand for work-from-home opportunities. Integrated USB ports and electrical outlets are very much the norm in our updated home offices, from furnishings to architecture. We’re so wired in at this point that many home offices feature these ports and outlets built into the initial design.
After 100+ hours of research, the experts at Wirecutter recommend the Anker 10-port USB 3.0 hub as their preferred hub for most people due to its usability and design. Not only is it smaller and equipped with more ports than most, three of the ports are high-speed charging for iPads and other higher-end tablets.
Smart Home speaker and hub technology has also grown dramatically in recent months, driven primarily by Amazon Echo and Google Home. Consumers can choose from a variety of offerings for voice-activated technology to run their whole home, all customizable via an app on their phone. Android founder Andy Rubin even has a goal of unifying the IoT world with a platform-neutral smart home hub called Essential Home.
DESK/CHAIR
Today’s home work area looks a lot different from the typical office of past years. Gone are the big “president style” desks with credenzas and matching bookcases, as high-end luxury designers like those on the Clive Daniel Home team lean toward clean, minimal workspaces to optimize for flexibility and efficiency. Desks that are freestanding furniture or built in units are part of office spaces are proving to be much more personalized and multi-functional.
Know how much space you have in your home office when choosing your desk. A corner desk may be the answer. Most desks also have handy wire channels built in to keep your cord situation in check. Ergonomically speaking, standing desks are becoming more popular lately, as are those that convert from sitting to standing with the touch of a button. When you plan your fitted cabinets and shelving in and around your desk area, make sure to allow enough room for displaying items that aren’t necessarily work-related and just make you happy. A dedicated spot for treasured books and ornaments will help create that area that you want to be in, rather than one you have to be in.
If and when you choose to sit, your desk chair might just be the most important piece of your home office, as it provides the necessary support for your health and alignment. From a study done by Republic Lab, among the top ergonomically-correct desk chairs comes the Herman Miller Embody Chair, which actually stimulates oxygen and blood flow, and the Haworth Zody Chair, which comes with a certificate of recommendation from the American Physiotherapy Center. Some are even bypassing the chair completely, opting for a stool to encourage “active sitting” such as those suggested by Vurni.com.
LIGHTING
When your home office just happens to be near a window, by all means use it! Natural light is optimal in any lighting situation, especially here in southwest Florida. Just remember to incorporate the look correctly so it blends in with your selected style. Make sure you allow for the angles of natural light through the day and try to avoid glare from your computer and other screens. Otherwise, invest in a purpose-designed desk lamp for the best lighting, such as the Danish company Vipp’s Desk Lamp, as recommended by Gear Patrol.
Be sure to use the appropriate treatment for your window to optimize your office. Shutters will allow you to control the amount of light coming in. Light-colored blinds that block out glare while allowing in natural light would work as well. Home offices that feature sustainable and/or green materials have become increasingly popular.
Using recycled or re-purposed materials, there are a range of high-end luxury furnishings for your home office that are also environmentally friendly. It could be as easy as incorporating solar power into your home which in turn powers your office tech. Also, by simply adding a plant to your office space, you’ll improve the overall air quality in the immediate vicinity
For more great ideas to refresh your home office, please reach out to award-winning designer John Tweet at [email protected] or call 239.261.4663.
The experts at Clive Daniel can help you outfit your office with the latest, smartest high-end luxury furnishings. Come see the 85,000 square-foot flagship Clive Daniel Home showroom located on U.S. 41 in Naples, for some great home office ideas. Company founders Clive and Daniel Lubner lead a team of talented professionals in all facets of luxury furnishings and design to help you create a beautiful interior design for your home, and home office, every time.
