We’re starting the New Year with a new abbreviation. WFH is now in the lexicon thanks to spending most of the previous year sheltering-in-place. Even the Wall Street Journal has used it in headlines. It stands for Working From Home.
In some homes, the kitchen table is now the classroom, and the guest room is a brand new home office. Whether you are running your own business from home or just trying to stay focused on your job, working from home can have all sorts of challenges. This includes having your kids at home doing homework and study as they do remote learning.
While many of us grew up doing homework around the kitchen table, in today’s world of video meetings and online classes, that scenario is really not practical.
There is more variety of work from home options than ever before. This was clearly evident at the Fall Home Furnishings Market in High Point, NC. Our Decorating Den Interiors senior vice president for merchandising and marketing reported that WFH was the “hottest category at Market. It was evident that there was ample variety to make working from home memorable and effective for all.”
A workstation in a sunny room with a door that can shut is always ideal if you need quiet for video meetings, phone calls or just to focus on the task at hand. Even a desk or table in a bedroom is preferable to working at a kitchen table. By positioning your desk in front of a window, natural daylight will not only give you ample light for working, but it will also illuminate you for those video calls.
Speaking of lighting: Layer your lighting as much as possible. The variety of table lamps or task lighting is phenomenal and can come with just the right base to fit a personal interest or hobby. This will also give you the additional lighting you need for video calls on those gray days or after sunset.
If there are two adults working at home, while separate rooms may be difficult, separate workstations in the same room are doable as in this image below.
If a room is large enough, workstations could even be placed so that when both are occupied the occupants are somewhat back-to-back or side by side. Consider using a screen as a room divider made of cork, fabric or leather. This will help to absorb some of the noise and create some privacy.
In a smaller room, one large work table could enable two, three or even four older children to work at the same time. Remember study hall? Or how about if you are lucky enough to have that extra closet space in a child’s bedroom?
You don’t often have many choices in furnishings at the company office. Not so at home. There are so many options for office desks that, with some help from a professional, you can find one that will satisfy your work needs and fit your space, design preference and lifestyle. You can adjust height, be stylish and trendy, and even make a statement.
Similarly, chair options are plentiful. Ergonomic chairs have a backrest that can be raised and lowered, as well as moved forward and backward to eliminate bending or stretching. Firm lumbar support may be an issue if you are sitting for long stretches at a time. If you are sitting for long hours in that chair, it’s worth it to make the added investment in quality seating.
Storage is another issue with many solutions. If your space is at a premium, you may need a desk with its own storage. However, if you do have the space, there are fabulous options for furnishings that will do the job.
With some creativity, even a tight space can have a work-from-home feature such as the cool accessory table that can double as a laptop stand in this multi-functional spare bedroom.
As you can see there is no “typical” home-office style. It’s all up to you and what works best for your home.
Don’t feel obligated to make all of these changes on your own. With help from us at NUVO DESIGN STUDIO, you can create that dream WFH space that you will never want to leave. Contact NUVO DESIGN STUDIO today to schedule either your free in home consultation or a virtual one if you prefer.
