The Bay Area’s in-person work environments are slowly returning. But will Monday-through-Friday, 9-to-5, in-office schedules return to pre-pandemic conventions?
Some traditionalists think so. But new-home plans and construction designs in Northern California point to the home office remaining valuable for decades to come.
Before exploring ways to create a functional, comfortable and attractive home office space, let’s look at what builders are doing.
Is the office included?
Builders develop their communities and homesite plans based on data from the market of current and prospective buyers. So it’s safe to say that not only will the newest generations of professionals continue honing success from hybrid or work-from-home environments, but other generations will continue welcoming fewer commute days per week.
Many new-home communities incorporate first-floor dens in their recently released floor plans. Whether this space is 9-by-9 feet or 10-by-12 feet, it may be located away from the busiest parts of the home and may even feature optional deck or patio access.
The emphasis on flexible living spaces in new homes suggests that multiple spaces in a new home can be transformed into productive home offices or workspaces.
Some builders even offer a tech center option, often found either under a staircase in a two-story home, between a kitchen and a dining area, or in a second-story loft.
There, built-in cabinetry, flexible shelving options, custom lighting and electric work convert otherwise empty space into usable space.
Tip: Notice where windows are relative to the workspace. Natural light from a nearby window increases the form and function of a tech center.
Next, it’s time to decorate.
Commit to your workspace
Expecting a home office to do triple or quadruple duty as classroom, bedroom, workout room and office will create clutter and confusion. While it’s not unusual for a room to have two purposes, such as an office and guest room, dedicate at least two walls to the workspace.
Placing a guest room bed away from the window, for instance, frees up natural light for desk space next to or under the window.
Choose a desk and a chair that match each other and that provide proper ergonomics. Position them next to or against a wall at a 90-degree angle from the window if possible.
Add personality and functionality
Brighten the mood in the room with warm, welcoming paint colors and textures. Choose window treatments that can easily be adjusted for the ideal amount of natural light. Add freshness by using the windowsill or floor for indoor plants in attractive pots.
Keep your sight lines clear and productive by paring down desktop decor. Instead, add personality to the walls.
On the wall that you face most often, hang framed photographs or pieces that make you happy. If your personal organization system includes a bulletin board or whiteboard, choose one with an attractive frame. Surround it with floating shelving, allowing you to change up the items in your view from time to time.
Those same floating shelves can double as places to mount office electronics, such as cameras and speakers for videoconferencing.
Preconstruction tip: Do your best to map out how you’ll use your office space. Adding extra outlets or custom lighting is much easier to do when the house is being framed rather than after construction.
Please test your backgrounds
Virtual backgrounds are so 2020. That said, the way a person presents themselves on video calls directly impacts their image.
Design the wall opposite your camera in a way that looks clean but not dull; interesting but not distracting. Built-ins, including solid-wood cabinets with upper shelves, are ideal for adding a sense of professionalism and dimension behind you.
On shelving, create a stacked gallery. One level may include books; the next some framed art or photos; the next might hold some delicate, whimsical knickknacks or seasonal items. Even dried flowers in bud vases can add life and they require only dusting.
Enjoy your commute to the new-home office and have a productive day.
