What makes for a successful office space? Whether you work at an office or in your home, where you sit for six to eight to ten hours each day matters. We’ve staged many home offices – and now we’re moving into designing corporate offices – so here’s what we’ve learned along the way.
If you know you want to talk to us about office decorating and design, click here. If you want to learn more about our philosophy, read on…
Lovely Light
No one wants to work in a cave. We don’t have a statistic on this one, we just know it to be true (no disrespect to all you cave people out there). A few high hats are not enough to keep you alert and lively. A 2018 study by Cornell University professor found that individuals in daylit offices reported a significant decrease – 84%! - in headaches and eye strain. If your office space is dark, and retrofitting is an option, we recommend adding additional light sources and/or fixtures and, if possible, bringing in more natural light with windows, skylights, etc. If renovation is not a possibility, bring in table and floor lamps. When we’re working in a home office, we might recommend moving the office from the dark back bedroom to the front of the house – maybe by a set of French doors or a large window. Look, if you work 40+ hours/week, you deserve a place of honor in the house!
Here’s another bright space with can lights and a modern desk lamp. This Greenwich co-op is light-filled and open - we still found a cozy corner perfect for a desk, chair and laptop. Blue, black and white framed pieces by Paul Jaklin Studio. Painting on desk by Kari Kroll.
Get Hygge With It
Have you heard of the Danish concept of hygge (pronounced Hoo-gah)? It loosely means cozy, charming, special. You might think that cozy and work don’t go hand in hand…but they do. A comfortable office decorated with elements that make you feel at ease and give you a sense of well-being, can increase creative thinking and help you to work harder and longer. Elements might include:
Varied spaces to work at: a desk AND a sofa area AND a stand-up desk;
Soft and hard spaces: a comfortable chair and side table as well as a more traditional office chair and desk;
Homey elements: a comfortable sofa and pillows; a plush rug; art that has meaning and design intent – not just “office art.”
Plants = Productivity
We love plants and other natural element in office design! And there’s lots of research suggesting that we are not alone. For example, a 2014 study by the University of Exeter determined that office plants could increase productivity by 15 percent. And a Harvard University study found that plants doubled occupants’ “cognitive function test scores.” What we’ve learned is that people feel more relaxed and content in spaces with greenery and other earthy elements, like rocks and bamboo.
Not Every Office Needs to Be Techno-Modern
Unless you’re a writer who only needs pen and paper, most of us require technology-friendly offices that are set up to accommodate laptops and computers, sometimes multiple screens, with ready outlets to power printers and charge devices. This doesn’t mean that every office space needs to look like a tech company. We love to help people and businesses find the design style they love and that works best for their budget AND employees – and to incorporate that into the office. This may include vibrant colors and contemporary touches or a neutral pallet with light woods and natural elements or something else entirely.
This Forest Hill, Newark, NJ home office offers a transitional mix of traditional paired with modern. Photo by Ken Kavanaugh.
This is a great article with ideas to transform any space into your home into a pop-up office (something lots of us are doing right now).
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