From Stress Den Calming Sanctuary: Home Office Design Advice
From Stress Den to calling Sanctuary: Home Office Design Advice
July 24, 2024
Photo: Home office of a doctor in a California Farm House that I designed. The project was a dramatic gut rehab project by the Inspired Interiors design team in Chicago’s covetable North Shore suburbs created a home of modern elegance for one young family. You can see all the photos here.
Today, I want to dive into a topic that I know is on everyone's mind these days (especially if you have kids home for the summer!) - home office design. With more people working from home, creating a functional yet stylish workspace is essential. The challenge? Creating a calming, inspiring work environment without sacrificing all the things you need to get your job done or want because you like them (we're all human). Let's explore how you can achieve that perfect balance through a case study of a recent office renovation in Chicago's North Shore suburbs.
Picking a Theme
Choosing a theme is the first step in transforming a home office. This can be themed for your profession or anything that makes you calm, focused, and inspired. If your hobby is gardening and you want a botanical theme, that's great. If you collect vintage cars, that could be the theme, too. The main point is to choose one and roll with it. For this particular project, the client was a surgeon, so we chose a moody, cozy, vintage apothecary aesthetic. The original office had dated brown open shelving crammed with books and seemed to have very little intention behind it. Our goal was to infuse the space with a sense of calm and sophistication.
Choosing a Calming Color
Color plays a crucial role in setting the mood of a space. When selecting a color for your home office, consider what emotions and states of mind you want to evoke. Cool colors like blues and greens are generally calming and can help reduce stress, making them ideal for high-focus tasks. Warmer colors like reds and yellows can be stimulating and energizing, which might be beneficial if your work involves a lot of creative thinking and brainstorming. However, too much of a bright color can be overwhelming, so it's often best to use them as accents rather than the primary color. If you're not sure, try taking home a selection of color swatches from the hardware store and sitting with each color to see how it makes you feel. For the renovated office, we chose a deep, moody blue for the shelves and cabinetry. Blue is known for its tranquil and serene qualities, making it an excellent choice for a workspace where focus and calm are paramount. The contrast between the dark blue and the lighter walls and flooring creates a visually appealing balance that enhances the room's overall sense of peace and productivity. This color choice also complements the vintage apothecary theme, adding to the room's introspective atmosphere.
Inspiring Artwork
Artwork can significantly impact the ambiance of a room. Artwork in a workspace can transform a mundane office into a vibrant and thought-provoking sanctuary, encouraging focus and creative thinking. The strategic placement of artwork can serve as a focal point that draws the eye and stimulates the mind, creating a dynamic and engaging environment. In this office, we selected vintage anatomical sketches and other intriguing pieces to adorn the walls. The strategic placement of portrait lighting above adds depth to the space and draws you in.
Reduce the Overwhelm
The difference between "clutter" and a "collection" is really about the placement and curation. Group like items together in order to theme them and let collections of similar things breathe in between. This approach helps in creating a cohesive look and makes the space feel more organized. For instance, in this office, we grouped vintage medical instruments and anatomical models together, creating themed sections that add to the overall aesthetic without overwhelming the space. This curated approach allows each collection to shine while maintaining a clean and uncluttered environment. Adding hidden storage for necessary items that are not visually compelling can go a long way, as can cord management systems and sleek technology solutions like slim printers and desktop computers. Effective cord management is also a must.
So take a deep breath because you can do this! It's all about exploring what personally inspires and focuses you and then celebrating that with your design! Here's to a home office that inspires you upon entry.