Home Office Guidelines From an ASID Interior Designer
A home office should be attractive, functional and comfortable
Designer: Eloise Kubli, ASID NCIDQ Publication: The Miami Herald
Text: Jana Soeldner Danger Photographer: Kim Sargent
Beachfront Home Office - Behind the TV in this office, a custom wall unit contains a zoom bed for guests. Swiveling armchairs allow occupants and guests to enjoy the magnificent view.
As more people work from home full-time or telecommute part time, home offices take on new importance. Even for individuals who do little actual work at home except pay bills and check email and social media, it’s nice to have a special place to do it. What are some ways to make a home office functional and attractive? The décor of an office can be very personal.
QUIET, PLEASE
It can be important to make the office as quiet as possible. “Upholstering the walls in sound-absorbing fabric or textured wallpaper can help, and there are a lot of gorgeous textures out there,” said interior designer Eloise Kubli, owner of Collective Construction & Design in Plantation. “Soft drapery panels can also absorb sound.”
EQUIPPING THE SPACE
What equipment will be necessary? “Think about the electronics you’ll need,” Kubli said. “Do you work from a laptop or a desktop computer? Most people need a printer and a scanner and a paper shredder. If you can, hide them behind closed cabinet doors or have them on pull-outs. All those electronics require power. Today, fewer and fewer people have landlines.
Designer: Eloise Kubli, ASID NCIDQ Publication: The Miami Herald
Text: Jana Soeldner Danger Photographer: Kim Sargent
Home Office Elegance - Grounded by the metallic hide rug, the polished chrome and lacquered desk adds an elegant space in which to work. Chinoiserie and geometric prints add an element of surprise to the transitional interior.
FURNITURE
When it’s time to choose furniture, measure the space carefully, and don’t forget to take the measurements to the store. How much storage will be necessary? “You can create a wall of storage, either with built-ins or made of components that can be put together,” Kubli said.
One of the most important pieces of furniture is the desk. Not everyone requires a large one. “Most people now work on laptops,” Kubli said. “Today it’s about having a beautiful writing desk, not the heavy ones we used to have.”
“Putting the desk against a wall can help hide wires,” Kubli said.
Just about everyone needs a file cabinet. “Will you need letter size files or legal size?” Kubli said.
Seating is important. “Choose decorative, comfortable chairs that don’t have the look of office chairs,” Kubli said. “They add personality.”
Designer: Eloise Kubli, ASID NCIDQ Publication: The Miami Herald
Text: Jana Soeldner Danger Photographer: Randall Cordero
Home Executive Suite - This home office was designed for an executive who often met there with clients. The comfortable sitting group provided a relaxed setting for conversations.
AT THE WINDOWS
Window treatments are decorative and also control light coming in from the outdoors. “You need something to keep glare off the computer screen,” Kubli said. “You can use a sun shade, or shutters or sheers.”
MAKE IT PERSONAL
Whatever the décor, it’s important that the office is a place in which its owner will want to spend time, a personal space that inspires goals and achievement.
