HOME OFFICE INTERIORS MARCH.qxp_Layout 1 16/02/2024 17:28 Page 3
Fitted storage idea, Sharps, Manhattan Loft; sharps.co.uk
Finishing touches
The storage story “Increasingly, with people choosing to work from home, for many the need to combine a study or work space within your lounge or spare room is essential so finding creative solutions is important,” says Alison Bracey, founder of Bracey Interiors. “Clever storage units can become a focal point for any room, offering practical storage alongside a style statement. Available in a multitude of finishes and colours, it’s a great way of injecting colour and interest into your room. No matter how tidy we are (or wish to be) the ability to store decoratively in our homes is a priority with functionality and good design being key words when creating adaptable storage solutions. “Other options are to use room recesses to create stylish storage and/or display areas, which can be custom built and painted to suit any room. Often, this is a way of combining storage without losing the aesthetics of a room. These can be painted to match the colourway of a room, meaning they can be a practical solution without being an obvious statement.”
Utilising a nook (image: Ivywell Interiors)
So, you’ve chosen your space, painted the walls in a colour scheme that will help you focus and made those furniture choices that will organise the tools of your trade without compromising on your home’s unique style. Now it’s time for those all-important final flourishes that will really add character and enhance the personality of any workspace. Carefully chosen decorations can define your mood, help integrate or separate a workspace from its surroundings, and promote that much-needed focus and calm. Other accessories can have more impact than you might expect. Plants can improve air quality and enhance feelings of peacefulness; rugs are a great way to zone areas within a room, as well as helping to keep your feet warm and cosy in winter; decorative antique lamps, stationary and underlit shelves with a warm glow can help make a desk area look stylish and inviting. Home offices should make you feel like you work from home, not live at work, which is why their design is worth focusing a little more energy and time on than you might expect. But the rewards are great, with an area that can draw the best bits of your personal and professional life together, with an empowering result. n braceyinteriors.co.uk; gemmawrightdesign.co.uk; ivywellinteriors.com; k-interiors.co.uk
Kitchen table nightmares Think you’re doomed to work from the kitchen table? Integrating a home office could be easier than you think, according to the team at Ivywell Interiors: Utilise your nooks and crannies “If a spare room fit-out isn’t on the cards, a small wall recess or alcove may just be the solution. With desk widths ranging anywhere from 1000mm to 1800mm, there are plenty of options to choose from. A small table, console or simple floating shelf might also suit your needs and look more stylish than a traditional desk, just give yourself a minimum of 500mm depth to fit a laptop.” Think vertically “In busy homes, floor space is often a premium. Mounting secondary screens on the wall and adding shelves will keep your workstation clear and make more room for your legs. Just keep a little space for styling.” Create a destination “Your work area should feel inviting. Can you ditch the unsightly office chair for a comfy and stylish armchair? We think so. Just work out the required heights to maintain a good posture. Consider colour-coded folders to keep the space tidy and visually connect it to the rest of your home through colours and textures you enjoy.”
72 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE | MARCH 2024 | No 232