Home Offices For Two
When my husband and I just flew to visit two business school buddies of his who started their own company and work from home, I started thinking about in-house work spaces for two. Whether this means partners, such as our friends, or a couple doing their respective work from home together, many home office settings need to accommodate more than a single person. Turning a normal room in a dwelling to an efficient work space, and creating the right flow and space for enough people in a small non-professional setting, can be a challenge. These few hints can help:
TRY LONG, NARROW DESK SPACE. One single large desk not only streamlines the look, but creates a more open floor plan. When such a desk runs along a wall with a window, the natural light and view can be inspiring and refreshing. When the space faces a wall, the wall can be used as a huge think-pad or a space to hang pleasing art.
MEET ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS. Without systems in place and ways to organize such as shelving and filing cabinets, work and clutter can grow like weeds. Decide together what your collective and individual needs are, and you can work peacefully side by side.
CREATE VERSATILITY. Just like in a professional environment, you might need another place to brainstorm and congregate other than you desk space. Create comfortable seating in the corner or around a table in the center of the room for a second space to land and get inspired.
MAKE IT A PLACE YOU WANT TO BE. With the essentials down, don't forget that this is a space you will spend much time in. Especially when your work is also your home, you need the space to be designated as different to get your work mind flowing. Add interesting shelving, sculptures, art, a vintage lamp, a cappuccino center, or whatever makes you want to be in the space.
TRY LONG, NARROW DESK SPACE. One single large desk not only streamlines the look, but creates a more open floor plan. When such a desk runs along a wall with a window, the natural light and view can be inspiring and refreshing. When the space faces a wall, the wall can be used as a huge think-pad or a space to hang pleasing art.
MEET ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS. Without systems in place and ways to organize such as shelving and filing cabinets, work and clutter can grow like weeds. Decide together what your collective and individual needs are, and you can work peacefully side by side.
CREATE VERSATILITY. Just like in a professional environment, you might need another place to brainstorm and congregate other than you desk space. Create comfortable seating in the corner or around a table in the center of the room for a second space to land and get inspired.
MAKE IT A PLACE YOU WANT TO BE. With the essentials down, don't forget that this is a space you will spend much time in. Especially when your work is also your home, you need the space to be designated as different to get your work mind flowing. Add interesting shelving, sculptures, art, a vintage lamp, a cappuccino center, or whatever makes you want to be in the space.
This table with an incorporated shelf allows a room to be a dining space and also a home office. I once saw a fantastic (and very tiny) apartment where every room was dual-purposed, and the dining room/office was flanked with chrome shelving for rows of both work materials and dishes, set up together almost as art.
Q