Quick and Easy ways to Create a home/workspace balance.
Prior to 2020, most of the rooms in our home were just a room. You slept in your bedroom, cooked in your kitchen and so on. But when March hit (followed by several months of isolation) our homes also become our offices, our gyms, our schools, and our daycares. We use our living spaces differently now – and appreciating parts of our home that we never did before. Here are some trends you can take advantage of in 2021 to transform your home/workspace without breaking the bank.
Back to Nature - Bringing the “outdoors in” and creating green spaces in our homes is a trend that has been growing over the past few years. Incorporating plants freshens air, adds color texture, and helps brighten your mood. Add a few easy to care for indoor plants such as bonsai trees, parlor palms and peace lilies in colorful or textured pots for example. Using earth tones and natural textures such as linen, grass cloth wall coverings, bamboo, wicker and woven grass rugs helps us to feel grounded.
Zen Vibes – Continuing with our outdoor inspired themes, zen inspired features help to invoke a calm and peaceful space. Adding natural light, moving your desk closer to a window, and opening the shades not only lifts your mood, but also allows you to take a break from your computer screen, inspire your work or school projects. Taking a few moments to enjoy the view is a great way to “re-center” and may even inspire you to take a quick walk.
Multipurpose Spaces – As many of us return home for work or school we need to rethink the way we use our space. We often don’t have the luxury of single purpose rooms like bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms. Adding moveable, lightweight pieces and storage can easily transition a space into an office or classroom. Something as simple as two ottomans and a sofa table, hanging bookshelves and pegboards as well as portable filing boxes are a great way to create inexpensive multi-function spaces. Bookcases can be used as temporary walls, rugs can help define spaces, and adding textures can help reduce noise. Keeping areas uncluttered, using covered boxes and staying organized allows for easy clean up at the end of the day.
Small Home Office Spaces - Some homes are not large enough to dedicate an entire space or room to an office. But we all need a comfortable working space to get things done as effectively as possible. In that case, it’s a good idea to come up with some creative solution to organize a compact home office in a living room, a dining room, a kitchen or even in a closet.
At the end of the day, its important to disconnect from our work even though we are still in the same space. Creating a bedroom oasis and spa like bathroom can help create a space to unwind and relax. Consider purchasing a new mattress or foam cover, softening window treatments, and adding black out shades to block out distracting lights helps to ensure comfortable and uninterrupted sleep Use natural cotton or bamboo sheets and bedding to help to help moderate temperatures. Even the addition of a soft fluffy rug, playing soft music and lighting your favorite candle can help you unwind and encourage a good nights sleep.
Designing our Designing our homes is not just about “making pretty stuff”, it is a matter of quality of life, of bringing wellness into our homes. Now that working from home has become the new “normal” for so many, the return to office buildings, classrooms and airports may become a something that companies re-evaluate offering it as a choice rather than a necessity.