Design Essentials: The Home Office

Have you ever walked into a room and felt as if it just didn’t feel complete? That it didn’t give you the warm fuzzies or that sense of delight? It is most likely because it is missing a key element to the design, if not several key elements. In this series, we will be discussing design essentials for every room in your home! Whenever Asha Maía Design is hired for a project, we consider a specific set of elements in each design. Because room size, shape, and/or design style vary, not every project always calls for each specific item; however, it is still our goal to incorporate these essentials into each finished project.

The home office offers a balance between personal and work life, ideal for professionals who work remotely or run their own business. It's a sanctuary where one can shut the door and escape the chaos of children or the many other distractions at home. During the pandemic, many people were forced to work from dining room tables or kitchen islands without much privacy, which sparked the desire for many to have a dedicated home office. The home office is the perfect space for taking Zoom calls, paying bills, or even signing the kiddos up for summer camp. Whether you utilize your home office on a daily 9-5 basis or only as needed, its popularity is on the rise due to the many benefits they provide.

It's always our goal to ensure that the home office feels like a space that not only supports work getting done, but makes it enjoyable, and shows your professional personality. A home office requires specific elements and furnishings to make it successful and feel complete. We believe a successfully designed home office has three main categories of furnishings 1.) Furniture & Fixtures 2.) Lighting, and 3.) Styling. Each of these categories is important to a full and cohesive end result. The furniture sets the foundation, the lighting (as well as color) sets the mood, and the styling brings everything together and creates a sense of home.    

Here is our list of our essentials for an impeccably designed office:  

Furniture:

• Desk - At AMD, we especially love sleek desks that feature a hidden drawer. It is important to ensure your desk is deep and wide enough for monitors and plenty of elbow room.

• Desk Chair - Adjustable chairs are key for staying comfortable during long periods of sitting.

• Sideboard/Console - Functions as an extra space to store a printer or files that need to be locked away.

• Reading Chair - Great for creating a usable space in a corner of the room, to take a phone call or read your favorite book in peace.

• Ottoman - Placed adjacent to your reading chair, ottomams are a great way to further cozy up your reading nook.

• Drink Table - To set your favorite coffee or tea down on while you enjoy that new best-selling novel.

• Guest Chair(s) - When space allows, we suggest adding two chairs across from the desk where others can take a seat during important working sessions or not-so-serious conversations.

• Bar Cart - Our clients love the grown-up and inviting appeal that bar carts add to the office space.

• Built-Ins (optional) - Great for a Zoom background and added storage, built-ins can show off your favorite travel tokens, books, and other aesthetically pleasing accessories.

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Lighting:

• Chandelier/Overhead Lighting - For over the center of the room, overhead lighting ensures day or night, your space is bright when you need to get work done.

• Desk Lamp - A desk lamp not only gives visual appeal, but also helps when you're reading the fine-print.

• Table Lamp - Typically, these go on the sideboard, to add ambiance and personality.

• Floor Lamp/Reading Lamp - Contributes to the creation of a mood, defines spaces, and expresses personal aesthetics; we recommend one that has a dimming functionality.

• Sconces - Sconces are great for adding symmetry to your built-in bookcases or on either side of your artwork. They add balance and have great mood-setting capabilities.

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Styling:

• Area Rug - We always include an area rug under the desk to define the space and add comfort.

• Shades/Drapery - At AMD, we recommend a shade and curtain panel combo for home offices that add simplicity and functionality. The shades will provide privacy, and the curtain panels, stationary on each side, add an extra layer of style and sophistication to the space.

• Books - Stacking a mix of old and new hard-cover books adds texture, color, and visual appeal to an otherwise blank shelf space.

• Vases - We also add greenery to our spaces and love filling a vase or two with eucalyptus or other stems and placing them on the desk or console.

• Desk Supplies - A chic antique brass stapler and a marble cup for pens & pencils will do the trick.

• Wine, Liquor, Liqueur, and bar accessories - To make sure your bar cart is full-service for guests to use, add your favorite beverages, glass-ware, and drink mixing tools.

• Art - Artwork that reflects your profession or features your favorite hobby is a fun way to add personality to your home office.

• Plants - Breathing in greenery and being around living plants gives an outdoor feel and sense of calm, while indoors working away.

• Candles -  To provide ambiance and fragrance that can evoke positive emotional responses to help us recall information easier, and stay focused for longer!

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We’d love to hear from you! Let us know your thoughts on this list and if there is anything you’d add! 

Interior Designer Serving Alexandria, Virginia; Arlington, Virginia; Chevy Chase, Maryland; Bethesda, Maryland; Potomac, Maryland; North Arlington, Virginia; Mclean, Virginia; Washington, DC; Falls Church, Virginia; Great Falls, Virginia; Vienna, Virginia, Fairfax, Virginia