Working from home (WFH) demanded to create a place in our homes exclusively dedicated to our daily duties (overnight!). On one hand, it requires investing money to have the appropriate equipment and furniture. On the other hand, it is our chance to design our own tailored-made private office.
For us, elegant women, our home is our sanctuary. We enjoy a beautiful décor, with our very own style that represents our personal brand. But, where should we start?
I met with Antoinette Emanuel, from Antoinette InDesign, International Interior Designer who shares her expertise and tips to create your ideal home office.
In my experience, we are not only creating a functional home office, we are also designing a background for the people on the other side of the camera can look at.
Antoinette Emanuel, Antoinette InDesign
- Select the right furniture. Look for a desk according to your profession. We are moving towards height-adjustable height desks and chairs. These are more comfortable -for women, especially- as seating down for long hours is not healthy. Choose comfort over style. The size of the desk is important. I think that a small desk space blocks your creativity. In addition, with the heavy schedule of video calls, we need room to add liquids, a fruit, mobile phones (work and personal). Personally, the bigger the desk space, the more ideas and inspiration I get. Don’t forget a small container or drawer where to keep the batteries, charging cables, notebook, pen, etc. Once business hours are over, put everything away and leave the working space clean.
- Set up your lighting. It is necessary to have a lamp to light up your face during video calls. Very important! But this is purely esthetic.
- Choose a well-ventilated area. Consider a purifier. It could be natural or artificial. If natural, go for the snake plant which is low-maintenance and detoxifies the air. I add to my plant selection, the Molekule as, today, I spend long hours in my home office.
- Change the furniture layout. Place the desk close to a window. If placed on a wall, I feel creatively blocked. A window with a view opens your mind and rests your eyes. You get inspired from this open space in front of you. My clients say they feel more productive once I changed their home office layout.
- Design the background. Last but not least, the background. Our clients, colleagues and -maybe- potential employers will see it during video calls. The background must showcase our style. People will virtually visit you in your private space. As a interior designer, I feel that a beautiful background is a gift for the person on the other side of the camera.
Our home reflects our personality. I used to meet with clients in my home office in person, but currently it is only by video calls. So, I moved my home office where I can showcase one of the most beautiful corners in my condo: plants, wonderful lamps and art. I get compliments from clients since they can see a bit of my work through the camera.
Antoinette Emanuel, Antoinette InDesign
Personal branding involves how we speak, dress and behave -even in virtual meetings. Set a time aside and reflect on what is the image you want to project, work on it and share with the world! Remember to always be good to yourself. Take care.
