Working from home

Unlike the past, when the workspace was conceived as an integral part of the office and the company headquarters, today with the change in social values ​​and needs and with the spread of technological innovation, this place takes on different connotations. The current company policy often provides for the possibility of carrying out one's work activity from home, remotely, on some days of the week.

Furthermore, there is a growing number of new professional figures who work independently: this is the case of freelance workers, self-employed professionals and collaborators with VAT numbers. This social scenario is inevitably reflected in the spatial conception of the place intended for work which is thus dematerialized, according to its traditional meaning, making flexibility and adaptability its key principles. Today, the home office is becoming an indispensable prerogative for many, which requires some attention from the point of view of the function and distribution of the home environments.

The residence must include activities other than strictly residential ones and the first is work. In this regard, first of all it is good to define the type of work that is carried out and the needs that it implies. A fundamental aspect is represented by the level of privacy required: are these professions that require meeting and exchanging with the client or on the contrary are independent activities carried out without interpersonal relationships? In the first case it will be necessary to create a material separation of the area intended for work and appointments, in order to avoid an unpleasant fusion between the private and work spheres. If, on the other hand, no visits by external parties are foreseen for the work that is carried out, there is greater freedom in the organization of the different functional areas.

In light of these needs, the home workstation project must fit coherently into the home environment, ensuring comfort, functionality and aesthetic care. In fact, since there is a close link between the well-being of the worker and his productivity, as is done on a large scale in corporate offices, even in domestic spaces intended for study and work, it is necessary to ensure a good microclimate, suitable lighting and adequate conditions of concentration and privacy.

The choice of natural materials, linear shapes and colours studied specifically for personal tastes can contribute to the success of the project in terms of user satisfaction. Even the direct connection with the natural world helps to achieve psychophysical comfort: the insertion of a plant or the use of certified materials is sufficient to significantly improve working conditions. From a planimetric point of view, the best choice consists in preparing a specific room for the intended work use, but these are rare situations and possible only in large apartments or independent houses. This solution is advantageous from the point of view of privacy and acoustic comfort.

However, if the space is limited, it is necessary to create a corner where you can carry out your activity in safety and comfort. In this regard, it is good to consider what the specific needs are and choose an area of ​​the house that can satisfy them. For example, if you carry out activities that require good lighting, it will be preferable to choose the living area, but if you need to concentrate, the sleeping area is the most suitable because it is the least frequented and therefore the quietest. To set up a study area, you do not necessarily need to have large square footage, what is important is to recreate an atmosphere that puts those who will work there at ease.

If functionality must be one of the guiding elements on which to implement design choices, aesthetics must not be overlooked either. In fact, especially in the case of work corners inserted in pre-existing environments, it is necessary to ensure overall coherence and balance in the finishes and furnishings, in order to "camouflage" the area inserted at a later time as much as possible. In conclusion, although each profession is different from the other and requires specific conditions, it is possible to affirm that there are some elements to always consider, in order to achieve a good design result in terms of usability, safety and comfort.

Where to place the study corner

As mentioned, the space intended for the study can occupy an independent room but more often it can be found in a corner belonging to a home environment. Analyzing the first example, if contact with clients and colleagues is foreseen, it is good that between the study and the rest of the house there is a hallway or a corridor that acts as a filter between the area frequented by third parties and the private area of ​​the residence.

The best choice is to place it near the entrance of the apartment so that it is immediately accessible by external customers who will not come into contact with the most intimate spaces of the house. This type of attention is not necessary in the case of personal studies that are used only and exclusively by the worker. First of all, it is necessary to establish the dimensions of the room available, whether there are openings and how to distribute the furniture necessary to regularly carry out one's activities.

It is good to organize the spaces in order to maximize their functionality and make the study comfortable and tidy. Furthermore, it is advisable to keep in mind that even if it is a workstation located inside the home environment, it is necessary to ensure sobriety, brightness and order, in view of conference calls and video calls. From the point of view of the furnishings, they will be chosen based on the needs and taking into account the availability and spatial conformation: the desk must be large enough to accommodate a PC, a lamp and documents but its shape must be chosen based on the room and the presence or absence of windows. The latter in fact, are very important for carrying out work during the day, because they allow you to take advantage of natural light, ensuring comfort and greater energy savings.

To promote the brightness of the room, the colors used for the walls and ceiling also contribute: light and relaxing tones of white, beige and gray are preferable, better if combined with green details that guarantee a vital touch to the whole and a high level of concentration.

In this regard, it is also recommended to include natural elements such as plants and eco-friendly materials in order to make the environment healthier and more pleasant. Another important element for the study is the artificial lighting project since it is essential to ensure diffused but also punctual light. To do this, a central vault device and a table lamp with an adjustable arm and possibly with a dimmer to be able to change the intensity and color of the light beam will be essential. With the aim of promoting the free performance of activities without straining the eyes, the suitable light temperature is around 4000K (typical of neutral light) and for the color, white is preferable.

Finally, since it is a separate room, you have greater freedom of choice in terms of color and style. Since there is no obligation to maintain full coherence with the rest of the house, it is possible to customize the environment according to your aesthetic taste: accessories and complements will contribute to giving a strong personality to your study. However, this possibility must always be calibrated, especially if it is a work environment where you usually receive other people, because they will contribute to providing your personal image and the level of your professionalism.

If you don't have an entire room dedicated to your study, you can create a corner for work within a home environment. The choice can fall on the living area or the sleeping area: both have pros and cons that need to be evaluated before making any kind of decision.

LIVING AREA

This is the most illuminated area of ​​the house during the day and can include the kitchen, living room and dining room. It is perhaps the most used during the day and this could lead to a lower level of concentration due to the numerous sources of disturbance (televisions, appliances, chatter). In the case of the kitchen, it could be convenient to create a corner used as a study, equipped with a work surface and a blackboard where you can write down notes and deadlines, but at the same time write the shopping list as needed. In this case, a chair from the dining table can be used as a seat (it is assumed that you do not work during meal times) and a shelf as a desk, so that if not used, the workstation will blend in with the furniture and components of the kitchen.

If you want to insert the home workspace in the living room, it is very important to follow the style that distinguishes it. First of all, it is a good idea to study the spaces and choose the corner where to insert the study: the best choice coincides with a space that is as close as possible to a window, since natural light acts as a fundamental element for carrying out work during the daytime. In this regard, it is necessary to pay attention to the position of the furniture, in order to avoid the appearance of unpleasant reflections on the PC monitor. For this reason, it is recommended to place the desk perpendicular to the opening and position the seat in such a way as not to create shadow areas.

Furthermore, the workstation must guarantee the user's free movement and comfort, providing enough space to move the chair without hitting walls and furniture, to change position and to move easily. In addition to natural light, artificial light is also essential to be able to continue one's activities during the late afternoon, evening or on days with little sun: for this purpose, it is ideal to provide an electrical outlet to power a table lamp, preferably with white and adjustable light.

As for the style of the environment, while for the kitchen, which is considered a more creative and informal space, you can indulge in the choices, in the living room it is preferable to stick coherently to the whole. If classic furnishings predominate, low consoles or desks accompanied by comfortable armchairs will be perfect to combine functionality and aesthetics. Sometimes, the choice of inserting a bookcase or shelves can fulfill the dual function of dividing the space and holding texts and documents essential for carrying out one's work. In order to make working activity more pleasant, you can choose to insert some plants that, in addition to representing a pleasant furnishing accessory, are able to purify the air and make the environment healthier.

SLEEPING AREA

A valid alternative to the living room and kitchen is the sleeping area, which has the advantage of being quieter and more intimate than other rooms in the house. In fact, bedrooms are usually inaccessible to guests and house patrons and for this reason it is clear that this type of location is not compatible with those who need to make appointments with clients and colleagues.

The first element to consider is the position, better if not close to the bed. The organizational aspect can include diversified options but all able to ensure concentration and privacy. One of the most common choices is to place the study corner near the window (as for the living area) and sometimes, if you have a generously sized windowsill, you can use it as a desk, so as to fully enjoy the pleasant natural light and sometimes a valuable view.

Another idea that makes the home workstation more compact involves distributing the necessary furniture behind the headboard of the bed. Often, the space behind the bed (which is located in a central position) is used to place the walk-in closet but in this case, if the size allows it, this space can be used for another function. If the bedroom is characterized by small dimensions, a trick could be to recreate a disappearing study space in the closet that reveals itself when needed. If, on the other hand, the bedroom is larger, the study corner can occupy an independent space where you can move more comfortably. In any case, it is necessary to recreate a small "oasis" where you can concentrate and feel at ease, in order to increase productivity and consequently your professional satisfaction.

How to choose furniture

Once you have determined the space and physical characteristics that the study must have, it is a good idea to define the furniture and accessories necessary for your needs. The optimal choice combines comfort, ergonomics and design: each piece of furniture must guarantee psychophysical well-being so as to facilitate the performance of work activities and maximize profit. A valid model, to be used as a "typical" workstation, consists of a seat, a support surface and a lamp functional to the type of work. Each additional complement and accessory contributes to the customization of the study corner. Let's now see how to best choose each component. 

SITTING

It represents the most important piece of furniture from the point of view of physical well-being: it must be chosen very carefully because sometimes many hours a day are spent on it. The study chair must first of all be ergonomic: respecting the dimensions and needs of the human body, in order not to cause damage and unpleasant discomfort. What is important is that the seat guarantees a good level of comfort and to this end it must possess some important characteristics.

First of all, it is adjustable in height, so that the chair can adapt to individuals with different characteristics and who carry out various work activities. Furthermore, it is good that the seat can also be flexible in order to tilt it, if necessary, to be able to change the position of the back without compromising the correct posture. There are various solutions on the market that differ in performance and design, however they are not always adaptable to all environments. The most innovative are those equipped with knee supports and rocking arches at the base that make them very flexible; the negative side is represented by the backrest that is not always present and by the continuous movement that ensures well-being to the limbs but is not always welcome.

Furthermore, since it is not possible to change the height, these products presuppose the use of adjustable desks. Another choice can fall on chairs designed for the differentiation of positions and therefore equipped with a tilting seat, adjustable height, knee supports and a rotating base (also backwards). Finally, there are the most widespread office chairs in absolute terms that guarantee an average level of comfort but are a bit bulky, therefore unsuitable for small study corners.

For this type of chair, it is best to choose breathable materials that ensure free use even during the hottest seasons. Regardless of the type of chair, the work chair must ensure a correct position for the user and avoid static and stiff limbs and pelvis. In a standard seat, the back is parallel to the computer screen and the pelvic angle is 90°. In the case of dynamic chairs, the torso-knee angle is greater and there are supports for the knees and back. In both cases, the posture is correct and thus ensures well-being throughout the entire work process.

DESK

In close relation to the seat, the support surface ensures the correct performance of work tasks. Depending on the style and type of chair chosen, the desk can be fixed or adjustable in height: in the first case it is necessary to opt for a product that ensures the free movement of the user once seated, in the second case instead, being flexible it can adapt to specific needs. What matters is that the support surface ensures the well-being of the user and increases their productivity, since it is a piece of furniture that acts as a real work tool.

As for the dimensions, it depends a lot on the space you have available but there are some reference values ​​that must be respected in order to work safely and preserve your health. The height must be at least 70 cm, the depth must ensure a space for resting your arms and for positioning the PC. In this way it is also possible to respect the minimum distances that must exist between the screen and the user's eyes, in order to preserve your eyesight and avoid symptoms of end-of-day fatigue (about 65 cm).

Furthermore, depending on the type of work you do, you need to establish how much space you need and if the desk you have chosen is not enough, it will be a good idea to equip it with some auxiliary furniture. Examples include floor-standing drawer units, sometimes equipped with wheels so they can be moved as needed, or wall shelves useful for holding texts and documents. Solutions such as storage compartments or wall organizers are also useful for maintaining order and always having everything within reach.

When choosing the desk that best suits our needs, it is important to also consider the material, shape and style: from the cheapest products in laminate, to the most resistant ones in metal and steel, up to the most classic and aesthetically valuable solutions in wood. Each material has some pros and cons and it is necessary to choose it by anticipating its durability, resistance and aesthetic yield.

LAMP

It is an essential piece of furniture for the workstation, since it influences the results in terms of profit and health of the user. In fact, lighting is an element of primary importance for the correct performance of work activities.

Auxiliary to natural light, artificial light must ensure comfort during the evening hours and to this end it is necessary to choose the most suitable devices. When choosing a table lamp, it is a good idea to take into account some factors that can prove decisive for good functionality. First of all, the possibility of adjusting the inclination and position of the arm, so as to better direct the light onto the work surface. From the point of view of the choice of color and temperature of the light source, for this type of function a light-colored lamp of medium temperature is recommended, neither too cold (it would tire the eyes) nor too hot (unsuitable for carrying out precision work).

Finally, an added value of the study lamp is represented by the dimmer, a system that allows you to vary the intensity and color of the light depending on your needs. This device also guarantees significant savings in terms of energy and money.

SHELVES AND BOOKCASES

In order to maintain order and organization in the study corner, it is optimal to insert shelves and small bookcases, essential for housing important texts and folders. Sometimes they are custom designed with the aim of defining a space or dividing the home work station from the rest of the environment. In other cases, however, modular elements are chosen that allow you to vary the shape and size of the equipped wall depending on the time and specific need. Often the most used materials are wood and lacquered laminate, capable of giving the rooms a clean and tidy look. If you want to add a vital touch to the environment, small plants can be placed on the shelves that will be able to make the air healthier and the spaces more pleasant and relaxing.

ACCESSORIES AND COMPLEMENTS

The study inserted inside the home environment must take into account the furnishing style but it is essential to add some personal touches to make the final result more responsive to your tastes. Carrying out the work in a space that reflects your personality ensures greater well-being and more satisfying results. Given that you should not overdo it with accessories and decorative elements, since it is still an area of ​​the house with a more formal activity, you must choose each piece according to your tastes.

It is necessary to ensure the right balance between family environment and professionalism, through the care of small details that can stimulate the creativity and productivity of those who work. Furthermore, the insertion of some personal object on the desk, a frame with photos or even a gift that is close to our hearts, guarantees greater confidence with the space and a consequent emotional serenity thanks to which it is possible to work better. To this end, it is preferable to opt for neutral colors and natural materials capable of reducing stress and increasing concentration.

A solution that combines the useful with the pleasant is represented by sound-absorbing modules: in addition to acoustically isolating the study corner, they decorate the walls thanks to the countless shapes and different colors. Furthermore, the innovative fabric finishes guarantee a high aesthetic result, meeting the taste and needs of a large user base. With the aim of maintaining order in the home workstation, it is a good idea to equip it with a wall or desk organizer thanks to which pens, notes and accessories will find their place. 

Space saving solutions

If the study corner does not have large dimensions, it is necessary to opt for solutions that optimize the space and make it functional. What really matters is to exploit every area in order to recreate a small home office in which nothing is missing.

Sometimes, it is necessary to insert a study corner inside very small domestic spaces: this is the case of studio apartments where all the functions are concentrated in a single room. The solution is often represented by proposals that blend directly with existing furnishings and spaces: this is the case of workstations inside wardrobes, provided that they are equipped with sliding or folding doors that let sunlight filter through. In this case, it is necessary to choose wardrobes with a depth that accommodates a support surface large enough to be able to carry out work activities in a practical and comfortable way. It is also possible to insert some shelves, thus also taking advantage of the vertical spaces to organize books and files.

If you opt for this solution, it would be a good idea to equip yourself with folding chairs that ensure comfort and that can be closed and placed inside the closet once you have finished working. If, however, you feel the need to create a real study, more secluded, that guarantees greater privacy and concentration, you can think about dedicating the mezzanine to this function. This is a very common solution that allows you to divide up the domestic functions more. In this case, it will be possible to choose a classic workstation with a desk, seat and lamp that will prove indispensable if this part of the apartment is a little less bright. Depending on the height guaranteed by the mezzanine, you need to choose the most suitable furniture: if it is limited, you can opt for cushions and low tables, always measuring them on your ergonomic needs in order not to compromise physical well-being.

If, on the other hand, you don't have even a small space that can accommodate a complete workstation, you can recreate "buffer" areas where you can "lean" in case of need (send some emails, check a document, print some files). In this case, the study corner is a temporary space that only requires disappearing solutions, integrated into the walls of the chosen environments.

Among the most popular products, there are the folding and extractable tops on which, with a quick gesture, you can rest a laptop (given the size and the low weight of the most modern models) and work. This type of furniture fixed to the wall, has the advantage of becoming a work station and at the same time a shelf when it is no longer necessary for carrying out work activities.

Finally, if the home plan really does not lend itself to hosting a workstation, today there are “stopgap” remedies represented by the so-called “portable offices”, trolleys on which to place what is needed and which when needed are moved from one room to another in the house. Once the position and type of study corner that best adapts to the physical conformation of the residence has been established, it is necessary to always keep in mind that the most suitable accessories and devices are not the standardized ones.

It is better to prefer a laptop to a desktop computer, and if you want a desktop computer, you should opt for an “all in one” model that does not take up much space due to its components. The printer must also be multifunctional and include a fax, scanner and photocopier, preferably compact and not bulky (the latest models can be placed directly on the desk without taking up much space). Sometimes, with a slightly larger initial investment, it is possible to meet specific needs and carry out your work comfortably from home.

New guidelines

Since recent studies have shown how the design of the work environment can influence the psychophysical well-being and productivity of the worker, some schools of thought propose the application of models that are still considered alternative and not very widespread. This is the case of Feng Shui, an ancient Chinese art according to which, based on the flows of positive energy, it is possible to make choices aimed at obtaining harmonious and comfortable environments.

Using the Bagua, a scheme that associates vital themes and values ​​to the areas of the house, it will be possible to better circulate energy and increase productivity. The correct choice of furniture arrangement, colors and materials will help to recreate an environment tailored to specific needs. The first element that must be considered is the sense of security and protection that the user must possess while carrying out his work activity. To this end, it is preferable that the desk is positioned near a wall so that once seated, one can concentrate better thanks to the absence of uncontrollable movements behind us. The work surface must have a square and regular shape to convey a sense of stability and security.

According to feng shui, each area of ​​the desk corresponds to specific values ​​and taking care of the organization of the objects to be placed there leads to positive results in terms of success and productivity. For example, the telephone should be placed on the right (social relations area) while the PC should occupy the position on the left of the desk (knowledge area).

As for the chair, it must be positioned so that you can see everything that happens in the room once you are seated. Each piece of furniture must not weigh down the room but must perform very specific functions and never be chosen randomly: low heights are preferable, allowing light and energy flows to circulate freely.

In the photo, a corner of the working environment designed keeping in mind the rules of Feng Shui

From the point of view of color choices, it is essential to opt for shades that meet specific needs: white and green to obtain relaxation and order, blue to calm, orange and yellow to stimulate creativity and brown to be sure of one's skills. To work in a healthy and bright environment, views on the south and east front are preferable and the inclusion of plants and plant species capable of making the environment vital and sometimes purifying it from the harmful air produced by the devices used (pc, photocopiers, scanners, smartphones) is recommended.

The environment or area intended for study should be free of any superfluous objects and order should always be maintained; ornaments should be chosen according to the criterion of the connection between the celestial world and the earthly world. For this reason, it is better if they reflect the natural elements of water (aquariums and small containers), fire (candles, incense), earth (ceramic vases and containers) and wood (plants). In conclusion, to optimize the positive energy in the environment or corner intended for study, it is necessary to maximize the use of natural light, guarantee high air quality, maintain order and avoid overloading furniture and furnishings. It is good to always remember that the harmony of the environment generates well-being and satisfaction even in the workplace. 

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