1) Creative Storage for Smaller Items

Cava at Rancho Soleo Plan 4 by TRI Pointe Homes. Photography: Tsutsumida Pictures.

Looking for a place to keep smaller items you own and use often? Use baskets or bins to contain the clutter of unread magazines, kid’s toys, or remote controls when not in use. Display your child’s stuffed animals, small pillows, or folded throw blankets for practical, aesthetically pleasing storage in the playroom, bedroom, or family room.

2) Showcase Your Personality

Cava at Rancho Soleo Plan 3 by TRI Pointe Homes. Photo: Tsutsumida Pictures.

Dedicate a shelf or built-in to a beloved hobby or pastime. Family vacations, sports, or music can create a fun theme for a room. Draw in the home’s color scheme by adding pops of color to tie it all together.

3) Unique Items Used Only on Occasion

Hazel at the Preserve Plan 1 by TRI Pointe Homes. Photo: Tsutsumida Pictures.

In the rooms where you typically entertain guests, arrange practical items that are display-worthy. Less-often used barware like martini glasses and cocktail shakers make great display items. Not a big drinker? Over-scale serving utensils, a beautiful tray, a tureen, a platter on a stand, or an unusual serving bowl are some more nice options.

4) Ideas for the Bathroom

Aster Heights at Rosedale Plan 1 by Brookfield Residential. Photo: Design Tec.

Display beautifully packaged spa products and folded linens in the guest bathroom. Support local small businesses by choosing locally made soaps, candles, or lotions for your guests to see when they powder their nose.

5) Energize Your Shelves with Plants

Hazel at the Preserve Plan 2 by TRI Pointe Homes. Photo: Tsutsumida Pictures.

Bring in lush, leafy plants to energize your home. Pothos is a common favorite, as caring for them is simple. These plants thrive even in low light and do quite well indoors. With vines that trail over the shelf, a pothos plant softens an otherwise geometric display.

6) Style Shelving for Your 9 to 5

Cava at Rancho Soleo Plan 4 by TRI Pointe Homes. Photo: Tsutsumida Pictures.

Joining virtual conferences from home? Personalize your Zoom backdrop with shelving related to your industry. If you’re a writer, display reference books and quotations that inspire. If you’re a wedding planner, show framed invitation samples, images of different wedding venues, and fresh flower bouquets in soft colors. For any industry, display your company’s logo, mission statement, or the charity you support if possible. Reinforce your intentions by using your personalized background as a marketing effort for other Zoom participants to see.

Are you ready to start styling your shelves? Share your photos and comments with us on Facebook or Instagram @DesignTecInc. Design Tec is a boutique interior design firm founded on the principles of style and function. We serve the homebuilding, hospitality, and luxury residential marketplace. Want to get in touch? Reach us at info@designtecinc.com or at (949) 221-4300.

When we began transitioning from our co-working space at Studio88 to our home offices, our President (and fearless leader) Chris Johnson gave us a valuable reminder: in times of great uncertainty, we must focus on what we can control rather than what we cannot.

With that spirit, we wanted to share a few methods we’re using to improve our environments and promote well-being at home. These simple changes will promote a sense of calm and boost overall happiness. It’s our hope during this challenging time that we all take intentional steps towards taking care of ourselves, improving our environments, and maintaining focus on the areas of our life that are within our control.

An Interior Design Perspective on Working from Home

The Place by Intracorp. Photography: Chris Mayer.

Define Your Space

Add a personality area rug to define your workspace when possible. It sets a creative tone as well as a physical boundary for other family members. Many online sources such as Wayfair, CB2, West Elm, and Crate & Barrel carry various sizes, shapes, and styles. Still find your mind wandering off while you’re trying to work? Create a small vision board or simply keep a couple of images of the subject you are working on in close view to help you stay focused. Keep post-its nearby to jot down ideas as they come to you through your creative process.

Light Up Your Life

Is your desk dark or poorly lit? Rearrange lamps, dimmers, and candles to enhance your workspace lighting. Notice how natural light changes as the day carries on. If you feel yourself losing steam, you can increase the intensity of your lighting. Set an alarm when it’s time to start winding down at the end of the day and dim the lighting to support your natural circadian rhythm.

Cava at Rancho Soleo by TRI Pointe Homes. Photography: Tsutsumida Pictures.

Bring in the Great Outdoors

Re-position furniture to bring your home office closer to windows, patios, balconies, or skylights. Create areas within your space where plants are the center of focus without TVs or electronics nearby. Bring in cut flowers from outside and put in a vase to add color and life to your space. With a focus on houseplants, wildflowers, soft textures, and earth elements, you can make this a space to rest and recharge.

Ergonomics

Invest in a comfortable ergonomic chair if possible. It will make all the difference in how you feel at the end of the day.

Diffuse Sound

Incorporate a sound diffusion strategy. When working in close quarters with others working or playing at home, sound-canceling headphones or earbuds are a must for total concentration. Download a favorite playlist, tune into a Pandora collection or YouTube some soothing music or nature sounds to drown out other conversations, encouraging focus and creativity.

Use Color to Affect Your Mood

Transform your home into a sanctuary. Need a creativity boost? Use palettes with a focus on hues of green. If you’re looking for a little help calming down, blues are the way to go. Find inspiration with this color tool created by Sherwin-Williams. Home Depot and Lowe’s are still open, so take advantage of a little extra time in your day and paint a wall in your office, extra room, or wherever you are setting up shop to give it a fresh look.

Clear Clutter

Maintain a clear workspace and notice how it affects the clarity of your thoughts. Make sure personal items are out of view to keep you from being distracted. Make a habit of organizing and clearing your desk at the end of each day so you can start tomorrow fresh. To clear mental clutter, make a shortlist of non-negotiable daily tasks you want to incorporate into your new WFH routine.

Ivy at The Preserve by TRI Pointe Homes. Photography: Tsutsumida Pictures.

Infuse Your Day with Fresh Air

Take breaks when you can and get outside. A short walk in nature for a change of scenery will do wonders to energize you midday. Eat lunch outside on a deck, patio, or lawn (weather permitting.) Leave your phone in the office to get a true mental escape.

Keep Your Office Hours

Stick to your home “office hours” and do all household chores before or after your home workday to define the boundary between home and work as much as possible. During your lunch hour, allow only what you would if you were at the office, like a short errand or personal phone call.

Treat Yourself

Justify your otherwise commute time with a special treat at the end of the day as a reward for staying focused. Add in an online yoga class, prepare an otherwise too time-consuming week-day meal for the family, or play a board game or game of basketball in the driveway with your kids for the extra 30 to 60-minute commute you may otherwise have had if you were going to the office. Build in intentional joy and happiness in nurturing ways on a daily basis to compensate for the stress and inconvenience that the current situation brings.