Down to Business – Home to Make Your Home Office Space Work
Down to Business – How to Make Your Home Office Space Work in Your New Home
Here are tips from Chattanooga area building and design professionals – each with their take on the home office work area.
(As printed in the CityScope Homes & Design 2022 Edition.)
dual-purpose space
A little separation and privacy help keep the peace, and that has never been more true than in the post-Covid age where more people are working from home. Typically some of the first rooms to go when people are looking to downsize are the formal living or dining rooms, but those are some prime spaces that could be used for a home office. Another way to add workspace separation without interrupting the open concept or drastically increasing a home’s size is to repurpose primary closets to provide a dual function as a closet and homework location. Clients have raved about how well this dual-purpose space works for their home-life balance. MARCUS JONES, MAGNOLIA DEVELOPMENTS, LLC
pocket office space
It is important to have a separate workspace that is efficient and allows privacy but doesn’t take away from living spaces. A pocket office is a great idea and is a smaller space that gives proper room for work but does not have unnecessary wasted space. Natural light in the form of windows always lifts the spirits while working A glass entry door to dress up the space is a nice touch, but it also motivates you to keep the space decluttered since it is visible from the outside. A clean, decluttered workspace is an efficient workspace. When it’s time to shut work down and take care of yourself and your loved ones, you can put work out of sight and out of mind! LARRY WALDREP, WALDREP CONSTRUCTION, LLC
flexible spaces
Creating flexible spaces is much easier with new construction, and one of the first things I typically do is group spaces by whether they are public or private. The first step in making an office space that works for you is to decide where you want your office to fall on that continuum. Do you want complete privacy and to be able to focus and immerse yourself in your work? Then placing your office deep into the private zone will probably work best. By contrast, if access to family and shared resources is more important, designing a space in an off-shoot or alcove of a public area is best. You can also create a more transitional workspace by placing it on the periphery of either a public or private zone. It all starts with deciding where an office space should be placed based on how it is used. JAY CAUGHMAN – CAUGHMAN + CAUGHMAN ARCHITECTS
small office on the main
When it comes to creating a home office that allows for focus time but is still near the hustle and bustle of family life, location makes a huge difference. Try placing a small office on the main floor near your home’s entryway. This way you are not far from the main living spaces, but there is often enough separation to provide an extra layer of quiet. This is also great for people who have a home office where clients come in for in-person meetings. Answering the door or running to the kitchen for a glass of water or cup of coffee is easy, but at the same time, your guests are not being asked to traverse through more intimate spaces of your home. DEXTER WHITE, DEXTER W WHITE CONSTRUCTION
Several of Core Home’s floor plans already have a study or home office space in their layout. Most plans have rooms or spaces that can be easily converted to an office space. Look through are large library of home plans and we’re sure there is one that will fit your “new” normal wonderfully!
Remember, Core Homes is Chattanooga’s New Home Builder. We want you to have a Home & Life – Well Lived.
Tags: amenities, chattanooga, Core Homes, home builder, home office, new communities, new home
