Ask anyone who works out of a home office and they害羞草研究所檒l tell you the same thing: they can get a lot accomplished, but they have to be disciplined. And creating a great space to work within can help with both.
For some, a home-work environment is the only way to make any kind of work possible. Sarah Reid, runs her online art print gallery, , out of her home office in the Gorge Tillicum area and loves the fact that she can roll out of bed, make a cup of coffee and be at work right away. She recently renovated the second bedroom in her house to convert it into an office with great lighting and large desks where she can cut and frame her art.
害羞草研究所淚 bought my house three years ago and loved the room that害羞草研究所檚 now my office because it has great light,害羞草研究所� she recalled. 害羞草研究所淏ut it also had forest green carpet and a horrible lighting fixture.害羞草研究所�
Newly remodelled, the home office works well for her now that it害羞草研究所檚 been repainted, outfitted with new flooring and baseboards and had a new light fixture installed. The challenge now is making sure she gets out of the house enough.
害羞草研究所淚 can spend all day in my office which can be a disadvantage,害羞草研究所� she admitted. 害羞草研究所淢y office is right next to the bedroom and I can work 12 hours straight without even thinking about it. I have to consciously build healthy patterns into my day to make sure I have breakfast, go to yoga, take a walk and have social time with friends. If I didn害羞草研究所檛 it would be easy to put my head down and spend all day by myself.害羞草研究所�
Because Sarah prints, frames, packages and ships right from her office, the space needs to be functional. But she害羞草研究所檚 added a few touches to make its environment more approachable.
害羞草研究所淭he studio is full of records,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淢usic is a huge part of my life. There is nothing more perfect than printing art late at night with wine and records. Plus, flipping records is a great excuse to get up from the computer.害羞草研究所�
Working from home can make it challenging to separate work life from home life because the two become so closely intertwined. But it害羞草研究所檚 a luxury to work from the comfort of your home, says Larry Myers, an interior and exterior designer with .
害羞草研究所淚 started working out of a home office 15 years ago for practicality, lifestyle and convenience,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 have any staff and I don害羞草研究所檛 need a commercial space. So it made sense to work out of my home in Esquimalt.害羞草研究所�
Recently he renovated his home and opened up his living spaces. These days he害羞草研究所檚 working out of the great room, a main living area that includes the kitchen, dining room and living area. It contains a workstation with a desk and chair which is all Myers needs, since he works in a CAD computer environment with no need for paper or supportive materials.
| Designer Larry Myers in his home office tucked into an alcove off of his kitchen (Don Denton photograph) |
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a lovely convenience and luxury to working from home,害羞草研究所� he admitted. 害羞草研究所淔rom my home office I look out to a beautiful exterior landscape and love gazing outside. I害羞草研究所檓 not tied down to specific hours or a specific office station and I can work when I害羞草研究所檓 inspired to do so. But you have to be disciplined, organized and efficient to manage a transition from a commercial office space to a residential one. If you succeed, working from home can be a more efficient use of your time 害羞草研究所� and allow you the flexibility to have a more balanced lifestyle.害羞草研究所�
, a professional ceramics artist and single mom of children ages 10 and 14, built her entire home around her second floor ceramics studio when she moved to the Victoria neighbourhood of Fairfield eight years ago.
害羞草研究所淚 need to have my work space at home so I can accommodate parenting and control drying times for my art,害羞草研究所� she reflected. 害羞草研究所淎t this stage in my life, it害羞草研究所檚 perfect.害羞草研究所�
Samantha害羞草研究所檚 750-square-foot studio was designed to capture maximum light and engineered to withstand the weight of two large kilns and heavy clay.
害羞草研究所淲e added concrete floors, drainage and extraction ventilation specifically so I could have a healthy, safe home with the kind of work space I need,害羞草研究所� she explained. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 such an inspiring space and I love working there. My studio has bog windows through which I get a lot of sunshine and a view of the trees. In between my domestic responsibilities I害羞草研究所檓 able to get a lot done in there.害羞草研究所�
There are drawbacks to working from home as an artist and Samantha is the first to admit it.
害羞草研究所淢y work life is very interrupted by my responsibilities to drop my kids off at school or at dance. Also, I害羞草研究所檓 very isolated by spending so much time at home. If I worked artistically in an environment where there were multiple studios and lots of different artists I害羞草研究所檇 be surrounded by a community of people who mutually influence each other害羞草研究所檚 work and provide each other with creative touchstones. That would be ideal, but it害羞草研究所檚 not always practical, particularly if you害羞草研究所檙e parenting.害羞草研究所�
| Ceramic artist Samatha Dickie in her office on a landing outside her studio (Don Denton photograph) |
For now she finds a compromise to the isolation by making an effort to be involved in creative endeavours outside the home. Samantha does creative workshops at her children害羞草研究所檚 elementary school, participates in residency programs and shows her work in exhibitions.
害羞草研究所淲henever possible I try to work collaboratively and balance my year between doing residential design work, teaching and my own studio work.害羞草研究所�
, a registered designer with lawrie keo in Victoria worked with freelance writer Claudia de Veaux on designing her home office. (See tips below).
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e worked in a variety of spaces 害羞草研究所� from a cramped laundry room to a vast warehouse,害羞草研究所� says Claudia. 害羞草研究所淚 discovered it didn害羞草研究所檛 matter what the environment, if I had a big desk with lots of surface, I was happy and productive. So once I figured out how to maximize the desk size for this space, everything else fell into place.害羞草研究所�
She added: 害羞草研究所淲orking at home can be distracting, so I made sure my office was fun and inviting. Lots of art, memorabilia, and the garden view keep me in my seat even when I害羞草研究所檓 feeling restless!害羞草研究所�
| Writer Claudia de Veaux with her dog Rody in her Oak Bay home office (Don Denton photograph) |
Outfitting Your Home Office
If you害羞草研究所檙e thinking about transitioning to a work-from-home environment, give yourself the best shot at it by approaching it strategically and methodically. Lawrie Keogh, with Gabriel Ross, offers these tips to setting up the ultimate home office:
飦� Ensure your office is a comfortable space where you害羞草研究所檒l want to spend long periods of time.
飦� Add art, a comfortable chair in the corner and something that makes the space personally and distinctly yours.
飦� If you害羞草研究所檒l be at a computer all day long, invest in an ergonomically comfortable desk and a chair that害羞草研究所檚 height adjustable.
飦� Pay attention to the quality of light in your home office so you will have visual relief from a computer screen and no glare. Invest in window coverings if necessary and ensure you have good ambient lighting.
飦� Ensure there害羞草研究所檚 good shelving or storage if you need to access resource documents in binders or boxes.
飦� Examine your workflow needs so you can consider what kind of furniture you害羞草研究所檒l need.
- Story Lauren Kramer
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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