Home Offices
One of the unexpected outcomes of the pandemic has been the return of the computer room. It looks different to how it did in the 90s but there is again a need for a room dedicated to working on the computer. Sadly, I’m no longer jamming to Backstreet Boys while getting into fights about how lame NSYNC is in AOL chatrooms but instead I’m listening to murder podcasts and jamming out in Excel. Working from home definitely has its challenges but we’re very lucky to have two separate spaces where we can work. After many evil looks thrown at each other when we were both stuck working in the kitchen at the beginning of lockdown, it was abundantly clear working in the same room was not the way forward. We both seemed to need to shout when on calls so we couldn’t have meetings at the same time and my inability to sit still was a big distraction. Sam started working from the new house fairly early on to oversee some of the work and to be able to work without my ADD permeating his focus. His first desk was an old door balanced on some old drawers then a dining table but he levelled up in the end.
Not the most efficient workspace
Almost there
My first glimpse of the hidden wood floor
I claimed the room that I use as an office when we stumbled across the hidden wood flooring. Not only was it the sort of find that is like striking gold when renovating, I really do not like carpeting. The house I grew up had all wooden flooring with area rugs here and there and, in my mind, that’s the ideal. There are also a lot of chemicals, like flame retardants, in most carpeting and regular exposure to them adds to our toxic load. Chemical regulation is better in the UK and Europe than in the US but there are still carcinogens in so many things we come into contact with everyday- carpeting, mattresses, sofas, etc.- so it’s always worth checking before making purchases like that to make sure you’re making an informed decision. I will put my soapbox away for now and get back to my office. My favorite part of my office is my desk, made by R.J. Horner & co.
It was in my grandparents’ house my whole life and, when that house was my homebase during college, the desk was in my bedroom. My grandmother, Bisi, worked at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and she was so impressed by the younger women coming through with advanced degrees that she decided to start a masters program at Hardvard when she was in her 60s. The desk I have now was in her study when she was writing her thesis and I love having that connection to her. The best part about this desk is how it came into the family- my grandparents were living in New York during part of my grandfather’s medical training and this desk was in the basement of their building. They decided it was abandonned and in need of a home, which they were more than happy to provide when they left the city.
Finding a chair to go with the desk took up an inordinate amount of time. Knowing that I needed a functional chair since I’d be working from home but being unable to go into any store to try them out was not ideal so I spent hours scrolling through reviews of various chairs. In the end, I decided on a green velvet chair from MADE.com. Because of lockdown, it took roughly six million years for the chair to arrive but it was so exciting when it did. Luckily, it’s turned out to be comfortable and it also helped me plan out the rest of the room. I have an IKEA day bed in my office since the plan was for this to be an additional guest bedroom or lounge if needed and it’s also paramount that Fenway has ample resting options. We got this bed a few years ago and searched high and low for something like it and were hesitant to get something from IKEA but it is excellent. To add some texture and color, I stuck with velvet and was able to find some big pillows that make the bed more comfortable to use as a sofa along with some smaller throw pillows. Above the bed is a painting of a Chinese royal that my great-grandparents brought back from China when they left in the 1920s. She was over the fireplace at my grandparents’ house and feels like part of the family.
I have a million books and aquire more whenever possible so a bookshelf was an absolute must. We wanted something that could also accomodate a TV for any guests that might one day be allowed to visit and in case there were any conflicting shows we wanted to watch. Surprisingly, I hardly ever use this TV when I’m working but I do put the news or Homes Under the Hammer on sometimes for background noise. There’s a shop in town called Reed & son and it is, quite possible, the best place on earth. They sell antique and second-hand furniture so their stock is always changing and there is nothing better than finding a hidden gem in there. We found a big pine bookshelfthat was exactly what we were looking for. I wanted to paint it something jewel toned but Sam convinced me to try painting it the same color as the wall and if I still wanted something else, we could re-do it. Annoyingly, he was right and the books add plenty of color without having to compete with the bookshelf.
The Before
The During
Sam’s office was originally a conservaroty that was basically unusable because it was a furnace in the summer and an icebox in the winter. We knew early on that we were going to replace the roof and decided to also add a lantern so there is always great light in there. The previous owners were carpenters and had built storage around the room which we kept- it’s always good to have storage and everything they made was such good quality that there was no need to get rid of it. We just updated it with a bit of a paint and hide junk in the cabinets. The wall and wood paint are both Dulux Egyptian Cotton so it has a cohesive and calm feel to it. Two of the walls are all window which means it’s always light and bright in there and Sam gets to see a bit of greenery all day.
As in the kitchen and dining area, we used Karndean wood-effect flooring in American Oak in the office. There’s a door that opens to the deck so, besides tying in with the rest of the flooring, it made sense to do Karndean since it’s hard-wearing and easy to clean. There is a large wool rug that breaks up the flooring and adds some depth and texture. It’s from Next but we got it for a bargain from a show home that was being emptied, along with some other furniture. There’s a bit of a man corner in the office where Sam has an armchair and drinks tray. It’s a good spot to take a break during the day and is also conveniently located opposite the TV that’s hooked up to the PlayStation.
Sam had a very specific idea in mind when it came to his desk and it wasn’t something we were able to find anywhere so he built his own using some scaffold boards and hairpin legs. One of the old outbuildings had a galvanised steel bench and we were able to repurpose part of it to cover up the wires and we also used some old nails instead of having screw heads showing to hold the corners together. To hold the whole thing together, we used a variety of brackets and also a wooden frame underneath. This didn’t keep the wood from warping a bit but it’s all kept the desk sturdy. Sam was also very particular about his chair and, like me, searched high and low for what he wanted. He went to the sister store of Reed & Son, Angela Reed and got a grey leather office chair that he loves.
The thing Sam likes most about his office is finally having a place to display his footballs shirts. Football has been a huge part of his life and is actually how we met. When we were in Vermont, he ened up playing for the local team called the Vermont Voltage, which sadly no long exists. Many years later, he played for the local team in Saffron Walden and also did some coaching with them. I got both shirts framed but it wasn’t until moving here that we had anywhere for them to live, as much as he would have loved them front and center in our old living room. It doesn’t hurt that the Saffron Walden shirt is in his camera’s line of sight so can be seem on Zoom.
We’re super lucky not only to be able to work from home but to do so without being in the same room. Both of us were able to design the rooms to look just how we wanted and they’re really great spaces.
Are you working from home? What’s your set up?
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