ContemporaryCanadian MadeSolid Wood Furniture

Desks

Working from home has its pros and cons. Pro: savings in transportation costs, no commute time, you can work in your comfy clothes. Cons: you’re stuck at home, endless zoom calls, and you have to ensure that you carve out a space where you can work productively. Currently there are probably more people working from home either part time or full time than ever before. As the work from home model makes the shift from temporary to a longer term status, then the focus on the workspace also needs to transition from makeshift and make do to a space which will ensure that you can be organized and productive.
 

When considering how to incorporate your workspace, whether for your job or for your studies, there are several factors to consider:
Where will this workspace go? How much space is available? What type of functionality is needed?

 

Where will this workspace go?

The mental and physical separation required to maintain the separation of your personal workspace from that of your sanctuary called “Home” and to maintain a proper work/life balance, takes an extra level of self-discipline. If you have a spare bedroom or den that you can easily turn into a home office, then the possibilities are wide open. The main decisions will be based around décor style.

Fitting a workspace into an open plan home such as a condo or a small studio which requires clearly defined spaces, is still achievable but challenging. Keeping the design of your desk within the scale and style of the surrounding furnishings will help to unify the room. In other words, if the space is a smaller condo, try to keep the desk no longer than the inside seating width of your sofa. This will help to ensure that the desk isn’t the dominant piece of furniture.

We carry several solid wood desks which can be modified to fit your available space.

 

How much space is available?

Once you’ve identified where your workspace can be placed in your home, be sure not to ‘over fill’ it. The desk which will be the largest piece, should be a few inches shorter than the space into which it will be placed. If the space is under 42” in width, then instead of choosing a desk with a column of drawers, then perhaps a desk with 1 or 2 long narrow pencil drawers just beneath the desk top will be more practical. Extra storage space can be gained by using a wall mounted hutch above the desk.

If space permits, bookcases are an excellent storage solution. In order to maintain clutter to a minimum, we offer a wide variety of bookcase sizes, including ones with doors or drawers.

What type of functionality is needed?

Does your work mainly involve working on your laptop and a minimum of paperwork? A lighter console style desk and a small file box may suffice.
 

Do you work on a computer and have lots of files and printer?
Then perhaps a more substantial 7 drawer desk which can hold files and a printer is needed.

Our Boxwood and Tangent styles can be completely customized to suit your work needs.

Even though the work from home model has been more prevalent due to recent events, it does not appear that there will be a 100% shift back to the office model. Businesses seem to be embracing the lower overhead and cost savings of their people working from home, and will probably maintain the model of a mix of part work from home and part office work.

Whether the future has us working full time or part time from home, it is worth investing in creating an efficient space to meet your needs and which will make you feel comfortable and productive. Key to creating a home office which is conducive to mental focus and a higher standard of productivity, is ensuring that the furnishings support the office function: a quality ergonomic chair, good work surface, storage and task lighting.

Also important is choosing materials which will help to dampen sound. Solid wood desks and bookcases can offer a naturally sound dampening effect. Studies have shown that the presence of natural elements such as wood can help to create a calm, yet creative environment. One that actually increases focus and productivity, due in part to the random pattern of the natural wood grain which has a stimulating effect on the brain.

A calm creative space in which to work, isn’t that the ultimate goal?