A HOME OFFICE WITH STYLE
New York interior designer Young Huh founded her namesake firm in 2007 and has created many memorable interiors. Her rooms have harmony and personal style and combine classic and modern elements. She chats with Jura Koncius about ways to make a home offic
Q What are five must-haves for the perfect home office?
A I would say you need a really comfortable chair. You can work at almost any kind of desk if you have a chair that feels comfortable to you. Get a desk that is as large as the space you have allows because most of us need as much surface space as possible.
Good lighting will improve your mood and ability to work. Overhead and task lighting are key. Remember that we tend to use bright white lighting during the day and softer, warmer lighting in the evening, so consider using different coloured bulbs or fixtures for those differing needs.
We all need storage, whether it’s a small-wheeled caddy or a tiny cabinet. We all need a place to store papers and personal effects conveniently.
And you need things to make your workspace pretty. Art on the walls, pretty containers or cups to hold pens, or a vase with flowers will make working from home delightful.
Q I would like to redecorate my office/living room area but I don’t have the budget for a complete makeover all at once. Where should I start?
A The biggest change you can make is to paint your room. Paint the office a beautiful, rich colour that you may not have considered before, such as oxblood or a bright sweet colour that brightens the room, like a Marie Antoinette blue. Get a pretty new chandelier to replace your existing light fixture. Buy a fun new lamp for your desk. Art on your wall would do wonders. There are many affordable prints you can buy online. Finally, get some good looking desk accessories that reflect your new look.
Q Can you give us some suggestions on how to make a small spare bedroom function as a professional office and an occasional guest room? I hate sleeper couches and there is no room for one.
A A lot of us are turning guest rooms into personal offices. You can create dual function by installing a day bed instead of a regular bed. The day bed can function as seating or alternative work area for you, and a bed for your guest. You could also consider some really cool murphy beds; when you lift it up it reveals a desk and it’s a bed when you pull it down. This way, the bed and the desk take up the same surface area.
Q Do you have recommendations on a desk surface that is durable, resistant to wear and tear, and beautiful?
A If you have a desk that is starting to wear poorly and can consider a new surface, I highly recommend getting a quartz or other manufactured surface that you can lay over your desk surface. Dekton is a product that can be very thin and would work perfectly for that purpose. If you’re in the market for a new desk, think about getting a wood antique or vintage desk. That wood has lasted someone’s lifetime and will likely last your work life, too.
Q What is your advice for spouses sharing a home office? What is the best arrangement and approach to design?
A I had to face this exact issue with my husband. We normally have side-by-side desks, but with both of us on conference calls and Zoom calls all day, this no longer worked for us. I relocated myself to the dining room. I added a small bar in a corner that holds my work materials. I also took over the butler pantry. I think finding separate spaces and outfitting new corners for work spaces can really save a marriage.
Q I have a standing desk that’s basically white shelving, and my big dual screens take up all the visual space where I might otherwise hang some photos or other decorations. It’s totally functional, but I’m dying for some colour amid all the white and grey. What can I do to add some personality to my workspace when there’s not much room for wall hangings or knick-knacks?
A I suggest you paint the back wall an extraordinary colour that will make you happy. Maybe royal blue or a pretty coral. You could try a pattern. There is a company called Tempaper that makes stick-on temporary wallpaper. You can try a pattern and pull it off and try something else if you don’t like it. It’s like contact paper for your walls but in very cool colours and patterns.
Q Does a computer lamp have to be something adjustable or can it just be a standard lamp?
A You don’t have to have an adjustable lamp, but I love articulating lamps for work. As the daylight changes throughout the day, you can adjust the lighting to reduce glare or to light things differently. If your office has fairly consistent lighting or you don’t notice differing lighting needs, you can go with a standard lamp, too.
Q Home offices are my least favourite feature in design magazines because the gap between the photos and reality is so huge. In photos, you see a desk, bare except for a few colour co-ordinated books and bins and rarely any storage.
In real life, there are lots of files, books whose colours I don’t get to choose, cords, a printer, a case of printer paper, etc.
A I hear you. We decorators do a lot of styling and editing for photography and the rooms tend to look a lot neater than they may in real life. However, clutter and real life can be very attractive. One of my favourite magazines is World of Interiors and it is all about embracing frayed, crumbling, and cluttered spaces. You can embrace that look by just adding a bit of organization.
You can pile books on the floor — but maybe consider putting spine colours together or showing the paper side out. Hide the huge case of printer paper under a console with a tablecloth. The printer can sit on top. Buy some magazine holders to hide the random papers and reports. Adding accessories adds to the clutter, but can also add charm and life. Find some pretty cups for your pens, trays for papers, bowls for clips and rubber bands. But make those pieces reflect your style and have them co-ordinate, whether you go all traditional or all modern — and you can certainly mix if you feel up to it.
Q Can you please share a few tips on how I can make my home office feel more relaxed, feminine and like it is not part of my house? I want it to be my own quiet space. A Virginia Woolf said every woman needs a room of her own, and I agree. If you’re able to have the space to transform into your own sanctuary, make a list of the things you love. What are your favourite colours, patterns, textures? Pick things that will evoke the feeling you want in the space. Quiet and feminine sounds like you should have a pretty chaise longue with a throw and a silk pillow, maybe a soft lambswool or flokati rug underneath. Ballard Designs and Wisteria have some lovely Louis Xvi-style desks and chairs you could use for your workspace. Shop on Chairish for some vintage mirrors and pretty prints for your walls. Paint your walls a soothing colour — oyster, soft pink, soft grey, or an ever so slight blue.
Q The biggest problem with our home office is what to do with the files and supplies that seem to take up so much room, and our home office is small.
A Storage is always tricky, isn’t it? If you can, get a roller drawer to fit under your desk. The bottom drawer holds files and the other two supplies. There are also many slim consoles with shelves out there that can store many things. A fave is a clear Perspex one from CB2. You can unwrap your paper and stack it so it’s clean and white. You can buy storage boxes from Ikea to store more unsightly supplies and papers and place them on the floor under the console. Boxes and magazine holders do wonders to hide and store things. You can stack boxes. too!
Q We are two adults working from home in a one-bedroom rental. We put a desk in the bedroom and the other works at our small round dining table in our open-concept living/dining/kitchen. How the heck do we make this function? So far we’ve figured out the wireless printer and keep that on a shelf out of both of our workspaces.
A This is the situation that many of us have found ourselves in. If you can, purchase a small, nottoo-deep storage console with doors to fit in your main working space. This should hold supplies and papers. For the bedroom, buy a narrow free-standing set of drawers. Ikea has these and they’re great for tight spaces and holding supplies and personal effects for the person working in the bedroom. Glad you have a wireless printer — that’s key.