Despite companies fervently urging their employees to “come back to the office,” for many, the genie that escaped the bottle (or cubicle) during the COVID pandemic isn't coming back anytime soon. Work from home (WFH) remains hugely popular.
The Wall Street Journal reports that “In 2023, about a quarter of American workdays will be conducted outside the office. That's down from more than 60% during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns, but many expect working from home to become a permanent practice as hybrid models take hold. Spaces will transform — becoming more dynamic, more personal, more collaborative and more aesthetically pleasing,” say designers, architects and product planners.
What this means for you: Workers who enjoy the option of working from home full-time or in a hybrid arrangement have many new tools to achieve work-life balance. Architects, interior designers and home builders are taking notice, and the home office is evolving.
Creating a functional and warm space for your home office has never been easier. When you're ready, get Acme ideas in minutes. Click here to start working from home.
6 ways working from home will change
New tools and interior designs have evolved for workers who are still allowed to put in productive work hours from the comfort of their own homes, and based on multiple reports from home and business media, here are five that stand out in particular.
#1 Multi-function rooms are still the norm
Gone are the days when the home office was confined to a closet, storage room, or other small cubicle. Telecommuters are consolidating work throughout the home, and to make this work for the whole family, nearly every room has to be multifunctional.
“Flexibility is key,” Joseph DiNapoli, co-founder and principal of San Francisco-based Study Architects, which specializes in building single-family homes for Bay Area tech giants, told The Wall Street Journal. “The CEO's home theater could double as a meeting space or a room for video calls. A covered outdoor area would serve as an outdoor office. The interior design will include plenty of spaces with comfortable chairs where someone can casually sit and read email for an hour or two or take a Zoom call.”
“To make an office concept work in multiple locations, you need thoughtful infrastructure: Wi-Fi that works outdoors, the right lighting for camera-enabled meetings, soft wallpapers and upholstered furniture to reduce noise, and quiet fans. And the furniture needs to be able to multitask,” DiNapoli adds.
#2 Delivery security starts at home
As working from home became more common, it didn't take long for criminals (aka “porch pirates”) to find a new avenue of business. Legal documents, product samples, kids' birthday gifts, and other items delivered to your doorstep and left unattended for a few minutes can easily be snatched by an agile thief.
For those who work from home, MB Sentinel has developed an ingenious solution that adds to the list of innovative products offered by Acme: Box Gobbler.
Made from stainless steel and with keypad access and conveyor rollers, this parcel safe does just that. Plus, insulation in the door panel ensures heating and cooling efficiency wherever it's installed. Although best mounted on a wall, the Box Gobbler can also be installed in standalone applications. The door and frame are shipped fully assembled with the frame. The pre-assembled roller bottom, electronic lock and technical plate are shipped in the trim-out phase.
#3 Stay healthy and thrive
With the hour saved by eliminating the commute to the office, some remote workers are using it for daily exercise and other wellness activities. It's a trend that began and grew exponentially during the pandemic and is here to stay, with home designers adapting to facilitate it. This wellness trend topped Acme Brick's What's Hot for 2024 list.
In this WSJ feature article, designers point out: “Clients are requesting whole-home air purification systems, sun-tracking skylights, Wi-Fi-enabled meditation gardens, mini-fridges for hydration and health drinks, and desks with abdominal balls and treadmills instead of chairs.” The article adds that at-home fitness is a growing trend, but is expanding to focus on overall wellness. “This could be a meditation room or yoga studio. Or a bathroom transformed into a spa-like retreat with shower systems, deep tubs and soothing colors.”
The health of your home starts on the “ground floor” with porcelain tile.
Flooring expert Cassandra Kilgore of Acme Brick has seen the product's popularity soar. “Some porcelain tiles feature antimicrobial technology, which allows for a cleaner environment. These tiles are hypoallergenic, durable, easy to clean, stain-resistant and pet-friendly. They maintain their 'like new' appearance longer than any other flooring, making them a permanent choice.”
#4 It Looks Good
It’s interesting to note that the overwhelming popularity of digital conferencing tools like Zoom, Teams, and GoTo Meetings has changed the way meetings are “staged.” This has led to an increase in what interior designers call “intentional glimpses” of the home office.
“Workspace designs will incorporate video-enabled sightlines, or 'hallways,' exposing décor and views that reflect users' identity and personality, while being careful not to become too intimate or private,” says Bradley Nelson, chief marketing officer at Sotheby's International Realty.
The source adds: “The ability to personalise a home office space may be particularly appealing to corporate chief executives. 'Many executives have been pushed out of larger offices and encouraged to retreat and hot-desk on the floor,' says Omar Nobile, creative director at furniture retailer Design Within Reach. 'A home office is a space they can actually control.'”
This trend has also led to increased interest in better cameras, lighting, and microphones for digital meetings. Best Products Reviews has researched the 10 best cameras for digital meetings and published a comprehensive guide with features, prices, and links to buy.
#5 Find the right home and office furniture vibe
Initially, when remote work first took off, workers favored more functional furniture. But that's changed in the past few years. According to the WSJ, “As hybrid work becomes more permanent, workers will want workspaces that look and feel like home while still providing the ergonomic benefits of traditional office furniture.”
“For one client, Joseph DiNapoli's company is creating a custom desk that looks like a dining table but has cable management and storage features. Miller-Knoll, makers of many office staples, is creating chairs with a less industrial look and also offers more color, material and finish options to better match other home furnishings.”
This “just right work/life balance” can be achieved with other design hacks, too. For example, an accent wall made with Acme's Fusion™ thinBRIK can soften the look of a home office while also acting as a nice “backsplash” for digital conference calls. Fusion is a glazed thin brick that has a ceramic glazed surface treatment on a fired clay thin brick body and is available in a variety of colors. It's real brick, fired to the same rigorous standards as all Acme thinBRIKs. Fusion bodies are manufactured and glazed in the USA.
Good investment
Creating a professional yet warm home office space and integrating it into the rest of your home can be done with a little investment and a lot of ingenuity. Since many “first impressions” are made through digital meetings, getting professional help from an interior designer or architect may be worth the necessary investment.
What to do with a dog that starts barking when it hears strangers talking on a computer screen is an entirely different matter.
If you’re looking for great ideas for your home office, click here to check out Acme’s innovative home improvement products.