YOUR HOME IS YOUR WORLD

Many of us have spent and probably will spend more time at home. So how should we be designing our homes as a restful but also functional home to suit the many functions it serves—work, play and sleep? Veronica Stivala speaks to the designers for some tips.

WORK IT OUT: THE WORKSPACE

We all know it is good to separate work from our private lives, but current circumstances do not always allow this. Not everyone has space even to separate these two aspects. But how can we create a workspace that is conducive to a productive environment?

Light, a desk, a chair. For interior architect Claire Galea three things are most important: lighting, having a small desk, or at least, a comfortable chair. Make sure you have welltargeted light for your workspace. Aim for a naturally lit spot where possible, and when not, invest in a good desk lamp or a floor lamp you can angle to sit directly on top of your workspace. Next, try to fit in a small desk—it helps to have a dedicated zone that is used for nothing else but work. If absolutely no desk space can be included, then at least make sure you have a comfortable ergonomic chair. So, if you’re spending your working hours propped up against your dining table, it might be time to consider changing the seating to something you can spend hours on. Consider changing just the chairs at the heads of the table to something more comfortable; perhaps a similar style to your current dining chairs but with additional cushioning— padded seating, as well as armrests.

Violet Kulewska

Photo by Ali Tollervey

Plants, a large window and no tv. “My studio is at home, so home is a normal productive environment for me,” says artist and designer Violet Kulewska. The smart combination of a work and storage surface offers enough space for all those personal things essential to create a practical workstation. The workspace should be separated from other rooms, such as bedrooms and living rooms. This is because a separate room can make you more focused on your work. A workspace that connects to another room, especially the kitchen, will make it difficult for you to concentrate. I would suggest placing your desk near the window for air circulation and to relax your strained eyes. A room with lots of plants, a large window, and no TV is best.

No hard and fast rule. There is no one size fits all solution, note Patricia Grech and Steven Risiott at A Collective. Different fields of work may require different spaces or work environments. A separate room to use as an office seems to be the equation that fits most peoples’ brief and allows you to shut out work outside of office hours. That said the most important criteria for a workstation are natural light, thermal comfort, ergonomics and acoustics. These factors, as well as the introduction of plants, have been proven to contribute to your wellbeing and productivity.

LIVING IT UP: THE LIVING ROOM

It certainly also helps to give our living spaces an injection of new life, even more so as we spend more time indoors, even with winter coming up. What are the current trends we can adopt in our houses?

Claire Galea

Photo by Jamie Ian Genovese

…with many experiencing remote working and learning at home, multifunctional spaces have become one of the most relevant interior design trends

Bring the outdoors in! Never was a trend more warranted—we’re missing the great outdoors, so bring them home, claims Claire. Decorate with indoor plants, enjoy taking the time to learn how to care for them and watch them grow. If you lack green fingers, you can still give your space that nature-inspired look through the correct use of colours and textures—think rattan or cane furniture, raw wood textures, blue and green colour schemes. These elements would help to bring that indoor/outdoor feel.

A sustainable sanctuary. The idea of homeas-a-sanctuary has never been more vital, says Violet. Humans are feeling a greater need to be connected to nature. It’s all about materials with sustainability in mind—natural wood, recycled textiles, off-whites, tinted greys, earthy ochres, and tactile beiges and lots of plants. 2020 is not just about earthy tones and natural materials. The bold colours and clean-cut lines of modernism will also dominate interiors, fusing industry and craft, vintage and contemporary, high and low tech, colour and geometry.

Quality space. “Our studio roots itself in contextual design and generally disregards stylistic trends to create timeless spaces,” note A Collective. Investing more time and effort in designing places to their full potential the first time around also avoids the need of having to upgrade a few years down the line thus reducing on waste and conversion costs in the long run. Spending more time inside has made people appreciate the need for quality spaces. Spaces with abundant natural light coupled with an exciting outlook and portion of outdoor green space do wonders for relaxation.

CLOSE YOUR EYES: THE BEDROOM

A good night’s rest is so vital to our wellbeing. Is there a way we should design our bedrooms to make them as restful as possible?

Set the mood. Starting with the wall colours, don’t be afraid to go for darker, warmer tones—this will immediately set the mood, advises Claire. With a focus on the bed, avoid leather for the headboard and switch to softer textiles; make the bed as soft and welcoming as possible. Make sure your bedding is made of natural fibres, helping your body control your temperature comfortably as you sleep— Egyptian cotton or pure linen sheets. Never overlight your bedroom. Ideally, have lights set to two to three circuits so you can dim and zone lighting. Lastly, allow yourself the option to sleep in when you need to. Consider blackout window treatments: layer a sheer curtain in front of a blackout blind, giving you the option of allowing natural light in during the day, but shutting it out completely when necessary.

Natural inspiration and playfulness. It’s interesting to see patterns unfolding that address our needs as a society and environment even more. Many of us look for furniture and accessories that mimic natural elements like wood, rattan, warm colours, greenery to create a calming environment inside our houses, says Violet. We need an absence of noise, soft lighting, warm colour schemes, blackout curtains, soft music and no mobile phone to create a calming, restful and peaceful bedroom. “I think the era for simplicity in a bedroom is over and people are now looking for natural inspirations, but also playfulness. The use of different textiles, patterns and plants could add a lot of character in our bedrooms.”

Steven Risiott

Patricia Grech

Clear the clutter. Dim artificial lighting, softer textures, sound-absorbing materials, clean and clutter-free environments help to create a more tranquil environment according to A Collective.

The wise use of the space we have is undoubtedly the way to go when designing restful but also homes that are conducive to productivity. Well-planned storage space is a must in any living space, but even more so in a space that also doubles up as a workspace, says interior architect Claire.Indeed,with households experiencing remote working and learning at home, multifunctional spaces have become one of the most relevant interior design trends, comments Violet. “Yet while there is much we can do when it comes to architectural design; there is a limit to what one can achieve solely through interior décor”, note A Collective.

“The local building industry needs a complete overhaul with proper building standards. The profession needs to understand and appreciate its responsibility in shaping space which directly affects the way people live their lives. Beautiful spaces are derived through well thought architectural form and should not be considered as separate from each other.”

Veronica is a freelance writer and editor. She won the IGM Award for her work on Ethical and Positive Disability in 2016.