Your Home Office Could Be Dangerous For Your Health

August 13, 2017
87 Comments
Posted in: interior design

Hi Everyone,

I’ve taken some sage advice that some of you gave me and have decided on occasion to republish some of my favorite posts. This is one from two years ago.

What’s fun is to see how some things have changed.

And what things have not.

Please enjoy and even if you happen to have read this one, there’s a fun surprise at the bottom.

More and more of us are working from home, myself included.

Therefore, we need a home office.

But, it’s mid-August and hot outside and I don’t feel much like working. I should be on vacation like you probably are. But alas, here I am…

Before I go on with my topic about the threat that your home office may be posing, I want to thank you. I am overwhelmed by all of your sweet comments about my last post where I took all 132 Farrow and Ball colors and matched them to Benjamin Moore colors.

Many of you commented about how generous it was of me. Thank you for thinking that, but I can’t say that my motives are completely altruistic.

I have big plans for my business. You know how those biz gurus always say…

“picture where you want your business to be in 5 years… see yourself how and where you want to be situated. That’s the first step in making it happen.”

So, I’m trying it out. Here’s how I see myself in 5 years or hopefully even less!

I will streamline my desk/office to include only the most essential pieces.

Once I’ve done that, I’ll be so busy writing my blog, answering comments, etc… I’ll definitely need to hire some assistants.

A personal assistant to make sure I’m organized at all times and absorb some of the day-to-day stress.

I’ll need another assistant with excellent communication skills to help answer the 500 emails/inquiries coming in every day; preferably one who can also troubleshoot any technical issues.

We’ll need one to serve in a more domestic capacity (some light cleaning involved) and to keep us all hydrated and nourished.

yummy–The drinks and sweets, that is. ;]

If it rains, we can always escape to my shack on the beach.

Hey… all that hard work! We deserve to take a few for a refreshing dip.

Oh damn! I almost forgot that I’ll be needing a general manager. Silly me. One to pick up the slack wherever needed. But please don’t ever call him a pool boy. That’s gross! Such blatant sexism will not be tolerated! Thank you.

I guess that should be enough help. What do you think?

Then, in hurricane season, I figure that we can all regroup somewhere else. But I’m absolutely torn.

Paris?

or Capri?

Would it be too greedy to have an office in all three places?

LAUREL???

Yes?

Have you lost your mind?

Thank you for asking. Yes. I think so. A long time ago.

There, there now. What’s with the scowl? Oh, I see… you don’t approve of my business plans?

Next thing I know you’re going to call me unprofessional.

Fine. Yes, I’m unprofessional.

Oh, dang it all! I’ve earned the right to be unprofessional! I’m pushing sixty. Actually, not really pushing so much as one more step and off the cliff we go…

wheeeeeeee…

Alight. I’ll stop clowning around (maybe). :] That is a recent photo taken in my lovely apartment in Bronxville, NY. Yes, I know. I don’t look six months away from 60 and I don’t look like I just spent the last 20 hours cleaning my apartment either. This was just published in a local newspaper online, The Journal News and is coming out in print soon.

They told me to look out the window. They did not tell me to smile like an idiot.

I was asked to talk about my favorite spot in my home.

Well, my favorite spot as discussed earlier is my bedroom (awww, my darling gone-to-kitty-heaven-Peaches!)

But since I figured that most people don’t want to hear that… I lied and told them that it was this spot, in front of the Zuber screen.

Laurel’s Home Office

Hope you didn’t mind that long preamble. My primo guru the incomparable

Eileen Lonergan wrote a post about decorating your home office.

Here’s why your home office can be dangerous to your health.

It’s because your office looks like this. (please check out the fabulous after images here.)

And it’s because you’ve probably spent way too many years working at a place that looks something like this.

They’ve programmed you into thinking that you need to make your home office as ugly as what you were trying to get away from.

no.

please don’t.

This is the place you spend how many hours a day? It should be the most beautiful welcoming room in the house. Whatever that is to you. Pretty, Handsome, minimal, maximal. Make it a place you can’t wait to go to!

If you have big storage needs, that’s what closets are for. No fugly filing cabinets allowed! It’s good to keep things you don’t need regularly in other rooms so that you get some exercise too.

All of these things are going to improve your health. (I should heed my advice!)

And… speaking of health. I have an update.

you can read about it here.

Please enjoy these beautiful home offices.

Nick Olsen via Architectural Digest

Here’s a charming niche in a neo-traditional style.

It might be a bit small for me, but I love the way it was done.

via Lonny

Sometimes space is really at a premium and our work spaces need to do double or even triple duty. I adore this secretary.

It is reminding me of the one Eddie Ross refurbished which you can see here.

I think it would be better to accommodate a laptop, but even so–it’s wonderful. I recognize the chair from Jonathan Adler. Please click the link to see the rest of this gorgeous place!

JK Place Capri designed Michele Bonan via Lonny