The pandemic impacted every part of our lives including interior design. Once merely an option, a dedicated workspace is now a necessity for most families and still one of the top requests received by interior designers.
Experts predict that 2022 will see an increase in home offices as people realize the importance of a room's layout and aesthetics to one's productivity and energy (Architectural Digest).
To help you design a workspace to maximize your motivation and concentration, we are looking at eco-style and biophilic interior design as well as the furniture, lighting, and color palettes to achieve this look.
Both styles have been shown to increase mood and create tranquil settings that allow for "more effortless attention that is less mentally draining and may indeed restore- rather than deplete- [one's] mental capacity."
Do you feel both energized and calmer in natural surroundings? As interior designer Sarah Barnard mentions in her interview with Luxury Portfolio, studies show that just being in a room that looks onto nature- a tree, plants, or even just some grass- lowers the stress hormone cortisol.
In 2022, the discourse on biophilic design will see an increased focus on a multisensory experience that incorporates the use of natural light, soundscapes, and pleasing natural scents that can invoke calm and energize. Circadian lighting, which mirrors natural biorhythms, is expected to gain more attention.
Click here for tips to create biophilic lighting conditions in your home office.
A pillar of eco-style interior design is the use of sustainable materials. 2022 should see even more luxury brands using natural materials. Last year's Salon del Mobile, the largest furniture trade show in the world, celebrated sustainability by focusing on the social and environmental value of design. The exhibition showcased 425 brands and some of the finest furniture, materials, and textures in the world.
For a selection of their fine office furniture or for design ideas, click here for Salon del Mobile's desks and workstations.
A natural color palette is also key to an eco-style office. As Haute Residence points out, “To bring about an atmosphere filled with light and air, it is ideal to paint the walls white or pastel colors. [Eco-style] spaces should have a big amount of natural light, as well as shades of yellow, blue, green, and brown. This style also uses wood for flooring and furniture, stone, cork, terracotta, ceramics, glass, and paper as decoration attributes.”
For further help, call us and we can connect you with one of our favorite luxury interior design firms in lower Fairfield County or Westchester County. If you're new to the area, we're also happy to provide recommendations for the best home furnishings stores.