CREATING A WORKSPACE IN YOUR LIVING ROOM

Try to look at your living room through fresh eyes. What kind of layout does it have? Is there a natural recess that could make a good workspace? Is there a wall against which you could put your desk to lessen its visual impact a little? Do you enjoy letting your gaze wander while you sit? Choose a corner that allows you a view of outside.

Ensuring the right interior design balance is often a matter of visual focus. The eye is always drawn to an arrangement that radiates calm and gravitas. In a living room with a work corner, the sofa usually forms the visual anchor as the largest piece of furniture. The workstation can safely take a secondary role here. If the sofa isn’t the visual focus, then a large rug could take on this function by bringing together the individual elements so that the home office blends in alongside it

You need to be able to work undisturbed from your home office – with no noise or visual distractions. Especially if your living room is a family meeting point, you’re going to need some good solutions. By choosing a storage solution that doubles as a room divider you will benefit from its dual function. You will also find that textiles or specialist finishes offer good sound insulation properties for cupboards and acoustic screens. A plant can also create privacy, and it improves air quality at the same time.

Especially if your living room is being used for multiple purposes, you can influence the overall effect positively by dividing it up into zones visually. For instance the sofa and coffee table might form the relaxation zone, while your workstation represents the work area. You can separate one section from another by using a different paint for the wall or carpet in another colour – and that makes it easier for you to switch off mentally when evening comes.

A good way to create a harmonious feel in a room is to include deliberate contrasts: Mix different finishes or styles, natural wood and glossy surfaces or a comfy sofa with an intentionally modern office corner to create contrast. Many interior designers claim that deliberate use of contrast makes all the difference to the success of a room’s design. Another style element is symmetry: For example you can make an irregular interior look more ordered by using matching pairs of lamps, cushions or framed art.