With the pandemic impacting all industries, home decorating has not escaped. Having periodic lockdowns and more and more people working from home, décor has turned another corner as we start to think more about how to incorporate home and office and still manage to live a balanced lifestyle.

The Home Zoom Office

We are looking for extra space and turning those little-used areas of the house into home offices. The enclosed porch of the kitchen, the spare room, or the garden shed. There is a need for quiet areas that are set up for Zoom meetings, and to furnish this area appropriately, keep a neutral color scheme.

If you are going to be sitting at your desk whilst on Zoom, remember that the wall behind you should be clear with no distractions. You will be sitting for long hours at your desk, so when choosing to furnish this home office, consider a comfortable desk height and chair quality.

Window treatments for your home office must be well thought through as you will need to have natural light for your meetings; however, the sun may interfere, so block out blinds or heavy drapes may be the answer.

Floor coverings ideally should be carpeting as they will absorb any unwanted noise. Choose a color that compliments the walls, and be aware that you will be spending a lot of time in this room, so it needs to be calming and easy on the eye.

The Home-Schooling Classroom

Many parents have opted to teach their children from home. Therefore, there needs to be a furnished dedicated home classroom. Some things to remember when you start the journey of furnishing your children’s learning space; keep the walls neutral and clear, with one area for educational posters and pinboards.

Lower the shelves to the children’s height and keep their desks and chairs age-appropriate with an adult size desk for yourself or the teacher. Introduce bright colors in the use of rugs and oversized cushions, which will make the room inviting and exciting for the children. Make sure that the bookshelves and screens are firmly attached to the walls so that they cannot be pulled over. Window dressings in the home classroom should ideally be cordless blinds as they are a safe alternative for youngsters.

There are many different floor coverings one can use for a home classroom which can double as a playroom, chill-out room, gym, or home entertainment area as the children grow up and return to school. Using interlocking rubber mats or Astroturf are fun and versatile uses for the area. Adding a climbing wall on one side of the room and a basketball hoop can also encourage exercise while in lockdown.

However, or wherever our home office or home classroom is situated, it is a time to reflect on how to furnish our homes, keeping the whole family’s needs in mind. We find ourselves spending more and more time in our homes, and our décor choices will be paramount in finding the most functional and comfortable way to decorate, furnish and live in our space.