POLL: When working from home, where do you set up?

Houzz

4 years ago

When you need to work from home, where do you generally set up for your work day?

VOTE and tell us about it in the comments!

Classic Kitchen · More Info

Home office (desk)

Dining/other table

Living room sofa

Bed

Floor

Outside (porch/deck/patio)

Other — tell us below!

Featured Answer

shivece

4 years ago

Depends on what I am doing. If I need only one computer/IPad I like to work downstairs in the kitchen on the island. If I am using multiple electronic devices - for example drafting, researching, Skype or phone - I usually work upstairs in my office.

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Comments (33)

Rory (Zone 6b)
4 years ago
Our 4th bedroom is my home office.
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I’m at my desk in the family room and my husband has set up office in the dining room. Teenage son is studying in his bedroom and daughter is home schooling between my husband and I - depending on who has meetings etc and is most available to help. She’s using an ottoman for a desk with footstool to sit on when with me and is at the opposite end of the dining room table when she’s with her dad. My top tip is to clear all work/study/school stuff away at the end of every day to give us our home back again. I put my laptop etc into my rucksack and stash that away in the cupboard and my husband and daughter have a drawer each that I cleared out in the dining room sideboard at the start of lockdown, for all their school and work stuff. When I’m finished working, I open the windows to let all the work vibes out, light a lovely smelling candle and I’m home.
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Toni Hamlett
4 years ago
Worked from home for 4 years. Prior I work from home one or two times per week. I found that working at different locations in my home felt like I never left work. For the last 4 years I set up a home office that I could close the door on after the work day this no equipment or files on the kitchen table to remind me of work. Also when 5he kids were over they knew the office was off limits when I was in it.
Emily H
4 years ago
I am almost always posted up on my couch with my laptop on my lap. It's super comfortable for a while, but does not lend itself to long hours.
Julie Noble
4 years ago
I like to get an early start when I work from home, so I usually open up the laptop in bed, but I typically migrate to the desk in the guest bedroom for the majority of the day.
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Nicky Percival Limited
4 years ago
My spare room is also my office - tricky when you have guests but best room in the house for all the samples and storage needed. I have two lovely windows and full floor to ceiling bookcase and additional multi drawer chest for samples. Good light and a view of the woods - perfect!
Forever Now
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
It sort of depends on whether I'm home alone or not. If I"m alone I sit at my desk, but that is adjacent to our family room so if the kids or my husband is home I'll work in the kitchen, sometimes at the island, sometimes at the table. I don't ever need paper and have a laptop so I'm pretty mobile! I've even curled up in my bed if I have to work when everyone is here (like weekends).

Oh and my desk is the armoire type, so I can just close the doors and hide all the mess that I always mean to keep organized but never do!

My desk!
Kathie Waters
4 years ago
We finally have a home large enough for a dedicated office, but it's downstairs and I never felt comfortable there. I am so used to using the kitchen table, that's where I often still end up. We recently moved my desk upstairs to the front room, so it gets a bit more use now.
Laura Pickler
4 years ago
We've worked hard to make our home office versatile. The desk offers options to sit or stand. To avoid leg/foot fatigue and stains on the rug (amazing how your feet sweat over time) there is a soft mat for standing. A chair is available but an exercise ball is even better. We have two monitors and two laptops - sometimes all going at the same time. Phone service is via cell or using the computer audio option. First priority is for all the technology to work. Second priority is making the space comfortable and attractive.
Missie
4 years ago
I have worked at the kitchen island for years and finally have a spare room for an office. I tried working in there for a few weeks but I don't like it. The kitchen is bright and open and it puts me in a better mood. I have a crazy set up, with two upside down mixing bowls elevating my monitors with my laptop and keyboard in front. It works for me and I put it all away at the end of the day.
heatheron40
4 years ago
Kitchen island and kitchen table 😁
Cora
4 years ago
I have a Mac Desktop in the kitchen with a printer. If I need to see 2 screens to work efficiently I also have a Chromebook which I can perch on top of the printer and easily see both screens.

I also have a medium large T.V. which is next to the computer table because watching either the news or some kind of serious drama is centering for me. No laugh tracks. And a handy mute button at hand. My kitchen is extremely sun filled and my neighborhood is quiet. I have a lot of healthy plants in a nearby south facing bay window. It is nice to have the dog at my feet. I pay bills the old fashioned way at the kitchen table. If it is a very nice day I do sometimes take the Chromebook out to a table on the covered patio.

I used to have a dedicated office upstairs. It is very nice and it did have a nice window and it's own bathroom as well. Theoretically perfect. I do better in here I think.

It is Sunday and I am just getting ready to spread my tax documents out on the kitchen table. The downside of kitchen offices is proximity to the fridge and pantry and coffeepot.
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Ilse Marx Interiors
4 years ago
In our conservatory where the light is wonderful for matching paint colours to fabric swatches...
Sandra Lundgren
4 years ago
guest bedroom
Maria Antonia Garces
4 years ago
I usually work at home from my office. It's not very convenient, since its small and very warm.
IdaClaire
4 years ago
The good old bed desk!
Jilly
4 years ago
^^^ I see what’s peeking up behind the computer. 😸
IdaClaire
4 years ago
Hahahahaha, Jinx! I totally did a double take as the cats are all in the kitchen having their breakfast and I sure didn't think anyone was in the room with me! Turns out my quilt has an eerie way of impersonating a feline! How freaky is that!
Jilly
4 years ago
That’s hilarious! Of course your quilt would look like cats! 😂
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Jill Nelson Design Service
4 years ago
We have a home office with a desktop, printer and files etc. but I find myself with my iPad on the clutch a lot! My dream would be to have a dedicated office space at our home with an exterior entrance for clients.
Webado Webada
4 years ago
We are retired empty-nesters, in a rather big house. With 4 bedrooms upstairs, I've set up my office in one of the smaller bedrooms, which also has a large terrace (on top of the garage). Lovely to have an outdoors spot in the summer where I can read or bring my laptop too.

In my home office I have a desktop computer with 2 monitors, printer and all manner of other devices, where I work on my web projects for family and a few few clients. In the long Montreal winter it's a bit crowded with the many plants I usually keep outdoors in the summer.

My husband is spending his days in the ground floor den, where he has the TV and the sofa and he's using his laptop perched on a small laptop table, to work on his hobby: managing his investments with an eye on the news or sports on the TV. He 's refused to let me set him up with a proper desk and chair. The kitchen is next door which is great since he's the cook in our family.

I wish we had a separate entrance to the basement, for the times I have to see a client at home, then I'd have set up at least my office (and his) in the basement, which is quite vast, with a couple of bedrooms, a full bathroom, and a large playroom which had once been a well appointed music room used by our musician daughter. Now she's bought her own house down the street from us, so she has her own music room there and no neighbours to complain of the noise, as she had when she lived in an apartment (reason why she kept a music room in our basement).

Now of course we all have to limit our interactions with clients so it's virtual meetings by Skype or FB Messenger. For our daughter as well, as she teaches piano, so she's set up lessons by Skype for the piano students who can't or won't come over during these times of self-isolation.
doubletrbl
4 years ago
I’ve been fortunate to be able to work from home about 90% of the time. We have a sidesplit home and converted a main floor spare bedroom into a home office. I like having the brightness of the day from a big window facing the front of the house.
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Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
4 years ago
My living room doubles as my office. I have a beautiful writing desk that's large enough to hold my computer and to work on. The printer and file cabinets are accessible in the adjacent sun room. The sun room used to be my office, but it's just TOO sunny and small to work well. I can also work on my laptop on the kitchen peninsula if necessary.
jilly7782
4 years ago
My wife and I have been working from home for the last two years. We have home offices on the first and second floors. We have proper desk and chairs, windows for natural lighting, and I have a TV and sofa for breaks, BREAKING NEWS, and naps. We wanted comfort and privacy because we spend a lot of time on calls and the laptops. We travel on average one week monthly to interact with colleagues and clients so it never gets old. However, traveling, yoga class/gym, and face to face meetings are suspended so we will be taking morning walks to get fresh air and exercise before going the office.
Be safe and at ease during these unprecedented times.
Valerie Frank
4 years ago
I set myself up out in our travel trailer because there's too much commotion in the house. It's lovely and private. I have a little kitchen, a coffee maker, and a comfy bed if I feel the need for a nap :)
mtngem98
4 years ago
I have worked from home for years. I have a dedicated home office set up with a separate entrance for business when needed. I can close it off from the rest of the house for total privacy.
lois2037
4 years ago
I have my home office/art studio in its own room in the upstairs of the house. My husband, who also works at home, has a similar setup in a room on the main floor. We bought a larger house with those needs in mind. If we were in one room, or nearby rooms, we probably wouldn't get much work done for talking, listing to the other person's music, complaining about the other person's music, etc. We also feel it's important to set up a workspace apart from the rest of the house, so it doesn't feel as if we never quite get away from working when we do other things in the house.
HU-460597570
4 years ago
I am planning to work at home in my kitchen on the island. I found this picture on houzz with an island that I love; slots for laptops. I was surprised to see that so many people work in their kitchen! If anyone has any "work-from-kitchen ideas", please feel free to share. Oh, I am currently using the coffee table in our family room as a work station.

West Annapolis · More Info
kriii
4 years ago
Husband took the office. I have the kitchen island. Child in bedroom taking class online.
Webado Webada
4 years ago
@ kriii

I couldn't resist: so finally your husband has achieved the goal of keeping you in the kitchen? :)
Bev
4 years ago
I have an extra bedroom in my house that I turned into a sewing/quilting/crafting room along with putting my PC in here with printer. I have an Etsy business and I do some craft shows where I get custom orders from time to time. I live in this space!
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Vista Montana Builders LLC
4 years ago
If we have to work from home like we do now, the home office is the place to be. Depending on what’s being done, sometimes we like to work outside in the covered patio.
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Karen Simmons Interiors
4 years ago
On the back deck being stared at by this gal..wanting to know when snacks will be served!

POLL: When working from home, where do you set up?

shivece

Comments (33)

Rory (Zone 6b)

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