More Masculine Chic - For the Office

I have to admit that as much as I love doing glamorous spaces for the ladies, a cool and chic masculine space  is not only a welcome challenge, but a blast for the senses.  

The trick, as with all well designed spaces, is to balance the textures, styles and shapes in the space so that although it's being designed for a man, anyone can feel welcome being there.  

My new clients are sophisticated, well traveled executives who appreciate good design, great quality and the quiet luxuries they've come to enjoy.  For the man of the house, his frequently used work space does double duty as the guest room - so the trick is making it functional for use on a regular basis, yet inviting enough to share with overnight guests while not making them feel like they are invading your work place.

This room was the inspiration for the "office" side of the space

Contemporary, sophisticated, dark walls, large area rug, 

shelving for display with closed storage for the not so attractive essentials.

We also have a cathedral ceiling that will get a paint treatment, not so bold as this gold metallic paint!

We were working with a much loved, recently purchased desk in a reclaimed wood top (shown below)  with rusted iron base.  This desk is a  key feature in the room - not to dictate a "rustic" scheme, but to be a nice contrast to the more sophisticated ambiance of the rest of the space.

We also had this clean-lined Mitchell Gold - Bob Williams sleeper sofa 

in a lovely, neutral linen fabric to work with

Here's the floor plan so you can get an appreciation for the space.  

The room is 16' wide by 13' deep with windows along the entire north wall.

The left side of the room is the sleeping space and to the right, the office space 

with access to the closet and ensuite bathroom down the hall.

Placing the desk against the wall allows for good flow even if the sofa bed is opened.

Book cases flank either side of the desk.

The red "X" in the middle is the existing stainless steel ceiling fan light fixture.

This large framed world map was a special piece the couple picked up in Italy and contributes nicely to the well traveled aesthetic - we just need to lighten the frame to work with our colour palette.

So I picked up on the blue as an accent colour - using navy for the pillows and a pale, grey blue for the ceiling.  Benjamin Moore Mount Rainier Gray to contrast with Kendall Charcoal for the walls.

I added a beautiful silvery grass-cloth wallpaper from Joanne Fabrics behind the sofa to ground the space and make it more cozy for guests.  It would be a good balance for the tall, grey bookcases that will flank the desk on the other side of the room.  

Elegant wood sconces with nickle tips and linen shades add softness the space while freeing up the side tables for guests to place their personal items on.

Client's wood floor is a cherry colour, so we downplay it by placing a neutral light/silver grey wool rug with a diamond Moroccan pattern - so beautiful and luxe!

Based on the preferred layout for the room, I designed a custom built unit to maximize on storage space, while allowing the desk to remain in the same spot when the sleeper sofa was open for guests.

The client actually has some vintage luggage and globes that we'll use to accessorize later.

The wall mounted, swing-arm sconce will keep the space below open for leather filing trays.

Although we looked at some beautiful leather executive chairs, the client decided he wanted 

a Herman Miller Aeron chair for maximum comfort!  We're going with this Smoke colour.

We've also selected horizontal window shades to add some light control when needed.

The existing custom drapery is a bit "delicate" for the look that's coming together, so once some of the bigger pieces are in, we may decide to have some new panels made in this fabric.  

This fabric would be gorgeous against the grasscloth wallpaper and the dark walls while keeping the softer organic feeling of the existing drape fabric, but having a bit more weight and a masculine slant.

Can't wait to see it all pulled together!

Home Office Design: Work in Style

I recently met some wonderful new friends through Twitter and was so happy to hear stories about other people who have started their own businesses with a dream and a paper clip!  It got me thinking about all the home offices out there and I thought it was a good idea to share some design tips on space planning for a functional and beautiful office space.

1)  A great chair is a MUST if you spend lots of time in front of a computer.  Look for something with a tall back,  lumbar support, and an ergonomic design for the most comfort.  It doesn't hurt if it looks as good as this one either!

via Channel4.com

2)  A large work/desk space should be a priority if you like to spread stuff out like I do.  I usually look for a non-traditional desk that doesn't look like it came from a corporate environment.  Dining tables can be used as a desk and are practical because they give you more depth than a regular desk and there are so many styles to choose from.  Here are some that I like - one of these tables from Korson may end up in my hubby's office very soon.

 via House & Home

Sophisticated office & library designed by Miles Redd

3)  Storage:  I can't say enough about this topic because I'm a firm believer in "everything in its place".  A bookshelf as tall as possible is a good start.  Storage boxes to hide the ugly stuff and items you don't need daily.  Display like items together for more impact, some horizontally and some vertically provides variety and visual interest.  File all the paperwork either in the boxes, a file cabinet or in binders.  You can colour code the binders if you are ambitious and it will make you look super organized (see white bookshelf below).

via Channel4.com

 

via House & Home

These Ikea storage boxes hold a ton of stuff in my office and 

are a great buy and they even coordinate nicely (always important).

4)  Good lighting is another essential item especially for those who are relegated to the basement as their only space in the house for an office.  A desk lamp will help minimize eye strain, cause I know we all burn the midnight oil sometimes (or regularly in some cases).  Overhead, general lighting should be nearby to help illuminate the space but not too close to cause glare on the computer screen.  Remember to take a break every 20 minutes, and look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds - this helps eye strain.

 design by Candice Olson 

Notice how she's used a variety of lighting, including recessed pot lights,

a ceiling fixture and various lamps around the room.

5)  A cork board or bulletin board is essential for posting pictures, inspirational items, calendars, or whatever gets you excited about your work and life.  I like to change mine up with the latest furniture designs, fabric & wallpaper swatches, beautiful rooms, sketches, and always my son's art (which is few and far between these days).  Here is a picture of interior designer Barbara Barry's inspiration board:

Here's mine - it's 4x4 feet wide, room for lots of inspiration!

6)  Add meaningful and special personal items to your space because you need something to remind you of why you are doing this every day.  I've always had photos of my husband and son on my desk, scented candles when I'm working late help take the edge off, and I have a BREATHE sign above my desk that has been in a few offices over the years and reminds me to take a break when things get tough.  Or at least to count to 10 before freaking out!!  I'm sure my friends from my last office are smiling to see this again ;-)

I love designing home offices because it makes me feel good to know that a well designed space can actually improve productivity!  I would love to see a picture of your beautiful space and, if it's not so great, let me know if you would like some tips on designing your own perfect stylish office.

How do you like your home office?

As mentioned in an earlier post, one of the first things I did when I started my design business was create a comfortable space to work every day.  It was inspired by the colours and mood of the beach and had to be both functional and beautiful enough to keep me wanting to go in there every day.  I love to design home offices because I'm fascinated with organization and there are so many storage options for all the stuff people need to keep in their work spaces to be productive.  I'm still working on little touches to my own home office, but in the meantime, I thought I'd share some other beautiful and very diverse work spaces.

Domino

Kloe Kardashian's Office - major Glam!

 Designer Celerie Kembel's Office

Nate Berkus

Jonathan Adler

Do you love your work space?  Does it motivate you?  If not, hopefully these pictures can get you inspired to create a beautiful space for yourself.  You'll be more productive and maybe even more creative.