Offices have come a long way since the 50s, not only in appearance but in style and function as well. With so many more work-from-home jobs available these days, the “traditional” office worker has been reinvented, right along with the “traditional” office.
The typical office in the middle of the 20th Century was an imposing sight. Think deep, velvet curtains tied off with gold cord. Think rich brown button-backed leather chairs. Think an acre or two of polished oak. The purpose of the office was to convey power and importance, and designs tended towards the ornate and, well… stuffy.
In contrast, the emerging concept of the “home office” in the 70s and 80s (as opposed to “dens” or “studies”, which, even in the 70s and 80s, were still just a cheeky bird away from an Edgar Allan Poe story) was much more practical than aesthetic. Working from home was a welcome option, but not an extravagance, and the typical home office was just as likely to have plywood stacked on cinderblocks as it was to have comfortable office chairs.
Thankfully, today’s home office concept compromises neither form nor function. Stylish L shaped desks, corner computer desks, and highly practical desk returns make corner space the ideal home office location, instead of just the only space left. Mesh office chairs and even ergonomic plastic chairs provide a minimalistic yet very chic look (mesh office chairs also provide welcome airflow for hard-working backsides, extending productivity).
And interestingly enough, the home office style is finding its way into the office buildings as well. More and more, corporate spaces are lightening their look, cleaning up their lines, providing their workers with a fun, good-looking, practical place to get the job done… all by giving workers a taste of the ol’ home office. Continue reading here: www.products.directbuy.com
The only place you still see “stuffy” offices is maybe in law firms, but even a lot of those are embracing an open-floorplan, sleek line kind of thing. I dig it.