Photography: hoo
Creating extra space for a study in compact apartments may seem impossible, but YC Chen, of hoo, knows it’s all about reclaiming unusual corners in the home – and that a bit of imagination goes a long way.
study
WORKING SMART
For those of us fortunate enough to be able to work from home, the past year has underscored the importance of a well-considered study.
For those of us fortunate enough to be able to work from home, the past year has underscored the importance of a well-considered study – from organisational hacks that look as chic as the rest of the home to office chairs that ensure the wellness of our backs. Moving forward, it pays to make long-term investments such as these because whether or not a return to the office is in sight, one thing’s for sure: home offices are here to stay.
1. CORNER CLASS
2. CUTTING EDGE
Gadgets and smart features are thankfully getting the stylish treatment these days – or they’re designed to slide subtly into place. These tech touches enhance a workspace without commanding too much attention – and that’s a good thing.
Photography: hoo
3. GALLERY INSPIRED
Photography: Goddard Littlefair
Curate a space that inspires intellectual activity, akin to a gallery. Collectibles, found objects, mementos – surround yourself with things that spark your best ideas and memories.
4. HIDDEN GEMS
Photography: Bean Buro
Whether it’s storing paperwork or tucking away an entire workspace, smart – and stylish – storage solutions exist. These help maintain order, and more importantly, promise peace and a clutter-free mind at the end of the day.
5. LUXE LAIR
Photography: The Chelsea Barracks Collection
Leather seating, cashmere throws, carpeting: nothing makes a study more inviting and conducive to work (and play). Come for the work, stay for the luxury.
Photography: Taran Wilkhu
6. SEIZE THE VIEW
Photography: hoo
Make the most of what’s already there – that is, the bay windows of a Hong Kong flat, and the views that come with them.
7. THE GREAT INDOORS
Photography: Champalimaud Design
“We are at our healthiest state when we are closest to nature,” says Liquid Interiors founder Rowena Gonzales. Jo Littlefair, co-founder of Goddard Littlefair, concurs, and suggests adding plants to the workspace – which “help to increase attentiveness and memory while helping the individual feel calm and relaxed –great qualities for a busy work day.” Incorporate more health to the workspace by including touches of the great outdoors, inside.
Photography: Tracy Wong Photography
8. VOGUE AND VERSATILE
Photography: Moebe
Tailor a space to match every one of your unique WFH needs – whether that’s shelving, an adjustable desk or a dining table that serves as a stylish alternative to a work desk.
Photography: ChopValue
Tips
- Here, YC Chen of hoo, suggests carving out part of a closet to create a small workspace. The depth of the closet is sufficient for a desk that accommodates a laptop.
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Floating shelves visually balance out the space, while serving as a display corner or a small library.
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Instead of a console, outfit one end of a corridor with a desk, and you have a study. A chic and comfy chair adds oomph to a space, plus the marble wall adds character.
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Set the mood with your work playlist. Bang & Olufsen’s Beosound Emerge speaker blends easily into any space or shelf. Zero distraction, maximum style.
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To demarcate a study, while keeping the space open, Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui, of Bean Buro, suggests incorporating a partition wall only half the height of the room. At the same time, concealed electronic roller blinds can fully close off the study when needed.
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Consider custom shelving, which you can utilise to display your book collection, or style with odds and ends for a bit more character.
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Consider height-adjustable workspaces, like De Gaspé’s GALE desks, which ensure you get up once in a while—even if only to stand while working.
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If your space allows for it, express a bit more of your style and personality through the items you can display, whether on your desk or shelving.
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Carpets and rugs not only add texture to a room, but they also absorb sound, enhancing the room’s acoustics and creating a more quiet – and therefore conducive – work environment.
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“A warm colour palette complemented with natural materials in a home office will help steer concentration,” says Jo Littlefair, of Goddard Littlefair. Introduce pops of colour through accessories, soft furnishings and plants – these “keep an individual stimulated without creating diversion”.
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This study nook is equipped with lighting, power sockets, writable walls, magnetic surfaces, overhead shelving and retractable doors, which “allow the user to hide the workspace in seconds”, says Lorène Faure, of Bean Buro.
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Got little ones? Coffee tables that double as storage – such as this one by Dalisay Collection – not only ease the homeschooling experience, but also the after-school tidying-up.
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Textures and colour palettes are another way to evoke a bit of nature indoors. Opt for natural colours in various tones, as well as materials in wood, teak and rattan.
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Angle your work set-up to receive as much natural light as possible.
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For maximum benefit, ditch the fake houseplants and opt for real ones.
Products
MAGAZZINI VIVACE
The moll T7 series, which doubles as a desk, is ideal for compact living spaces. Equipped with an invisible drawer that blends seamlessly into the desk’s appearance, the moll T7 covers a wide adjustment range that fits ergonomically for every body size and for every purpose – from a coffee table to a desk.
ZODIAC LIGHTING
The Flat Collection has been created by renowned Japanese designer Ichiro Iwasaki for lighting brand Vibia. Flat’s distinctive, disc-shaped diffusers form horizontal planes of light that integrate with the surrounding architecture. It creates a rhythmic and comfortable landscape.
TREE
Inspired by soaring urban skyscrapers, TREE’s simply city collection makes use of vertical space and pushes the boundaries of bold, functional design to new heights. Crafted from sustainably sourced 100% solid American walnut, European oak or FSC™-certified teak, the simply city desk features a slimline, leaning ladder design, complete with a drawer and shelf for storing stationery and other home office essentials. With matching ladder shelves available for additional storage space, simply city offers a solution to creating the perfect work area, no matter how modest your space.
Expert Advice
• If space allows, incorporate your study with more functions, for example, a concealed bed, which can turn the study into a guest room for maximum flexibility.
• Deck your study with accent wallpaper murals to add character to the space.
• Face your working desk towards the window, if possible.
• Design your study room around natural light.
• As we now work from home more than ever before, incorporating the study with resting lounges may be a way to promote productivity.
• The global pandemic has created a massive impact on our lifestyle. Our home will need to be cosier since people have started to work from home. A large proportion of light and bright colour schemes help to create this comfortable study room.
• Also, those nature-themed artworks introduce the outdoor element into the area to help generate a calm and serene mood after some stressful work.
• The owner of thus study room spends a lot of time in it. Therefore creating different corners such as a library and lounge section in the study room is essential to facilitate the owner’s lifestyle.
