Tips and ideas for creating a great home office
Sweet office chair
Working from home can be bliss. No need for the daily commute (unless your home is extraordinarily large!), no office politics, no fighting over the last drop of milk for your coffee.
But many people who are lucky enough to work from home don’t get the best out of the situation because they never get around to creating an efficient and attractive environment for themselves to work in.
If your home is big enough, then it’s best to make your office in a spare room so you can close the door on it in the evenings and really take a break. Even if you can’t devote a whole room to the office, then there are clever ways of making sure that your office space and living space are clearly defined.
We’ve got a few suggestions for making your home office an oasis of calm and productivity, and furniture solutions that will enhance your home rather than ruin it …
COLOUR SCHEME
Yellow is energising
The psychology of colour is important in any room, but it’s perhaps most important of all in a home offices. You have to think about how you want to feel when you are in your office space: energised, productive, creative, yes, sleepy, cosy or stressed, no. Well there are ways of using colour to help you get into the right mood. For example, an office space painted or furnished in a stimulating yellow will keep its occupant upbeat and exhilarated, while a business-like deep blue colour scheme can aid concentration. Purple encourages creativity and lateral-thinking (although is also linked to day-dreaming). Red is at the bottom of list for office colour because it raises the heart rate and can become overpowering
The most important thing is that you chose the right colour for the type of work you do.
You should also consider the colours in the rest of the house. You may want your office space to stand out from the rest of the house so that you can keep the two areas separate in your mind, and there will be a clear cut-off when you finish your work for the day and go back to your ordinary living space.
FURNITURE
The main consideration is that your furniture is fit for purpose – that the desk and chair are a suitable height and that they allow you to sit and work in a way that’s not going to cause you aches and pains.
Empire office chair
The Sweet office chair from Danetti (above left) has an adjustable height so you can make sure you’re sat at the correct height for your desk and computer. It’s also great no matter what office colour scheme you go for – the back of the chair comes in seven eye-popping colours.
Other chairs from Danetti include the Empire chair (right), which comes in a wood veneer, or a leather upholstery finish in a variety of colours.
For desks, Danetti has a great variety, all of them contemporary and sophisticated looking.
You could go for something cool and futuristic like the Lenda curved table (below), which would be great for working at, and also for holding impromptu meetings with clients.
Lenda curved table
If you’re after something made from natural materials then Danetti also has a range of wooden tables and desks including this Spirit table (below), which can double up as a dining table if you’re entertaining.
This is one of the great things about home office furniture – if you buy multi-purpose items then you can also use them when you’re not working!
Spirit table
Spirit table
OTHER IDEAS
* Make sure you get the lighting right. A strong over head light is recommended if you need to hold meetings in your home office. If not, then task lighting is the most important. At Danetti we have a range of lighting solutions, including some great statement lighting to give your home office a creative and original look. You can see it here.
Santino four door sideboard
* Clutter can sap your energy, so invest in furniture that will keep everything accesible but out of view. The Santino four-door sideboard from Danetti (left), for example, is a really attractive and practical option. For other storage solutions, see our full range.
* Plants and other decorative accessories add life and personality to a home, office, so don’t be afraid to add a few quality shelves and display your possessions – just make sure that they improve the room, and never start looking like pointless clutter.
Sorbet colours: the fashion-forward interiors trend for spring
'Cream' bar stools, which come in cream, lilac, peach and green
Okay, so the weather may not be good enough to take yourself off to the beach for a donkey ride and an ice cream just yet, but we’ve landed on the next best thing: filling your home with sorbet colours.
After the gloom of winter, designers have obviously decided to brighten consumers’ homes with some 50s-style pastels.
Here at Danetti, we’re loving the results: pastel-coloured bar stools, vanilla leather sofas, sorbet-coloured accesories and dining chairs in pistachio and peach. Scrummy.
Burberry catwalk, sorbet colours
It all started on the catwalks, as many interiors trends do, with the spring summer 2010 shows being full of shades like lemon, rose pink, lilac and palest green. Everyone from from Christopher Kane, Burberry, Stella McCartney and even Chanel embraced this pale look.
Betty Jackson catwalk, sorbet colours
It was only a matter of time before the interiors world woke up to just how pretty these colours are, and how they can be brought in to the 21st centuary with the use of cutting edge modern design.
It’s not just furniture that’s getting the pastel touch, even fridges, washing machines and dishwashers are now being made in pinks, blues and buttermilks. And paint experts are also predicting a return to pastel shades, a departure from the white that’s been the staple of many homes for years.
“Mismatching pastel shades such as pale lilac, green and pink, with a brightly striped or spotted wallpaper can break up the look, offering a Fifties feel with a modern twist,” says Lloyd Meheux of decorating experts Brewers.
And these shades work really well if you’re wanting to embrace the trend for a bit of nostalgia that has emerged in recent months. Vintage prints and patchworks look great when paired with pretty pastels.
But don’t over-do it – the key is to make sure that your furniture is modern and well designed, to stop the overall look from being just plain old-fashioned.
Arezzo stackable arm chair, Danetti
'Define' chip and dip bowl
Arezzo stackable arm chair, Danetti
'Define' chip and dip bowl
Get the look in your own home:
The Frascati bar stool comes in powder pink, lilac and lightest green, the ‘Cream’ bar stool (above) comes in cream, green, lilac and peach, our Arezzo stackable chair (left) is available in pistachio green, our Hanna arm chair comes in lots of shades including pale mint and amber, and this chip and dip bowl (left) and set of six mugs (below) are both in our sale at the moment.
Square mugs, pastel shades
Got a property to sell? Danetti can help you dress your home for success
Property experts are claiming that despite the trouble in the UK housing market, there’s still a strong demand for prime properties
It seems that the UK property market has split into two, with the mass market still struggling, but the upper end of the market doing well.
“The £600,000 upwards range and the houses at £1 million and over are very much in demand, there’s not enough to go around,” says Nigel Ellis, who’s director at London Estate Agency chain Pricket and Ellis. He says that the high demand for these types of homes is leading to supply shortages, which in turn is causing prices in this sector to rise.
His opinion is backed up by the recently released Primelocation.com property index, which shows that annual growth in what they class as the ‘prime platinum housing sector’ grew by six per cent in February. This is in contrast with the UK housing market as a whole, where the average property fell in value by a year-on-year figure of 0.3 per cent.
If you’re lucky enough to own a home at the top end of the market then you can make sure that it achieves its full market value by dressing it to impress discerning buyers. Even a house that would normally fall outside the ‘premiere league’ can be elevated to something very special if filled with the right quality furniture.
If you’re about to sell, it’s worth investing a few hundred, or even a few thousand pounds on quality European contemporary furniture, as it could result in you selling your home for much more, and ensure you get a quick sale too. The Americans have a term for this: home staging.
For example, defining a dining area with a beautiful dining table and chairs will let the buyer see the potential for throwing dinner parties, or installing a breakfast bar and bar stools will make it clear to a buyer that the kitchen area is the hub of the home.
And the great bit is that when you move, you can take your new furniture with you!
PICTURED BELOW: ROMA BAR STOOLS by Danetti
2010 interiors trend: canteen dining
Canteen-style dining is a big trend for 2010
If you’ve paid a visit to Wagamama recently, or one of the many noodle bars that have sprung up in the UK in the past few years, then you’ll know that bench seating and canteen-style tables can be very sociable.
Kimi bench and Emmett table, for canteen style dining at home
There’s something relaxed and communal feeling about friends and family sitting together on benches rather than on separate chairs. You can squash extra guests in with no hassle and children can easily sit with their parents without the need for an extra seat.
And bench seating really comes into its own at Christmas and Easter time when you have all the family round for lunch – there’s room for everyone, without the need for granddad to sit on a deckchair.
All in all, we’re hooked, and want to be able to introduce a little canteen-style dining to our own home.
Dorna trio stool. Bench seating
Here at Danetti we’ve got lots of products that fit the bill.
Tables include the glass Galaxy extending table (pictured below left) which is an incredible 2m 40cm wide when extended and the great Emmett dining table (above left) which easily seats 10 people.
For bench seating you’re spoiled for choice – we particularly love the Dorna stools (left) which can be joined together to form a bench and the simple Kimi bench (pictured above with the Emmett dining table).
Galaxy extending table
New Product Video Feature on Danetti!
As of the last week we have launched some new videos of contemporary furniture on our Danetti site. We have produced a series of videos that showcase and really help customers get a sense of the product without being able to see them, which is our main obstacle.
Most of us recognise that the internet can be a terribly difficult place to view and purchase items, without the means to see, touch or feel the furniture and yet it has the greatest variety available to the concious consumer. Whilst technology is not advanced enough to allow the consumer to be able to touch the furniture they see online, we can use technology that already exists hence the online video. We want to improve the customers shopping experience and this is a project that has been in the forefront of our minds for some time.
Our videos are visible on the following modern furniture; Mirage Armchair, Mirage Bar Stool, Elma Bar Stool, Coco A Frame Chair, Florenta Bar Stool, Le Corbusier Sofa, Gabello Gas Lift Bar Stool and many more.
Danetti’s Stylish Coco A Frame Bar Stool’s in Clarins!
Modern and Stylish Coco A Frame Bar Stool, made in Italy
We at Danetti are proud to be supplying Clarins with bar stool seating for their Roadshow.
They chose our Coco A Frame Bar Stool as it is a perfect, modern and stylish piece of seating that compliments their brand. The strong steel frame is finished in a highly polished chrome, and Clarins opted for a classic black seat to compliment their set up, although we have a variety of different colours available for this stool.
Whilst the stool looks great, the seat of the Coco A Frame Bar Stool provides a comfortable curved wrap-around surface that supports the lower back. Making it a perfect solution for Clarins clientèle on the Roadshow.
You will also find the following products in this popular range : Coco Bar Stool, Coco A Frame Chair, Coco Flat Chair and Coco Classic Chair.
What Size Round Dining Table Should I Go For?
The most important factor in buying a new round dining table has to be the size. After all when you think about it, the dining table is the largest single piece of furniture in most homes.
The Dining Room:
Whether you have a traditional dining room that is a separate room of its own dedicated to entertaining or you plan to put your round dining table in a kitchen or open plan kitchen/ breakfast room it is crucial that you measure the room and place a dining table in there that is in proportion to the rest of the room.
The problem lies not so much in buying a table that is relatively small for the space- It is your own personal taste and circumstances that will decide this. Rather the problem instead lies with buying a round dining table that is too large for the room. If this happens people will struggle to move around the room and table comfortably and will feel enclosed.
The widely accepted rule is that there should be a 900mm minimum gap between the edge of your table and the wall, not only to stop people feeling like sardines but also so that when the dining chairs are pulled out by diners, the chairs do not brush up against the walls.
The Dining Table Itself: Large Vs Small
The general consensus is that at a round dining table 762mm should be allowed per person, this is because the shape of the table means that a person’s allotted space will narrow nearer the centre of the table.
The size of the table you require will vary according to how many people you plan to seat at it. If you want six people to be able to sit at the table then go for a table that has a 1524mm diameter. Really this is the smallest you can opt for as far as six diners are concerned, any smaller and people will start to feel cramped and there maybe some elbow overlap when it comes to eating!
A round table that is 1016mm in diameter is about the right size for a party of four. Some designers concede that at a squeeze you can fit six at a table of this size but only if there is no alternative.
The Effect:
Allowing different amounts of space per person can even allow you to create different dining experiences. For example, the Regina round dining table is big enough to seat six to eight people but if it is used to seat four and placed in a room where there is ample space for its 1300mm diameter a luxurious, spacious and slightly regal feel will be created.
Alternatively if you want an intimate, casual and friendly atmosphere for a group of six then allowing a large amount of space for each diner won’t work. You’ll need to get something like the Cross Round Extending Dining Table which is 1200mm in diameter and can be extended to fit eight people around it.
Social and Commercial Dining – The Rules
You’ve found the perfect dining table and chairs, the dining room table looks every inch an extract from one of those good home magazines, and the candles add the final touch, creating the right mood for your dinner party. Guests arrive and are met by a canapé and wine reception, when everyone is gathered; you guide your guests to the dining table..from then on in it all goes horribly wrong. There is not enough space around the table for guests to pull out and get under it, eventually they manage but your guests now resemble sardines rather then the magazine extract you had planned. This could have been avoided if we had just followed the ‘Rules of Dining’.
Now obviously these are not strict guidelines, they bare room for a little flexibility, for instance to squeeze in that extra person who didn’t RSVP, so you had no idea they were coming, but they are guidelines all the same, to help you achieve the most from your dining experience.
Choosing the Right table: - The table should be 750mm in height, allowing room from the slightest to the most robust guest. So chairs should be around 450mm high at the seat.
Choose Numbers: - Each diner requires 600 mm to eat comfortably, whilst leaving 100mm between each person to avoid any stray elbows landing in soups.
For four persons dining, a square/circular dining table is ideal for creating the right level of dining intimacy and gives enough room for all. For six plus , you should look at rectangular tables, the standard length of these dining tables is 1200 mm, many come with folding leaves so are easily extending to fit all guests comfortably. We suggest the Innocence Dining Table for four diners and the Lenda Classic Dining Table for six diners or more.
Choose the Area: - You will need to keep at least 600mm free space around your dining room table to allow easy access in and out. So for a square dining table measuring 1200mm x 1200mm, a space of 3600 mm sq is required.
Commercial Dining
Every restaurateur knows the importance of a restaurant layout and you only get one chance to get it right. There are many important factors to consider but top of the list is – layout. It is crucial to get the right spacing, leaving enough room for your waitress to manoeuvre comfortably for both them and diners, around the dining tables and to and from the kitchen.
The space needed around the tables is slightly more than standard dining, this is to allow for the flow of traffic between the tables and give each tables its own level of privacy. The distance around each table should be 900mm for comfortable dining.
Which Table to serve what? : – Dependant on which cuisine style your restaurant is serving, will be a deciding factor on the different level of space required by individual diners, a diner in a coffee shop requires less room than someone in a restaurant having a three course meal.
Danetti’s Guide to the Correct Sitting Posture
1. Ensure that your buttocks are touching the back of the dining chair, or any other chair you have, and you are sitting up with your back straight and your shoulders back.
2. Whilst sitting on the dining chair make sure you distribute your weight evenly on both hips.
3. When seated bend your knees at a right angle making sure they are higher than hip level.
4. Make sure you have 2 to 3 inches of space between the back of your knee and the edge of your dining chair seat.
5. Ensure that you keep your feet flat on the floor, use a footrest if this is not possible or if on a bar stool, put the middle part of your soles on the footrest.
6. Try not to remain in the same position for more than half an hour.
7. When sitting in a chair up against a table insure that your arms are at an 90 degree angle and your shoulders are relaxed.
8. When sitting on a bar stool or dining chair that swivels, do not move the chair without moving your body with it.
9. Opt for a dining chair with good lower back (lumbar) support for the normal curve in your back. Additional support can be created using a lumbar roll, even a small pillow, or rolled up towel will have a similar effect.
10. When leaving the stool or chair, move to the front of the chair so you can bend your knees to leave the seat.
5 Tips for Choosing the Right Product for the Space
Before buying a product it is important to consider not only the style and colour of the product itself but the environment it is going into. Thinking about how the product will be used and where to put it in the space is fundamental when choosing the right product.
Draw A Floor Plan
Before you start arranging the furniture, a floor plan normally helps to plan where you are going to put large pieces of furniture. Remember to include key features in the room such as windows, doors and fire places. Always read the measurements box on our products pages to ensure that it can fit into the space selected. This is useful with a multi functional room, you can easily see what can go where.
Use Focal Points As A Guide
Think next as to how the space is going to be used and who will use it. Identify the focal point in the room whether it be a fireplace, view, television, etc and orient the furniture facing this accordingly. If you plan to watch television in the room, the ideal distance between the set and the seating is three times the size of the screen.
Try To Create Space
When you are arranging your furniture always ensure the path between doorways are clear. Don’t place any large pieces of furniture in that path if you can avoid it, and allow 30-48 inches of width for major traffic routes, and a minimum of 24 inches of width for minor ones. In bedrooms, allow at least 24 inches between the side of the bed and a wall, and at least 36 inches between the bed and a swinging door. In a dining room, make sure there’s at least 48 inches between each edge of the table and the nearest wall or piece of furniture.
Regal Chair
Oko Coffee Table
Use Contrast To Achieve A Casual Look
Combine straight and curved lines to create a casual look. If the furniture is modern and linear, contrast with a round table. If the furniture is curved, contrast with an angular piece. For example you could choose our Oko Coffee Table and our Regal Chair to create this look.
Nova Table
Kalka Chair
Use Symmetry To Create A Formal Look
If you want to create a more formal atmosphere symmetrical pieces work best. Try to use products that are of a similar design and style . For example to create a formal look with our Nova Table and Kalka Chair.