Twitter
Facebook
Linkedin
Email
Scrapbook
Fold-Up Home Office Restores Work-Life Balance
With working from home set to continue for the foreseeable future, furniture brands are having to reimagine the home office with wellness, tech integration and style in mind. We take a look at new Spanish brand Beaktor’s approach to designing for remote working, and the takeaways for brands serving this market.
Beaktor’s debut launch is a self-contained workstation comprised of a thick timber frame with a central unit that flips down to reveal a work surface, pegboard back and storage compartments. The design prioritises simplicity, with integrated power sockets and hook accessories that store second screens or smart devices at eye level, keeping the tabletop clear. Such features appeal to the 27% of global consumers who value clean and clutter-free spaces more since the start of the pandemic (Ikea, 2021).
Design cues also support wellbeing, with the workstation available in a range of colours that positively influence mood and reduce eye strain. The blue option, for instance, aids concentration, while the grey caters to individuals who work nights. The pegboard is also made from acoustic cork to minimise noisy distractions. See also CMF Design Strategies for Post-Covid Wellbeing.
Beaktor also uses lighting to help workers switch between work and rest, with LEDs integrated inside and outside the frame to create either a focused atmosphere or ambient glow. And with desks increasingly acting as a digital studio for video conferences, LEDs integrated into the pegboard provide even illumination, so that workers are always camera-ready.
What’s more, detachable magnetic skins in a choice of graphics help the closed unit blend into an interior. This quiet design supports a better work-life balance for the 60% of US consumers who find it hard to carve out personal space when working from home (Xiaomi, 2021).
For more on how furniture is adapting to multifunctional homes, see Future-Proofing the Flexible Home.
