EATONTOWN, N.J. — The home office that became popular during the pandemic continues to evolve, according to new research from Fixr.com.
With more than 36 million U.S. residents expected to be working from home by 2025, the focus continues to be on the home office and how to make it more efficient and stylish.
The study, which polled members of the interior design and home staging community, found that 77% said multifunctional spaces are the biggest trend in work-from-home spaces. This was followed by minimalism and moody designs (39% each), followed closely by biofriendly designs and incorporating color (37% each).
Regarding the requirement for versatility, one respondent said that their home office doubles as a spare bedroom by using a daybed, sofa bed, or wall bed to free up space, while another said that their home office doubles as a spare bedroom in a small house or He pointed out that the apartment used furniture with hidden casters. There is also a trend of using closets and pantries to carve out office space.
When it comes to whether homeowners want a spare bedroom or a home office, an office is a clear winner, with 91% of respondents saying they are more likely to have an office than a spare bedroom space. I'm answering.
While ergonomic furniture (54%) is considered the top priority for homeowners when creating an office, video call backdrops also outrank that in importance at 49%. Other must-haves include lighting and storage (46% each), soothing design and space (33%), and soundproofing (19%).
Home offices are also drawing homeowners and designers into the realm of smart technology. The most popular smart products deployed on work-from-home sites include smart lighting (70%), voice assistants (57%), smart displays that act as hubs for controlling home functions (46%), smart power etc. strips (37%) and digital notepads (25%).
About two-thirds of designers and stagers believe that a home office has a significant impact on a home's value, but only 3% say it has no value. One respondent said a home office has become a “non-negotiable requirement” regardless of the size of the space.
Fixr.com research is based on the results of 71 completed surveys conducted in December 2023.
