Little did political scientist Robert Kelly know that he’d become an instant social media star when, during a remote interview with the BBC from his home office, his young daughter defiantly marched in, followed by her infant brother in a wheeled walker and then by their frantic mother, who scrambled to retrieve them.
The clip of the 2017 interview has since garnered more than 100 million views online. Kelly kept calm and carried on, the internet audience was delighted, and he was later invited back on air to discuss the challenges of working from home.
Such viral home-office invasions are thankfully the exception. As COVID-19 prompted a structural shift in American life, the Pew Research Center reported that among workers whose jobs can be performed remotely, 75% work from home at least some of the time. Consequently, a dedicated workspace has become essential in many households, with perhaps one indispensable feature: a lock on the door.
The home office traces its roots to the Renaissance, when every cultivated Italian worth his palazzo maintained a private “studiolo” for reading, writing, reflection and the pursuit of knowledge. Over the centuries, it evolved into a study or library, a scholar’s retreat, a gentleman’s workplace or a collector’s showcase.
In 1929, Virginia Woolf famously argued in “A Room of One’s Own” that women, too, needed privacy and dedicated space to be creative and productive, separate from their traditional domestic duties. Today, more and more women insist on a home office of their own.
And a really great one is more than a beautiful desk and an ergonomic chair. “At its best, a home office is a carefully composed space that balances function, design, architecture, natural light, technology, and personal character,” said Kathy Abbott of Kathy Abbott Interiors, a design firm serving Bedford, Fairfield County and New York City. “It’s a space where work can feel focused and effortless, while remaining elegant enough to belong in a well-appointed home.”
Five years ago, Abbott renovated a 1940s Colonial in Bedford, designing separate offices for husband and wife. Hers was off the kitchen; he occupied the back of the house, off the living room.
“The husband’s office features French doors that open to the terrace, where they often serve lunch in the summer,” Abbott said. “From the terrace there are steps down to the lawn leading to the pool. Between afternoon business calls, if it’s sunny and warm, the owner often takes a swim.”
A finance professional who maintains a city office, he generally uses his home workspace from Thursday afternoons through Tuesday mornings.
“Plentiful light and access to the outdoors were his priorities,” Abbott said, “along with abundant bookshelves for his exceptional collection of first editions.”
Both homeowners serve on multiple museum boards, making the artfully placed oversized art books in the office essential references. An important collection of art photography adds another layer of individuality.
The office’s design flows seamlessly into the rest of the house.
“We used reclaimed wide-plank floors stained dark and finished with wax, complemented by seagrass rugs and stair runners,” Abbott said.
Natural linens and wools lent texture, while a chair upholstered in hand-printed linen by Penny Morrison, inspired by Indian block printing, introduced subtle exoticism.
Although technology has transformed remote work, most clients avoid recreating conventional corporate aesthetics at home.
“My Bedford client wanted more of a gentleman’s office,” Abbott said. “He uses the laptop at the desk, then files it away. His cabinets are concealed in the millwork.” Reliable technology, discreetly integrated.
Perhaps the office’s most distinctive feature is a 19th century English library ladder, purchased at auction by the client as a gift for her husband.
“I really wanted to include the ladder to reinforce the idea of a modern interpretation of the traditional library but with a personal touch,” Abbott recalled.
If the Bedford office embodies the classical private library, Heather Langham’s Katonah workspace belongs firmly in the garden-retreat category.
“I’ve only ever called it the ‘Fern Room,”’ Langham said.
And no wonder. Wrapped in fern-print wallpaper by Juliet Travers, the room features fern-green drapes framing 8-foot, floor-to-ceiling double-hung windows, along with strategically placed potted ferns.
“Our property is filled with many species of naturalized native ferns,” Langham said. “Even though my office is on the first floor, it has an elevated second-story view. Every season is lovely, and when I’m here, I always feel as though I’m in a treehouse.”
Wall-to-wall sisal carpeting from Stark and rattan end tables from Ficks Reed reinforce its botanical character.
Originally a playroom, then a homework space for her two children, the room eventually enjoyed a new lease on life.
“I’ve kept the children’s long built-in desk with two chairs and computer stations just because it’s beautiful the way it is — and I actually do end up using the space,” Langham said.
Active in several nonprofits, serving on the board of a local historic home, and planning her daughter’s wedding, multitasking is the order of her day.
“The office really is the perfect base of operations for both work and play,” Langham said. “I do a lot of streaming of favorite shows here and play online bridge regularly.”
Custom built-ins by a local carpenter provided ample drawers and cabinets. Comfort mattered, too.
“I like some cushioning, and support is also essential when choosing an office chair,” she said.
Her latest addition was a swivel chair from Wayfair.
Although three-quarters of her weekly meetings take placecreen glow
“Natural light is essential,” she said. “Even on cold, bleak days, viewed from the Fern Room, everything outside looks beautiful and always lifts my spirit. And it helps me think better.”
