How retailers can exploit the rise of the home office
This month we’re looking at the increasing number of people working from home, and specifically the rise in homeowners asking KBB retailers for home offices. We explore the different approaches to design and ask how you can exploit this growing trend. Francesca Seden reports…
Working from home is a phenomenon that has grown from being an exception pre-2020, to an accepted way of working in 2024.
Rather than working from home levels going back to their pre-pandemic levels, many employers and employees have recognised the benefits of home working arrangements, and so a hybrid model has developed in the UK. According to ONS data, as of June 2023, those working from home ‘all of the time’ was at 10% and those working from home ‘some of the time’ was at 29%.
It is perhaps no surprise then that Häfele, as part of its Homes for Living research conducted in June 2023, found that ‘a space to work from home’ was among the top five areas that people would like in their kitchens (14% of respondents). Where people already have dedicated zones, a home office station was valued by over half of respondents (55%), making it third on the list.
Häfele category manager Elizabeth Briggs adds that “alongside kitchens being used as working-from-home spaces, we’re also seeing a rise in understairs areas being used to create hidden office spaces. In the same research, 6% of respondents had created a home office under their stairs and 8% said they would like one”.
Wherever the home office is, the fact is that they are much more in-demand than they were five years ago, and manufacturers have responded with the development of flexible furniture solutions that can be used to create a range of designs to cater for different lifestyles and needs.
Chris Dance, showroom manager at InHouse Inspired Room Design adds that a key part of this is designing furniture in such a way that it can blend within the existing layouts of the home – “ensuring that the aesthetic flow between kitchen and work area is seamless.”
In terms of the practical, brands are incorporating technology features such as built-in charging stations and cable management solutions. Additionally, solutions like pocket doors, pull-out, or pull-down desktops, or as Häfele’s Briggs notes, tambour door systems, mean the working area can be hidden away when not in use.
“One other clear finding from our research,” says Briggs, “is that homeowners value the ability to ‘close off’ a space at the end of their working day, which is something designers should bear in mind.”
Work/home separation
This makes sense psychologically as one naturally wants to have some separation between being in a working mind-frame and a home one.
Poggenpohl recently completed a project in Chelsea, which featured a large kitchen and dining area extending back into a home office. Scott Rotchell, dealer manager at Poggenpohl UK says it specified its +STAGE pocket doors, with the unit fitted with a pull-out desktop, as well as drawers for files and computer accessories. It can be closed off when not in use, and it is the same furniture that might also be used to create a home bar.
Rotchell says: “The flexibility of bespoke designs, and being able to order specials, ensures that our customers need only come to us, creating a smooth purchasing journey without unnecessary extra companies, or fitting teams being involved. Due to Poggenpohl offering a customer liaison service where a member of staff over-sees the fit, the customer journey is significantly smoother than it could be with multiple companies on site, which could push the fit out over a longer period.”
The theme of transitioning between a workspace and a living space is one that came up frequently among our contributors for this feature, with a few different suggestions for how it can be achieved.
As well as having a space the client can close off at the end of the working day, other contributors recommended a zonal design approach to create a happy work/life balance.
Sophie Devonald, designer at Crown Imperial advises that it is “best to avoid sharing storage between zones. The new hub should be a clutter-free working area with everything relevant at hand. Also consider desk positioning to make the most of natural light, while avoiding screen glare for those regular Zoom calls.”
Additionally, the pandemic gave people lots of time to reflect on their homes and how they were living in them – unused or under-utilised spaces were given new purpose, often in the form of a home office. As Uform’s head of category Richard Gates notes, “whether it’s a spare bedroom that’s been converted into an office, a garden room/outdoor annexe or a kitchen extension that now accom–modates multifunctional living, it’s clear that working from home has had a significant impact on the way we design our homes.”
Gates also believes that having a dedicated workspace in the home is now being recognised as an asset to buyers, in the same way that extra bedrooms may have had in the past.
Know your client
In terms of the key design elements to consider, the answer may seem obvious, but could be overlooked.
“Don’t forget the tech,” says Daval’s managing director, Simon Bodsworth. “This should of course all be carefully considered at the design stage – plenty of power points, including USB and pop-up sockets.”
Also carefully consider lighting. If the workspace is wall-facing, and if there isn’t much natural light, a few integrated LED spotlights might be useful.
“Demonstrate how a flexible wall storage system will help your customer to optimise space, and have that stationery or tech to hand,” Rotpunkt’s head of UK operations Matt Phillips adds.
“Simply clipping a book/tablet holder will help to free up room on the desk, or adding a small glass shelf will keep a hot drink out of harm’s way.”
Of course, how the space is designed will also depend on its users. “I would suggest that a built-in home office area is supported by wall-hung storage and boasts leg room for two chairs,” Phillips adds, “this is ideal for parents helping kids with homework.”
It’s fair to say that the vast majority of consumers, or those looking to purchase a kitchen, may not have a clue that it’s possible to create a home office using kitchen furniture, so as LochAnna’s kitchen category manager, Sinead Trainor notes, retailers can play a pivotal role in facilitating a transition towards multifunctional spaces, and educating customers as to what can be achieved.
“By creating immersive displays in showrooms through mock-ups of adaptable layouts and innovative features,” she says, “they can effectively engage customers.
“Moreover, staging set-ups with props showcasing the full range of use can further stimulate interest and imagination.”
Symphony’s design manager Josie Medved thinks similarly, adding that retailers should integrate these concepts into their kitchen displays to help customers visualise the dual functionality of their spaces. “For example, setting up a portion of the kitchen display as a mini home office can spark imagination,” she says. “Showing that a kitchen can be more than just a place for meals but also a hub for productivity.
Adaptable
Each of our retailer contributors agreed that they’ve seen a distinct rise in the number of customers asking for home offices to be incorporated. And most of these retailers also design and make their own furniture, so perhaps have a slightly different take to those who don’t. However, Suzi Francis, sales designer at Tom Howley’s Winchester showroom, offers some advice that is pretty universal.
“As designers and showroom managers, we often work at desks within the showroom, demonstrating the practicality and aesthetic appeal of our furniture in real-time,” she explains.
“This approach allows customers to visualise how these pieces would fit into their own homes, offering a tangible example of how to create a productive and stylish workspace within a living area. By showcasing the furniture in use, we help clients understand the versatility of our designs, making it easier for them to imagine similar setups in their own homes.”
In terms of what Tom Howley is offering, a few of its ranges feature furniture which is readily adaptable to suit the home office, and Francis adds that “a notable trend is the emphasis on smaller furniture pieces, such as integrated desk areas”.
Simon Taylor, managing director at Simon Taylor Furniture, adds that “since the pandemic, we have been asked to incorporate more home offices within our kitchen and bedroom schemes – always with the same brief – it needs to be functional when in use and concealed to harmonise with the rest of the room when the working day has ended.”
We also asked how easy, or possible, it is to create these designs using a stocked furniture brand, and how manufacturers can make their furniture more flexible to suit a range of uses.
Helena Myers, co-director of The Myers Touch in Winchester, comments that each of its manufacturing partners offers cabinetry and adjustable options that will allow for bespoke or personalised working areas, while its new Italian furniture supplier Caccaro specialises in contemporary desk, office, and storage solutions.
“We can even design using String,” she says. “This is a Scandinavian furniture system which offers flexible shelving and storage systems and includes options for desk and home office solutions.”
So, to summarise, it’s clear that working from home in some capacity is here to stay, and this is evidenced by the amount of investment that manufacturers have put into developing their ranges. While the government and some employers have talked about getting people back into the office, many other employers recognise the benefits that flexible working brings.
As far as retailers and designers are concerned, the key thing to remember is that it’s important to recognise the shift and move with it – offering customers plenty of inspiration and your skills to make the most of this opportunity.
HOME WORKING in numbers
In 2019, 4.7% of UK employees worked from home (WISERD)
By April 2020, 46.6% of employees did at least part of their job from home (ONS)
86% of those did so specifically because of the pandemic (ONS)
25% of UK employees worked from home at least some of the time in 2022 (ONS)
In 2022, 13% of UK employees worked from home all of the time (ONS)
As of June 2023, 10% of UK workers were working from home all the time and 29% were working from home some of the time (ONS)
Source: www.forbes.com/uk/advisor/business/remote-work-statistics/