The Sunday Mail
WHEN living in a crowded environment, we dream of that special personal cave where you can relax, think and have some well-deserved alone time – all the while being productive.
And even though the images that come to mind when thinking “study” are leather chairs, cigars, a bar hidden in a rich wooden library, it is not just bachelors or frowsy writers that love this type of alone-room.
Fact is, if you work from home or have a job that involves even the most unpretentious level of creativity, you will find the study room a great place to go. As there are dressing rooms and wellness-bathrooms to indulge our body to the toes, a study is almost as intimate – the boudoir for our intellect.
A study should be, above all, practical. Size is not as important as good organisation.
Your mind will not drift away as easily as in a vast salon, but a modestly sized study does need a certain degree of tidiness.
Make sure you have the right lighting.
Different activities require varying degrees of illumination.
If you have the liberty of choosing any space you like, settle the room orientation according to the office type you are, for instance, east for morning productiveness or south for work during the day etcetera.
A spectacular and inspirational place for a study can be in the attic, under a pronounced gable, by a large window to the sky, especially for graphic work or technical drawing.
Pick a good pendant lamp or even precise, a capable desk lamp. Track lights make for flawless illumination in a workshop or studio.
Remember that artificial lighting can never replace natural daylight. Large windows are therefore a key element and well-being can also come from a refreshing view of nature.
If you receive guests or clients into your study, upholstered armchairs are a must. As a representative element, an indirectly illuminated ceiling or wall is a classy way to go, especially with indirect lighting from beneath the edges. In such a room, a fireplace can be a very aristocratic addition – or a cutting edge modern decoration, if you decide to go for the minimalistic ones.
The faithful servant called a desk has to be large enough, irrespective of whether it is a bulky Chippendale body rounded around the edges or a light and minimalist structure with thin legs and a glass top. When picking it, take a seat at it, touch it, test it, consider leg room or whether you need drawers at hand – it is among the most important instruments, as is the ergonomic but comfy chair.
If you like to indulge yourself with design, why not bring a fantasy into your productive office? A cleverly picked animal skin/fur rug or chair is an addition that adds some tasteful spice into the mix. Get a curvaceous lounge chair – call it a “contemplation” or “pensive” chair, especially if you feel the need to defend the presence of a large flat screen in immediate vicinity and your study is downright decadent! — decoist.com.
