Will every home need an office in the future?

COVID-19 has forced companies to adapt to home-based workers - a development that is unlikely to be turned back. As we continue to stay at home and work remotely, we're pretty sure that this will become the new normal.

A Gartner, Inc. survey of 229 HR leaders on April 2 revealed that nearly 50% of organizations reported 81% or more of their employees are working remotely during the coronavirus pandemic. Another 15% of those surveyed said 61-80% of employees are working remotely at this time. The Gartner survey showed that many workers are planning to work remotely more often in the future.

We've seen many a bedroom converted into an office, but we've also seen couples revamp dining rooms, especially if their work habits and activities do not clash.

Interior architect Mia Gabriella has seen her fair share of converted spaces. "One couple I did work for used to share an office. They would stagger their conference calls and use headsets for music or background noise. Another client tried that and called me in desperation. I knew his house well and suggested a re-use of their breakfast room. We actually did the design remotely and now they're both happy in their separate spaces."

Mia says there's no end to the creativity in re-utilizing space. "The first time people think about this is usually in the college dorm with the desk under a bunkbed, but it definitely doesn't end there. We've converted closets, carved out a corner of a living room, created a workspace under the stairs...the hardest part is electricity and cable management, but the possibilities are endless."

When we stage a home, we always make sure that at least one room is shown as an office. It just makes sense and shows off the convertible nature of a room. Now more than ever, our clients are thinking about this. Remote work is not a trend--it's here to stay.