Are you tired of hunting online for stylish home office furniture that never quite meets your expectations? We caught up with our creative director David Wilson for his expert tips on home office trends and how to achieve a really fabulous look.
What are the most popular materials for home office desks?
There are two products in our online shop which are hugely popular at the moment, particularly for home offices. One is our oak corner desk, which can be made to fit any space and which has lovely features like soft gliding drawers which are a pleasure to use. The other is our wooden trestle desk leg, which is generally sold in pairs and teamed with a glass top. The fact that these items are custom made makes them a good option for home offices where space is usually at a premium. The use of natural wood means they are beautiful as well as practical.
How can clever storage help to create a home office that’s a pleasure to work in?
Storage is one of the most important factors when designing a home office space. The space often doubles up as a living area or bedroom so it really helps if the clutter can be tidied away quickly and easily. Floating shelves, like our elliptical curved shelves, are a good option. You can view them in our online store. Fitted storage is great for small spaces and anything that leaves the floor space free helps to create an uncluttered feel. The most important thing is to have somewhere to put the clutter and ideally a door to hide it! Thinking about a slightly different project we did for a busy family home, we came up with some clever ways to hide all sorts of everyday bits and pieces. We created some seating for an open plan kitchen area with hidden storage beneath the seats. We also designed a built in cupboard to store coats, hats and shoes. Read more about this corner bench and storage cabinet.
What can people do if they’re short of space for home working?
In our own home, we had the challenge of needing somewhere to work occasionally from home but space was very limited. It led to us developing a brand new product, our wall-mounted desk. We needed the desk surface to fold away when it wasn’t in use and we needed shelving to store files and other items. Our home office is in the kitchen so you can imagine how hectic it can get. You can read more about how we developed the design here.
What other things should people take into consideration?
Since making the move from engineering to furniture making I have specialised in designing with wood. I love the natural grain of the materials I work with and the way they can be smoothed, sanded and oiled to enhance their appearance. Clever use of wood grain and patterning can lift a design to a completely different level. My love of natural materials means I often like to see other elements of nature introduced to a room scheme. This might be indoor plants or large windows that allow light to flood in and outdoor spaces to be seen. Colours and textures that are inspired by nature often enhance the sense of wellbeing in a room.
One of the things we enjoy most about our job is the bespoke nature of the furniture projects we are asked to work on. Each one is different in purpose and style and we like working in partnership with our customers to create something that perfectly meets their needs. Over the years we have designed desks, bookcases and complete fitted studies. We have even converted loft spaces into fitted offices. If you have a project that you would like to discuss with us, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We design and make everything ourselves and we have a huge amount of experience that we can share with you. We can also talk through different approaches depending on your budget and preferences.
Contact us by phone on 0113 2567376 or send us an email at info@dovetailors.co.uk for an initial chat.