Totalook: interview with the designer
The home office: 5 ideas to inspire you
2020 taught us the art of adapting to life at home: we spent entire days within the four walls of our homes, changing the way we use some rooms on a daily basis as a result. Working at home became the norm and the so-called “study” or “office” – which many of us had perhaps already created only to use very sparingly – was transformed into one of the nerve centers of all our activities.
We spent, and probably still do, the majority of our waking hours in the home office. And over the next few years remote working is likely to become much more common than it was in the past. For this reason it is a good idea to start designing functional new work spaces that are more aesthetically pleasing for us and our homes, modifying and enhancing floor, surface and wall coverings with a selection of the best tiles for home offices. Emilamerica porcelain stoneware tiles are the ideal solution for all rooms thanks to their numerous intrinsic technical qualities which guarantee resistance to impact, scratching, chipping, thermal shock, humidity and various types of stains: even if a space is subject to intensive use, porcelain stoneware tiles can guarantee long-term durability and easy cleaning.
Light colors make rooms welcoming and airy
It is essential to choose the right color for our workspace. But before evaluating various possible shades it is important to decide which space in the home we are going to convert into an office. Some of us are able to create a new space from scratch in a room we do not use much - like a guest room, for example - while others are more limited in their options and have to make use of a room already used for other purposes, the living room for example, seeking to carve out a quiet little niche where they can concentrate during the working day. For this reason the colors of home office flooring or walls must be chosen with particular care, even if this might seem difficult at first. We believe that the best flooring for home offices consists of pale-colored tiles, particularly in spaces that are heavily shared over the course of the day, like the bedroom or living room: light shades make the room more welcoming, comfortable and airy. At the most frenetic and busy times of day, being surrounded by an environment with relaxing colors also makes it easier to overcome the inevitable moments of stress. However, there is no doubt that your personality also plays an important role: if a warmer environment makes you feel good then dark shades can also be an ideal solution, perhaps eventually prioritizing glossy finishes which make the space attractive without being oppressive. Having chosen the colors it is time to evaluate a few ideas for the home office floor based on your preferred materials or the style you want to achieve.
Wood-look herringbone pattern for an office with a touch of class
The light shades we talked about before go well with a wood effect reinvented for a home office tile floor. One of the most stylish and classical wood strip floors, completely replicable with stoneware tiles down to the finest of details, is the herringbone pattern, which generates a refined and enveloping dynamic effect without exerting a strong visual impact. The Elegance Wood by Acif collection is perfect for this purpose: it uses the natural tones of wood which are reproduced with smooth patterns free of knots specifically designed to be laid in a herringbone pattern to guarantee uniformity. The collection has four different color solutions from which to choose: Beige, Mohogany, Nut and White, all available in the sizes 11x54 cm and 15x90 cm.
Rustic “farmhouse study” style floors
Herringbone wood-look tiled floors also fit particularly well with a “farmhouse” style inspired by the charm of the country, more rustic even if reinterpreted with a modern twist. A good example of the combination of the rustic with the refined is the Domino by Acif collection which takes its inspiration from the classic beauty of oak, available here in four different versions: Sbiancato, Naturale, Dorato and Tabacco. It comes in the 20x120 size with eight different original and high-impact 3D geometric decorations in 20x20 size which offer plenty of freedom in the creation of installation patterns.
For the best possible interpretation of the “farmhouse study” style, creating a modern country house effect for a really unique home office, as well as wood you can also choose tiles inspired by other materials: stone or terracotta, for example, which are inspired by old country residences or classic rural farms rich in timeless charm.
An industrial atmosphere is an excellent choice for a home office in the city
Meanwhile, for an office in perfect urban style you can opt for a wide range of different designs: industrial, metropolitan, minimalist or even high-tech. All of these share a common denominator: a few simple expedients in the choice of porcelain stoneware coverings. For example, for the floor of the home office you can opt for concrete tiles, pushing the boat out with original combinations of glass and wood: the resulting effect is certainly very modern and in keeping with the most recent minimalist design solutions particularly if used also for the walls and other surfaces. The Re-Play Concrete by Provenza collection is designed to recreate an industrial-style office in an urban home. The color palette offers six different solutions - Anthracite, Verdigris, Grey, Dark Grey, White and Sand - each available in three different styles - Recupero, Cassaforma Flat and Cassaforma 3D.
Choose marble-effect tiles for a lavish effect
Using marble-effect coverings to create your office space is a classic and luxurious choice: this material is naturally elegant and strong on personality. It can easily be combined with different types of decor and numerous color shades and as well as floors and walls it can also be used for the various surfaces of the room, such as the worktops you plan to use. The Marmi by Level collection elevates the beauty of this material to a whole new level. The stoneware slabs in this series are available in two sizes: 160x320 rectified with thickness of 6.5 mm, and 162x324 non rectified with thickness of 12 mm. Numerous shades are available, including: Agata Blu, Altissimo White, Arabescato Corchia, Bianco Lasa, Blanc Du Blanc, Calacatta and White Paradise. Whatever style you choose, always remember to create a comfortable home office that fits with your needs and taste: with the Emilamerica collections you can count on an almost limitless range of innovative and long-lasting solutions.
23 June 2021
Magazine
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