Winter 2020

INTERIORS

With more of us working from home, the kitchen can double up as a home office and cooking space with a little planning and preparation; and we take a look at kitchen trends for 2021

Top Tips to make your kitchen working from home (WFH) friendly The amount of people working remotely has skyrocketed in 2020, with 47 per cent of the UK workforce mostly WFH in April 2020 compared to 5 per cent of the population mainly working from home in 2019 [according to an ONS Government survey]. n Lighten your workload Evidence suggests that good lighting is key to productivity and with the right lighting you can be more productive. Kitchens tend to be the best lit rooms in the house with spotlights an ideal, because they brightly illuminate food preparation and cooking areas. n Keep it clean Clean kitchen, clean mind, which is exactly what you need when you’re trying to concentrate and be productive working from home. Keep your kitchen surfaces free of clutter as much as you can and remove items from surfaces into the cupboards. n Use your kitchen’s strengths Make use of your kitchen cupboard space to hold printers or second monitors when you’re cleaning up in the evening, as well as notepads, laptop chargers and headphones. It means they are accessible during the working day, but are out of the way when you’re cooking in the evening. n Be clever with your space Your kitchen is as versatile as it is robust, so it can bounce into office mode during the day and back out again in the evening. Be creative with your kitchen space – use the tiles and cupboards as whiteboards to put up post it notes to remind you about meetings or, if you’re struggling with your posture, create your own standing desk by utilising the kitchen work tops. All of these can be easliy cleared away. n Don’t take work home with you Productivity is not the only important thing, with a worker’s wellbeing crucial in these times especially as we approach an isolated winter. One of the problems with working from home is people feel they cannot switch off, having their place of work and relaxation under one roof. If you don’t have a designated office, the kitchen is the best alternative. Switching to a warmer, dimmer light in the evenings and putting all your work items away in a designated cupboard can help to distinguish your kitchen during the working day and your kitchen when you’re off duty.

Clean kitchen, clean mind, which is exactly what you need when you’re trying to concentrate and be productive

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O&A WINTER 2020