Jeff Grasso used warm wood tones in this home office.
A Great White office by Jen Howard of JWH Design
A work nook for the kitchen “commander” by Jen Howard
The Desk Set
You may have had a corner office before the pandemic, but these days most of us find ourselves working in a corner of the kitchen, the playroom when the kids are elsewhere, or at the dining room table right next to them and the whole family hovered over laptops.
Working from home has its upsides, but it’s a challenge to get much work done unless you can carve out a space of your own.
Whether you ask Jen Howard of JWH Design and Cabinetry to build a spacious office or a corner workspace, her comment is here that says you can count on her to merge form and function.
The white and bright home office pictured was created for “a busy work-from-home mom long before Covid had all of us working from home,” explained Howard. “In her work area, she needed plenty of file drawers, plus open and closed storage. A freestanding desk allowed the maximum flow of light into the room (and less obstruction of the gorgeous waterfront view out the window). When needed, there is room for floating swivel chairs in the center of the space.”
The essential ingredients of all the offices Howard builds are light, plenty of storage, good counter space, and room on the walls for photographs and art you never tire of looking at.
While developer Jeff Grasso is known for building and rebuilding stately Tudor homes, especially on the Westchester Country Club grounds, he said he’s been especially busy these last few months creating home offices for longtime clients. One of them stressed that his new office has become one of the most essential rooms in the house. “It’s the room I am in for most of the day, the perfect space when I need to focus and be apart from the kids. It helps that Jeff was also able to create a dedicated homework space for the kids right off the kitchen.” He added, “I’m grateful to have large windows and a lot of natural light in my office.”
While Grasso doesn’t have an office at home himself, he does have a quiet spot that he uses as a music studio and workspace. “My work is often creative, and I draw inspiration from my surrounding. Having a view makes a big difference.”
- Robin Jovanovich
