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(ARA) - Today’s home is fast becoming the center
of American life as concepts of work and leisure are being reassessed.
Households are being reshaped to fit a growing sense that family, friends and
home life are the real bottom line. In order to spend more time with loved ones
and establish as much independence as possible on the job front, men and women
across the country are striving for a “customized life,” one that offers an
individual blend of work, leisure and family time. And today’s technological
advances and flexible work arrangements are making this newly defined,
sought-after lifestyle more accessible.
Home Office Courtesy of C&A
More and more people can work from virtually anywhere,
thanks in large part to high-tech developments and devices like wireless home
networks, audio, video and Web conferencing, laptops, hand-held PCs and cell
phones. Increasing numbers of Americans are making that very choice. In fact,
one third of all homes accommodate a home office, and the ranks of teleworkers
rose by 17 percent in the past year alone, according to a recent survey by the
International Telework Association and Council.
“Whether it’s used full time or part time, today’s home
office is one of the keys to the family-focused, custom-designed life,” says
Susan Dountas, vice president of merchandising for Sauder Woodworking. “This is
the space that makes it possible to welcome in the outside world, but in the
comfort, privacy and security of our own homes.”
Expanding definitions of what constitutes a home office,
where it belongs and how it should be set up have helped pave the way for
traditionally professional-level furnishings and technology to now enter the
home environment, explains Dountas. These changing attitudes and preferences
have encouraged furniture designers from around the country to carefully
consider the functions and even dimensions of today’s home office furnishings.
“Creating a viable home office is essential to forging a
customized life,” Dountas says. “Today's home-oriented consumers are demanding
versatile furnishings that support their more family-centered work arrangements
and lives.”
A host of compact designs -- such as computer carts,
computer armoires and corner workstations -- are scaled to make the customized
life a reality even for space-challenged homes. Sauder’s Cottage Home computer
armoire with its own fold-away chair that stores inside the cabinet, for
example, creates a self-sufficient -- and space-efficient -- home office in an
area less than four feet wide. Ample work surface, generous storage, and
ergonomic details such as adjustable chair seat and keyboard tray fit the job
description for today’s business needs and the flexible, self-contained design
helps ease the transition to family time.
Sauder is also making the personalized home office more
accessible than ever with a free space-planning service for its new Adaptech
line. Qualified space planners provide consumers with a layout grid and
furniture templates and then help them analyze their individual work needs and
develop a custom-fit, professional-level work environment. The sleek,
contemporary Adaptech line of modular furnishings is designed for easy
reconfiguration as office needs change. Versatile components -- including
cubicles, open work spaces, peninsulas, conference tables and hutches -- provide
limitless opportunities to create comfortable, productive work areas to fit
nearly any floor plan and work situation.
For more information about Sauder Woodworking, please
visit
www.sauder.com
or call 800-523-3987.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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