Balancing Warmth and Function in Residential Design
Kevin McDonald is the Vice President of Sales for ALVIC USA, the US arm of Grupo ALVIC, Spain, a company focused on fabricating panels and furniture components in high gloss, supermatte, and textured TSS using unique patented processes and based in Auburndale, Florida.
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SURFACEANDPANEL.COM
BY K E VI N MC DO NALD, VP O F SALES, ALVIC USA
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or most Americans, prior to 2020, a home office space was a place to mail greeting cards and handle household bills. Typically, dedicated home office spaces were only used on daily basis by freelancers, the self-employed, or the relatively few Americans (roughly 7% according to Pew Research) whose employers embraced remote work or telecommuting. According to a study by Upwork, 41.8% of the American workforce continues to work remotely since the start of the pandemic. Although an estimated 26.7% will still be working from home through 2021, 36.2 million Americans (22% of the workforce) will be working remotely by 2025. This is a staggering 87% increase from the number of remote workers prior to the pandemic. This means millions of people have shifted to working out of home office spaces and for many, this change is permanent. This new, increased need for remote work has influenced the design and material mix of home spaces. Designers are now balancing durable, functional surfaces while maintaining residential warmth —and they’re coming up with innovative ways to use durable materials as they do it. “Work-from-home areas are becoming dedicated spaces, rather than temporary adapted spaces,” says Vicente Aguilar, Regional Sales Manager, ALVIC USA. “People can't work 9–10-hour days at the end of their kitchen bar.” Instead of quickly putting together a secondary space where minimal time is spent, homeowners are now taking ample time to plan their home offices and are investing more in the process. Many larger companies are even subsidizing office spaces for employees. This extra planning and investment leads to more possibilities to design solutions that combine durability and comfort, while reflecting a more personal, residential aesthetic than the typical corporate office.
