Text Frances Flautt Zook
On the HBO Max series Succession, the home office of media mogul Logan Roy is one of the settings where Roy’s three children jockey to become heir to the family empire. It’s a fictional example of how the formal library or study has evolved into a multifaceted home office that must offer functionality and comfort with style.
As remote work exploded during the pandemic and corporate hoteling uprooted many executives’ dedicated spaces at the office, a well-conceived home office suitable for work and socializing became a must for any new luxury home. Today’s home office must serve as a pleasing and technologically equipped workplace (including a curated background suitable for video calls), a cozy hideaway for intimate social gatherings, or simply a place to wrap up in a blanket and watch a movie. A working fireplace and a well-stocked bar are often included. If windows offer an inspiring view, all the better.
The home office may be the room that is now the most complete and visible reflection of the homeowner’s life and personality. It serves as a canvas to fill with pictures of loved ones, family heirlooms, symbols of professional achievement, mementos from personal hobbies and world travel, as well as collections of art and books (acquired over a lifetime or, perhaps, by the yard).
My clients’ home offices have included spaces for a novelist to house his first editions, a collector’s fine pewter collection, and another homeowner who displayed his army of toy soldiers. Personal touches can be applied in other ways: Another client milled a fallen tree from the homesite to create the home office’s wood paneling and moldings.
A home office should offer a homeowner privacy, warmth, and a place where they feel they can be their best selves.
Designing Elements
• Thoughtfully integrated storage that supports both beauty and order
• A comfortable, well-proportioned work zone, ideally oriented toward a view
• A dedicated area for gathering, unwinding, or a quiet retreat
• Space reserved for what holds meaning—art, music, books, media, and personal keepsakes
