Photo Credit: Leandro Lujan

Duoma Atelier recently shared a wellness study regarding the increasingly normal trend for companies to allow (sometimes prefer) employees to work from home. The following are some of the key concepts that promote a healthy home office with wellness at the forefront.

Air

Since we spend most of our time indoors, the air quality of our buildings is extremely important. There are easy ways to improve the quality of the air you breathe at home. A good place to start would be to make sure that the HVAC unit filter has a high MERV rating. The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value is a measurement scale which reports the effectiveness of air filters.

Other than that, the next course of action would be to add an air purifier to rooms which you use most, including bedrooms, and in this case, home offices. Adding indoor plants also contributes to air purification.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Comfort

Above all else, your home office should be a comfortable environment which allows you to work in peace. It's recommended to invest in a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones - you won't regret it. If you share a home office, or if your home office is located near a space in the house which tends to be noisy, a great idea would be to add materials such as carpet, felt or fabric-wrapped panels in order to absorb sound.

When it comes to lighting, it's a good idea to have a variety based on different uses and needs. General lighting ought to be considered as the first layer, accompanied by individual desk lamps for personal use. When taking zoom meetings into consideration, good illumination is a huge facet of any great home office.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Mind

Mental wellness and physical wellness are equally important and they go hand in hand. Natural light should be at the top of the list when it comes to working from home. Try incorporating views to the outside or at least set up your office in a room that has windows to help with your circadian rhythm.

Next, add items that stimulate the senses. This can be through aromatherapy, a speaker which can emit sounds of nature in the background, or even some form of a miniature Zen Garden. The idea is to provide your mind with sensory cues to remember to breathe and relax from time to time.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Water

Hydration is key to your overall health. However, drinking the appropriate amount of water for your body can be easier said than done. While a brief walk to the kitchen can be a good break from work and good way to avoid staying stationary for too long, it's a good idea to keep a water station nearby within your home office. Consider it a visual cue to remind you to stay hydrated.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Movement

There are several ways in which your home office can be designed to promote wellness. Investing in a good ergonomic chair is a good place to start in order to promote good posture when you work.

But it doesn't stop there. Research shows that remaining seated for extended periods of time is just as dangerous as smoking. An adjustable standing desk has become popular for good reason. They have been proven to promote mobility, aid prevention of back pain and regulate blood flow.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

The post Duoma Atelier Designs Wellness in the Work From Home Era appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Photo Credit: MS2 Design Studio

While no one could have anticipated the unprecedented circumstances in which the world has found itself over the past two years, principal at MS2 Design, Michael Scigliano, reveals he designed his business to be able to function under any condition.

Haute Design: With the global pandemic going into its second full year, how has MS2 Design Studio adapted to this “new normal?” Was the beginning of the pandemic a particular shock in terms of business?

Michael Scigliano: Before opening MS2 Design Studio in 2010, the original business plan took into consideration the lessons that were learned from the previous firms that I had worked with. One firm had gone out of business because of the 2008 recession and the other because of conflicts with the partners. I made a conscious decision to keep our firm more boutique; therefore, eliminating the need for a large office space and the corresponding overhead.

Our team has always worked from home when possible and we meet when needed. This boutique design also kept us from bringing on too many employees and therefore, not needing too many projects at once. We’re able to hand-select the projects that challenge and interest us.

I’m humbled that MS2 Design Studio has thrived these past two years; having two of the best years in our history. This pandemic has negatively impacted so many companies and my heart goes out to all those that have fallen on hard times.

HD: What are some of the ways you have managed to maintain your high standards throughout all of this?

MS: Managing our high standards during the pandemic was actually easier than expected. Being stuck inside and having nothing else to concentrate on but work, made getting our job done much easier. There was literally nothing to do…but work. The beginning of the pandemic, March- May 2020, was surreal for everyone. Trying to make sure we were still taking care of our clients, while they were stuck in their own homes, helped to take the focus off being stuck at home ourselves.

Photo Credit: MS2 Design Studio

HD: How have you managed client expectations throughout the pandemic?

MS: We’ve been blessed that our clients have been very understanding to the current situation. Being business owners themselves, they understood that the entire world was being affected and that those delays would impact their projects as well. Oddly enough, within the last year and a half, we finished a gut renovation in Miami Beach at the Continuum and a design project at 40 Bleecker in New York City, in record time. The team we’ve assembled has gone above and beyond to keep things on track.

HD: Given the amount of time folks have been forced to remain indoors, have any of your residential design plans changed?

MS: The biggest change we have noticed is that we have signed several new projects from clients moving to the Miami area from New York and California. The need to have a home with combined indoor and outdoor social areas became a necessity to see friends and family in a somewhat-safe environment. This made Miami more popular than ever. Add to that, major companies changing to “work from home” formats, living in a warm, open-air environment, just seemed like the best choice. The exploding Miami real estate market is a clear sign of that.

HD: What is the biggest takeaway you've gotten from these unprecedented times?

MS: My biggest takeaway from all this change, is that HOME is the most important place. It doesn’t matter how big your home is or how many things you have, but having a sanctuary where you feel safe and can detox from all that the world is throwing at you, is incredibly important. When you aren’t allowed outside or allowed to live a normal life, your home is where you gather with those you love.  It’s the place you celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, etc. The feeling of “being home and safe” has become paramount to our physical and mental well-being. And we get to design those spaces for our clients.

Photo Credit: MS2 Design Studio

The post MS2 Design Studio was Built to be COVID-Proof appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

I  hope this message finds you well and you are enjoying the tail end of summer. As we rapidly move into fall, I want to start with my sincere gratitude to all the firefighters and first responders on the front lines of these fires throughout California. 2020 has been a year that will never be forgotten in our minds and hearts. It's been filled with challenges which have made us rethink our lives, who's most important, and how we can create a life more balanced. All of these fears and challenges have been brought to the surface to witness our humanness, the stratification within our society, and for many, the imbalance in our lives.

Photo Credit: Kurt & Candace Williams at Photo Tecture

The Tahoe real estate market has been a direct reflection of these ideas this year. The market has broken historic sale records. The entry-level market has been wiped out with low-interest rates, competitively low inventory, and first and second home buyers seeking to have a place to come, now that many of their jobs have a "work from home" mandate due to COVID. The entry-level Luxury market has been highly competitive with multiple offers on many of the new listings and a 23% increase in square foot price in just three months. The Upper luxury market has been fluid and strong.

Homes that have been sitting on the market for over 180 days have now been purchased at near asking price and inventory of these homes are at a historic low. Luxury neighborhoods like Martis Camp have moved their entry-level inventory from $4M in 2019 to $5.5M currently. Lakefront sales are no different, there have been several sales above $20 million with the highest being $38 Million sold over on the east shore. For a more detailed explanation of the micro markets around Lake Tahoe, California or Nevada, feel free to call me directly on my cell phone or contact us at our website.

Photo Credit: Kurt & Candace Williams at Photo Tecture

For our Buyers - It's worth spending the time and figuring out where and what you're looking for, and be perched and ready to offer quickly as inventory is not sitting long and there is a ton of pent up demand.

For our Sellers - In my 17 years of selling real estate in Lake Tahoe, I have never seen a better time to sell your estate or property. Seller's should expect very thorough inspections, short contingency periods and a quicker than normal close.

It's my hope moving into the fall, that we can forge ahead and ride the remaining portion of this year with style, grace, and collaboration. We have included several links below to donate to fire victims and firefighters. Thank you all for rising to the challenge

of this year. "We welcome the opportunity to help you or someone you love". Thanks for reading and enjoy.

Kind Regards,

David Gemme

For more information, please contact David Gemme at (530) 277-8881 or david@gemmegroup.com

David Gemme is the exclusive agent representing the Carnelian Bay / Squaw Valley / Truckee / West Shore / Schaffer's Mill / Martis Camp / Lahontan / Tahoe City, CA real estate market as a member of the Haute Residence Real Estate Network. View all of his listings here.

Photo Credit: Kurt & Candace Williams at Photo Tecture

The post Tahoe Real Estate Market, A Message From Expert David Gemme appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.