High minded home office design

Interior Designer Janet McCann has more than 30 years of design experience, all focused on her high minded ideal of “exceeding our client’s dreams”.  With a goal of creating a finished product that is a distinct expression of the owner, McCann’s work is recognizable by its understated elegance that reflects her passion for grace and beauty. Her latest undertaking is the home office of the “Dream Home” at the Merchandise Mart.  Taking a page from John Naisbitt’s best seller “Megatrends, she has sought to bring a “high touch” feel to a very “high tech” room.

“This home office is a personal sanctuary, as much about productivity as it is about individual style”, says the designer.  It balances cutting-edge technology with exotic woods and luxurious, natural fabrics. The Macassar ebony desk from William Switzer is softened by a hand-tooled leather top insert. From the handsome R. Jones lounge chair, three adjustable video screens—for e-mail, stock quotes, news and music— can be monitored while enjoying a level of comfort and ease that no traditional office could ever offer.

Unlike traditional office space, there is nothing neutral here.  Even the room itself is asymmetrical, with three entrances unified by Crystal’s radius-front cabinets made of sustainable Lyptus wood. The color scheme of night sky blue and chartreuse creates a stimulating, yet-calming atmosphere and a soothing backdrop for state-of-the-art video conferences. The high tech/high touch principle “symbolizes the need for balance between our physical and spiritual reality,” Naisbitt wrote.

The Chicago Examiner asked McCann to riff on what it took to pull this striking, yet functional room together and on her design philosophy.  See what ideas you can incorporate into your home office space. 

1. Your home office at the Merchandise Mart’s “Dream Home” is both high tech and high style.  What’s your philosophy for making a space that has to be functional but also beautiful?

My philosophy is that every space can & should be beautiful as well as functional.  The home office needs to accommodate many pieces of unattractive equipment; computer, printer, fax machine, television screens, etc… In the Dream Home there are several examples of ways to house & disguise essential equipment.  TV screens are placed behind two way mirror panels in the cabinets so when they are turned on they are clearly viewable, and when they are turned off only the reflection in the mirror can be seen.  There are also many different hinges available to open cabinet doors using a minimum amount of space.  Crystal Cabinets used a hinge for the Dream Home cabinets that moves the door laterally, sliding parallel to the front of the cabinet and thereby using a minimum amount of space.  Equipment is placed in the ideal functional location, concealed when not in use, so that beautiful design features can take center stage.  When required, cabinets open to reveal all the office essentials.

Because space is limited in a home office, I recommend a 3-in-1 machine; fax, copier & printer.  “Brother” makes a nice one that easily fits in a 20” base cabinet.  I like to put it in a drawer made without sides and locate it to the side of the desk chair.  TV screens can be used as computer monitors which gives you the option of a larger format & good wall mounting devises that allow flexibility.

The layout was actually the starting point for the room.  In order to fit a cabinet, desk chair & desk in this room, which has three doorways, I set the desk on an angle which led to the curved cabinets. Because there was a lot of floor space, I wanted the rug to have a large scale design and then the curves of the constellation map came to me.  From there, I was committed.

The Merchandise Mart is a wealth of resources and fortunately they were all eager to participate.  Some items like the cabinets, drapery & rug were custom designed and made for the Dream Home. Other items were available from showrooms.

The cabinets are made by Crystal Cabinets in Wisconsin of sustainable Lyptus wood.  The carpet is made of wool & the drapery fabric of Alpaca.

I’m not sure it is a specialty as much as what I enjoy, which is custom designing any & everything, from cabinets to 2D design, as in carpet or fabric, to staircases, to fireplaces, to furniture, etc…

We are currently working on a condo renovation in Florida, a condo renovation in Chicago & a new construction shingles style home in the suburbs.

What excites me is a client who loves & respects the process, getting to know them & their lifestyle & sharing their dream for their home.

Inspiration is everywhere; products, fashion, lifestyles, nature, the arts, history.

They can visit our website at www.janetmccanndesign.com & call 312.670.8525 or email me at  janet@janetmccanndesign.com