📚 A Place to Focus
As September brings new schedules, routines, and a return to school, it’s a good time to consider whether your home has a place to focus.
Whether it’s for homework, studying, reading, creative projects, or working remotely, having an intentional workspace can make it easier to settle in and get things done. And it doesn’t have to be a dedicated office or an elaborate built-in. A quiet corner of a bedroom, a spot at the end of a dining table, or an underused nook can all become a space to concentrate.
Start with the basics: light, seating, workspace, storage, and distractions. Natural light is ideal when possible, while a good task lamp can make evening studying more comfortable. Choose a chair and work surface that are comfortable enough for longer stretches of time, and think about what needs to be within reach.
A Designer’s Perspective
We asked Mimi Campbell Leitzel of MCL Studio to share her approach to creating spaces that work with, not against, the way you live.
INSERT MIMI QUOTE/ADVICE ABOUT HOW TO LOOK AT A SPACE WITH FRESH EYES, IDENTIFY WHAT ISN’T WORKING, AND THINK ABOUT HOW THE SPACE NEEDS TO FUNCTION.
One of Mimi’s Space Coach principles is that you don’t necessarily need to start from scratch to make a room work better. Before ordering a new desk or completely redoing a room, take inventory of what you already have.
Could a console table become a study surface? Could a chair from another room work better in a reading corner? Is there artwork tucked away that could make the space feel more personal? Sometimes a simple change in placement can completely change how a room functions.
INSERT MIMI QUOTE/ADVICE ABOUT REPURPOSING EXISTING FURNITURE, ART, AND PERSONAL BELONGINGS.
Of course, a functional workspace should also feel like it belongs in your home. For students especially, adding a few personal touches—favorite books, artwork, photographs, collections, or meaningful objects—can make a study space feel inviting rather than simply utilitarian.
Mimi’s Space Coach approach is about looking at the whole picture: how you use your space, what you already own, what isn’t working, and what small changes could make a big difference.
The best study or work space isn’t necessarily the biggest or most perfectly designed. It’s the one that supports the person using it.
As you settle into a new fall routine, take a fresh look around your home. You might discover that the perfect place to focus is already there—you just need to see it differently.
