
The Rise, Fall, and Rise of the Home Office - SamWhited
https://www.citylab.com/design/2020/06/home-office-setup-design-history-remote-work-furniture/612889/
======
ghaff
I'd never given a lot of thought to it but even the fairly large house I grew
up in during the 60s/70s didn't have a dedicated office although there were
large bedrooms with desks. I was fortunate enough to have a nice dedicated
office before the current situation hit.

One does see a huge contrast on video calls between people in seemingly
offices (or, if bedrooms/living rooms, sufficiently stage managed and lit to
appear as such) and those obviously balancing laptops in a bedroom or kitchen
table.

~~~
flukus
What makes something a dedicated office though? The only two things I can
think of would be a phone line (not so much these days) and maybe being
somewhat separated/distanced from the rest of the bedrooms and maybe near the
front door. That's how I deduced I was an aberration to the family planning
from my "bedroom" anyway.

~~~
mc32
What makes it an office? A separate room (or at least separated area,
dedicated desk and chair, necessary peripherals and paraphernalia, sufficient
electrical outlets and opportunity to not be interrupted.

------
boromi
Interesting article. I'm personanly struggling to find a home office chair,
without being able to try them in store. unfortunately, all the
reccomendations are in the 500$+ range that I simply cannot afford.

~~~
SamWhited
I got an old solid wood chair from the 20s or 30s that was US Airforce surplus
for free (I got lucky and had connections, but they can also be picked up dirt
cheap at surplus places, don't look at antique shops, they'll overcharge you)
and it's nicer to sit in than any fancy expensive $1000 chair I've had at
fancy office buildings before. My lower back starts killing me in most chairs,
but something about these old chairs really helps it despite having none of
the fancy features of modern chairs. It looks awesome too, although it weighs
about a ton.

~~~
scottlocklin
Can you post a photo?

I despise all the fancy aeron chairs (they appear to be classic cargo cult
science) and favor a couple of old Eames and Corbusier chairs. Just curious
what works for others in the "chair that grandparents would recognize as
chair" category.

~~~
SamWhited
It's this one: [https://imgur.com/poAth33](https://imgur.com/poAth33)

I think it's actually later than I was saying, I looked at a USAF one from the
30s but I can't remember if I picked it or not. I'll have to see when I get
back to my desk, it had the Airforce logo on the bottom if it was that one. If
it was the other one, can't remember when it was from.

~~~
SamWhited
Looked it up; this is not the USAF one I was looking at, it's by Milwaukee
Chair Co. and was manufactured in 1924 according to the stamp under the seat

------
mrits
I have a very well planned home office. I've gone through countless chairs
over the year trying to fix back issues. I introduced more weight lifting into
my exercise (deadlift in particular) and I haven't had back issues in a couple
years. I sit on my couch or bed for work most of the time -- which I've been
told is supposed to be the worst for you.

~~~
ulisesrmzroche
Pull-ups are better than deadlifts. Deadlifts actually have a really bad risk-
reward ratio

~~~
kinkrtyavimoodh
They have little to do with each other. The lats are the primary movers in
pull-ups, while they are only a supporting muscle in deadlifts.

Also if you are having general back troubles due to sitting, deadlifts are
more likely to fix them.

~~~
ulisesrmzroche
Risk to Reward ratio. And no, deadlifts wont help with your sitting problems.
Your lats are the ones that need stretching n that case.

