Summerlin builders show off model home offices

The trend to work from home is on the upswing in a big way. Even before the COVID-19 crisis, as many as 25 million Americans were calling home “the office” for at least one day a week. Thanks to self-employment and flexible work schedules and options, the home office has emerged as one of the most important amenities for homebuyers. In the master-planned community of Summerlin, which offers more than 160 unique floor plans, finding a home with a built-in home office or ample space for an at-home office is easy.

According to Danielle Bisterfeldt, vice president of Summerlin, the home office has not only transformed the workplace over the past several years, it has connected employees to their workplaces, allowing them to work from almost anywhere, including home.

“Home offices are considered a must-have for many homebuyers, who want to ensure they have a comfortable, functional and even beautiful place to clock in on work-from-home days,” she said. “Even for homes without a formal office or den, extra bedrooms, bonus rooms and even casitas can be easily converted to a home office.”

So what are some of the office trends for work-at-home Americans? For a home office, access to technology is foundational, so configuring furniture around electric outlets to support computers, screens, printers and scanners is one of the first considerations. Positioning furniture around available natural lighting from windows is also an important factor that can help create a more upbeat, sunnier environment for those working from home.

Here are a few additional tips to create a more joyful and inspirational work-from-home space:

Less is more

The influence of Marie Kondo, who extols the pleasures of purging via her bestselling book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” extends cleanliness to the office via storage systems or modular wall systems that keep paper and files out of sight. The home office in the Kingsgate model at Reverence by Pulte Homes offers a built-in storage system, and the Del Mar floor plan of Bixby Creek by Woodside Homes embodies a tidy, minimalist vibe.

Go chic

A home office should inspire and reflect your personality. Glam up your home office by refreshing your lighting. Try an eye-catching pendant lamp with gold detail, similar to the gorgeous pendant lamp chandelier in the home office of the Raven model at Scots Pine by Richmond American Homes. It adds a touch of luxury with a professional feel. And the added light may enhance your productivity.

Add green

The Morgan floor plan at Westcott by Lennar is a great example of how plants can breathe some life into your space and create a soothing feeling via a natural color pop.

Get artsy

The home office in the Topaz floor plan at Granite Heights by Toll Brothers showcases how art can personalize a space. Even if you’re crunching numbers all day, decorating a space filled with fun wall art creates energy, like the home office at Pardee Home’s Terra Luna Plan One floor plan. This can be accomplished via DIY artwork in a variety of frame sizes and colors. Or create a photo wall with family photos in frames or on colorful ribbons to hang from the wall

Rugs reign

Ground your space with a colorful rug like the home office in the Indulge floor plan at Trilogy by Shea Homes. It adds personality and serves as a functional sound barrier to help block out unneeded noise. Choose a style with texture and colors to brighten your mood.

For information on all actively selling neighborhoods, visit Summerlin.com. Before you visit, call the builders to check on hours of operation as many builders are now open by appointment only. Phone numbers for each neighborhood are on Summerlin.com.

Developed by The Howard Hughes Corp., Summerlin began to take shape in 1990 and has ranked in the country’s top 10 best-selling master-planned communities for nearly two decades. Located along the western rim of the Las Vegas Valley, Summerlin encompasses 22,500 acres with approximately 6,000 gross acres still remaining to accommodate future growth, including infrastructure, open space and common areas, all within the master plan. The community is home to nearly 100,000 residents. Amenities include more than 250 neighborhood and village parks, more than 150 completed miles of trails, 27 public and private schools, 14 houses of worship, 10 golf courses, shopping centers, medical and cultural facilities, business parks and dozens of actively selling floor plans. Homes are available in a variety of styles — from single-family homes to town homes — priced from the $300,000s to more than $2.5 million. For information on custom homesites in The Ridges please call 702-255-2500. Luxury apartment homes offer monthly rents starting from the $900s. Visit summerlin.com for more information.