The Perfect Zoom Room

Credit: West Elm Dumbo/ Brooklyn NY

If you’re like me, just before a Zoom call I’m probably moving stacks of mail, scooping up legos and checking the camera view so everyone doesn’t have to see the treadmill or that “ not quite” finished art project in the corner of my office. ELLE Decor recently created custom room backgrounds of some of their most celebrated designs- Paris interiors/ Hollywood Hills bungalows, really beautiful and iconic spaces. They might be a fun quick fix for a happy hour, but wouldn’t it be great to have a crush worthy zoom room ALL the time?

The shelter in place mandates popped up on us quicker than we knew, so planning a dedicated space wasn’t really on our radar until clients started asking us to help them design a multi use space for both professional work calls, wine party zooms and the occasional school conference zoom. Everyone wants a space where they can focus, relax, look put together and polished AND function. So, a room that does it all basically. Easy peasy.

Our entire Coddington team is fully remote, most of us have been for years. We embraced the facetimes and zooms before it was a new normal thing- and as designers, we are always looking around our own spaces tweaking them and making them visually pretty. And functional. So here are a few things we would do to make your zoom room the perfect long term flex room. We’re going to skip the obvious, like organize your paperwork, up the lighting game and put a lock on the door.

Game Plan

Your zoom room needs to have zones for different functions. Maybe it’s a workhorse desk area with bookcases or shelves for the business calls and a great loveseat or comfy chair with a nearby bar cart for the social zooms. When you lay out a room, start with the biggest pieces first. (Usually the desk or a sofa). Check out how we transformed an unused large formal living room into an amazing zoom room. Why does the desk face a wall? See the fireplace in the background- it looks amazing on a zoom call. Bar cart? Oh yes.

Do I Sound Okay?

Ever been on a call and you’re getting a bounce back echo from the speaker? Peek around their room and you’ll probably see bare floors, windows and very little upholstery. Beyond sounding bad, the room probably just isn’t very inviting. You can easily solve it with a good area rug and window treatments. We love flat fold roman window shades in a simple fabric. On a budget? Check out these ready-made romans which come in a bunch of fabrics. They’ll even send you samples & a handy measuring guide.

Credit: Coddington Design/Nantucket Project

I mentioned bookcases and open shelves that hold a ton and also look great in the background. They add interest, you can put some accessories on there & done. The NY Times did a fun piece about what’s on celebrity background bookcases. What’s on yours? Prefer not to say? Check out these great storage pieces that have beautiful closed storage.

Art For the Win

Credit: Coddington Design/San Francisco Bay Area

Seems like a no-brainer but seriously, most rooms are lacking the extra artistic touches that make it feel personal to you and reflect who you are or a mood you are trying to capture.

Want help designing your zoom room? We would love to help! Get started by scheduling a free Discovery Call with a designer. Have your questions ready!

Pin these ideas for later