Designer Jarvis Wong on Work-from-Home Form and Function

The seismic shift toward working from home over the past two years has inspired surprising epiphanies in interior design. No one knows this better than Jarvis Wong, principal at JARVISSTUDIO in New York City, and a creative force in luxury developments such as Walker Tower, Stella Tower, 108 Leonard Street, and Jardim. Jarvis Wong “People now realize the environment they work in is as important as the space they live in,” explains Wong. “A functional, well-designed workspace at home—or anywhere for that matter—will improve productivity, efficiency, mental health, and creativity.” Many of JARVISSTUDIO’s private clients now ask them to design a spare room as a home office or as a study space for their children, says Wong. Developers, too, are adding “Study and Zoom” meeting rooms as amenity spaces in luxury buildings, he notes. Both trends suggest that people expect the remote-work paradigm—or at least a hybrid virtualin-person version of it—to last. Fortunately, a focus on functionality need not detract from stellar design in a home office—or any other room. “Stylish interiors should always be functional and comfortable. A functional space helps you organize your work life,” says Wong, whose firm is renowned for its ability to create understated glamour. One of his signatures is “combining the best of classical and vintage elements with a contemporary attitude,” he says. Walker Tower Residence; Design: Jarvis Wong, Jarvis Studio Walker Tower Residence; Design: Jarvis Wong, Jarvis Studio Chelsea Apartment; Design: Jarvis Wong, Jarvis Studio Chelsea Apartment; Design: Jarvis Wong, Jarvis Studio Chelsea Residence; Design: Jarvis Wong, Jarvis Studio BLENDING INFLUENCES For inspiration, Wong draws from a breadth of knowledge and experience. Born in Hong Kong, he spent his teens at a boarding school in Lake Forest, Illinois. From there, he earned a degree in architecture from Columbia University before making a splash at the nation’s preeminent architectural firms. He also worked in the fashion industry as a women’s wear designer at Ralph Lauren. Wong’s skills have brought him to the intersection of fashion, art, and architecture, enabling his studio to, in Wong’s words, “create a modern and eclectic look that is luxurious, elegant, refined, stylish, and seductive.” But it takes more than striking interior elements to bring a space to life. The environment in which a building exists, be it a luxury residential development or a private home, is also key. Take, for example, Wong’s work on the iconic McKim, Mead & White–designed 108 Leonard Street in NYC. Built in 1894, the building’s Tribeca location and proximity to Chinatown inspired him to create a contextualist approach featuring pieces from the ’70s meshed with Asian influences. “Design should respond to its surroundings and be inspired by them,” Wong says. “This approach makes the result richer, more layered, nuanced, and ultimately more meaningful. It allows the client’s personality to shine through our design.” ZOOMING IN THE WORLD One could argue that our interior spaces have become more important than ever simply because they are no longer just for us. The importance of aesthetics has skyrocketed in the age of working remotely—while on camera for the world to see. “An aesthetically well-curated space is not only important to one’s mental health, but it is part of the narrative of who you are and an extended projection of you to the outside Zoom world,” says Wong. During your next video conference session, ponder this: Are you enthralled by what others are saying…or by the fabulous home office that forms their backdrop? The answer may be both. How do you create your own enviable Zoom room? Simplicity, functionality, personality—and the right light. Find a quiet corner of the house so you can focus, and try to work near a window, Wong advises. “Zoom meetings all day can be daunting and stressful,” he says. “The ability to look out the window, even in an urban environment like New York, can be relaxing and healing.”