Stylish Solution

Most are now settled back into working from home, Again. But at Quintain Living – the award-winning management company– Plan B certainly doesn’t mean Plan Boring. Abode2 talks to Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer to find how

Over the past few years, residents of Quintain Living’s stunning apartments in Wembley Park have enjoyed working from a range of settings, all fully geared up to deliver an exceptional work from home experience.

Danielle explains: “The lines between living and working from home have become inextricably interwoven for many people. It’s raised questions about the continuing relevance of commuting to the office every day; for many, spending a few days a week working from home was already part of a better work/life balance, even before the Plan B restrictions were put in place. Thankfully, we delight in delivering spaces that will surprise and excite our residents, so we’ve had great fun with our range of work from home amenities.”

At Canada Gardens, residents who are now obliged to work from home can enjoy doing so by hiring heated, designer work from home sheds. Nestled within beautifully landscaped gardens, the cosy sheds mean that residents are surrounded by nature as they work. Many residents also like to pop into the clubhouse to enjoy a coffee and a bit of company during the working day. There’s WiFi across the whole Wembley Park estate, including across all of Quintain Living’s buildings, meaning that residents can log on wherever suits them.

At The Robinson, Quintain has built private office space and work/phone booths into the residents’ lounge. The versatile space can be used for both working and socialising, in recognition of the blurring of the lines between the two. And for those who want a really inspiring workspace, Quintain Living has provided a dedicated rooftop that’s home to three bespoke, custom-built work from home camper vans. Complete with power, heating and lighting (and WiFi, naturally), they sit on their own rooftop area with the sky wide-open above and stunning views of London. Quintain Living has added picnic tables and deckchairs too, to give the space a real community vibe.

Danielle continued: “Working from home shouldn’t mean you have to feel lonely. We’re looking at this as a long-term occurrence now, incorporating more quirky work from home spaces in our future buildings, as well as thinking through how individual apartments can be designed to suit increased home working. That means including more space for desks, providing furniture that’s designed to be comfortable when used for longer periods at a time, that kind of thing. We’re also exploring ways that we can support residents to tailor their apartments to suit their individual working requirements; not every home worker needs an identikit desk/office chair setup.”

Quintain Living is also reassessing its current residents’ lounges to see how it can reshape them to suit increased home working without compromising their use for social gathering. This company is looking at both rentable workspaces and coworking-influenced environments for flexible use as part of this. The plans have at their core an understanding that working from home takes many different forms.

As such, Quintain Living is looking at how it can support residents by providing the physical space they need, along with creative, inspirational environments that also provide scope for social interaction and emotional support.

Danielle concluded: “The pandemic has changed so many aspects of life that were previously taken for granted – including how we feel about our homes and our places of work, and about the importance of rest and sanctuary. With Plan B rules now in place, we’re thrilled that Quintain Living residents can work from home in safe, secure environments that are also designed to inspire. Working from home doesn’t have to feel like an obligation, not when it involves working from such interesting locations.”

www.quintainliving.com