Photo by Afshin T2Y on Unsplash

Working from home has many advantages. Fewer stops at Esso, less distracting chats over the water cooler, and the ability to chuck a load of laundry into the washer during your lunch break.

One of the downsides? You need to properly outfit your space with quality furniture, lighting, and network needs. Here are five things to consider when designing the perfect remote working space.

1. Lighting—Your eyes will thank you

You probably recall from Balaklava’s last blog called “How Improper Lighting Is Affecting Your Health in Ways You Didn’t Even Realize” that appropriate illumination is essential for good health. It’s also critical when it comes to creating optimal working conditions. Functional lighting means increased focus, fewer headaches, and increased productivity.

Care to guess what the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) claims are the most common workplace lighting issues?

•  Insufficient or poorly distributed lighting. Do you find yourself squinting or suffering from dry eyes?
• Glare. If you need a set of office aviators to get the job done, there’s a problem.
•  Improper contrast. Your work area should be brighter than the surrounding office areas.
• Flicker. Loose bulbs, overloaded circuits, old wiring or incompatible dimmer switches can cause irritating flashes. You want to avoid this—unless you’re aiming for the Studio 54 vibe, of course.

2. A stable network—Your patience will thank you

When it comes to your network, your business needs reliability and uninterrupted connectivity. No one wants their network buffering just as you’re about to present year-end figures or Zoom with a key client. Bufferbloat (say that fast ten times) is not as fun as it sounds. Rather, it’s what happens when software spikes during uploads or downloads. Balaklava can help ensure that the dreaded Bufferbloat doesn’t happen in your home office space.

Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash.com

September is Healthy Living Month. It’s probably not a huge surprise to you that lighting plays a monumental role in our mental and emotional health. 

What light does for our body

Light is key to keeping our circadian rhythm at its best. Maybe you’re wondering, what the heck is a circadian rhythm? It’s just a fancy schmancy name for our “internal clock”, aka the sleep-wake cycle.

Not only does proper, more natural lighting allow for better sleep, but it also

• keeps you safe and alert,
• helps you avoid eye strain and headaches, and
• is necessary for the nervous and endocrine systems (hormones, mood, etc.).

In a recent seminar, Mark S. Rea, PhD, from the Mount Sinai Light and Health Research Center, clarified that health benefits aren’t simply due to light’s wavelength but also to its contrast or brightness.

Research has determined that “lighting schemes” (mimicking a normal day) decrease aggression and sundowning in patients with Alzheimer’s. Studies between 1985 and 2024 about prison lighting all conclude that appropriate illumination reduces aggression and improves rehabilitation rates.

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Quick quiz. What’s the number one reason people install security systems?

A) To make sure your daughter’s latest Sephora order isn’t pilfered from your front stoop.

B) To ensure that the Picasso above the fireplace remains there.

C) So that your kids and grandkids are protected.

If you chose C…Congrats. You win the prize of being able to say you aced the Balaklava Security Quiz.

Summer, oh glorious summer, has arrived. The sun is beating down and here in Ontario, the humidity is seeping into our bones. A different mindset seems to come with the heat and many more of us are spending time in the great outdoors hiking, floating, and paddling.

You escape on getaways, and you also stay close to home. Almost 80% of us regularly hang out on our decks and in our yards, so it makes sense to design a comfortable and charming space that’s perfect for both tranquility and hospitality. Technology can be used in landscaping for many reasons. Here are three possibilities that will up the wow factor of your summer sanctuary.

1) Light up your world

You know how important the right lighting is to the safety and ambiance of your home. Similarly, is its significance outside your house, in your landscape. Optimal brightness makes your space safer and illuminates the yard features you’ve worked hard to create.

When considering lights, Coastal Source recommends you consider the following factors: