Micheal Lambie
Founder, Micheal Lambie Interiors
Micheal Lambie provides clients with distinctive, elegant, contemporary designs that not only meet their needs but invigorate their homes and spirits.
micheallambieinteriors.ca
The engagement from my latest segment on CityLine TV was so great that I wanted to share the tips with our readers here just in case you missed it! “What is your Zoom view?” Or what do the people watching you during online-chats see? During our remote-work-reality, most of us have made do with makeshift office spaces or…GASP…those digital backgrounds (unless you have a green screen behind you at home please don’t!). Over the past months, my clients have been asking for design tips and tactics to make their home office backgrounds pristine and professional, pants or no pants.
My clients, who both work in television, Sportsnet’s Donnovan Bennett and his wife Kate who is the senior producer for The Social, now share a workspace in the basement of their new home, and due to the nature of Donnovan’s job, he has different shows he has to show up for virtually day-in and day-out. So, the goal was to create seemingly different workspaces that represents their different online needs, while using just one wall.
Let’s outline a few factors you should consider when designing your background:
- Time:
How much time will you be spending online? After a minute or two, the other people on the call or, in Donnovan’s case, his audience, will be looking at his background just as much as they’ll be looking at him.
- Tone:
What’s your persona? Corporate and professional, or comfortable and approachable?
- Set Up:
Can you close the door on this space when the call is done, or does it need to be on display?
Donnovan and Kate’s space is in the basement and used regularly with their son, so it needs to be something that can look good whether it’s a background, or for
family time.
In this case, we decided to go with three separate vignettes that were still consistent and cohesive across the entire space, but would also work as distinct backgrounds.
For each, we had to consider the following:
- Art:
What does it say about you, and what can you say about it? Be prepared to talk about it because people will ask! Two personal pieces we used was a custom painting that I created of Donovan’s college football glory days, and the award Kate won for her work on The Social.
- Shelving:
This helps break up the negative space while allowing you to add other 3D items of interest.
- Height:
Where is your head going to land? Will it look like something is growing out of it?
- Lighting:
This is an important factor, but with ring lights and various lighting options available, it doesn’t necessarily have to be taken into consideration as far as design goes. Generally, try to make sure there is lighting in front and beside you if possible.
Noteworthy
Wall colour! Not only does it need to work for your living and working space, but because you’ll be on camera, it also has to work for your skin tone.
If you have questions, you can find my contact information, along with more tips and advice via my website.
