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A key pandemic-inspired addition, a gracious home office, was incorporated into the second bedroom, allowing this wing of the home to be activated as a workspace when not being utilized as a guest suite.

The owner-designer Uli Wagner is a trained architect who works mainly in interior design. "As a young entrepreneur who spends a good amount of time in the office, I felt that the parlor floor of the brownstone—with its orientation and view to the rear garden—could be an ideal office space," he says. "It also provides generous space for other staff."

Here are eight ways to turn your space into a warm, welcoming oasis that helps you get your work done while reflecting your personal style.

The firm nestled a study into the corridor with a door to the exterior.

A new office sits at the front of the house, and its moody walls and bookshelves contrast the other rooms' mostly light and neutral palette.

The architects set up a cozy reading nook off the kitchen, with furnishings picked by Santos. Positioned as it is beside the big windows, the spot benefits from the views outside, and enables family members to chat easily while cooking.

In the study on the home’s top level, a long window provides a panoramic view of Newlands Forest and Table Mountain. “The light in the morning is amazing, and the view of the mountain is incredible,” Derek says.