Today’s blog features Julie’s workspace as part of my Home/Work project. I visited Julie at her home in March to photograph the consulting room in her home.
What type of business do you run?
I run a bespoke Bra Measuring Service, giving ladies a personal, friendly bra consultation in a comfortable private environment.
When did you start working from home full-time?
At this point I run the business part time every evening, some days and Saturdays with occasional Sundays appointments by request, with a view to going full time in December 16.
What made you decide to work from home rather than in premises off site?
I wanted to give a really personal touch and felt I would not get this in a shop where other customers would come in. With my consulting room the client has my 100% attention from start to finish of the appointment.
What do you like best about working from home?
I love the flexibility it has given myself, family, but also makes the client feel at home and gives a personal touch to the service I provide.
Are there any difficulties in working from home?
The house always has to be tidy, (Not a bad thing) but my family have to be aware when a client is in the consulting room, which does restrict them in their own home regarding noise level, movement for a couple of hours per client.
What is your favourite feature of your workspace?
I love the fact I can control everything in the room and make it inviting for ladies to feel comfortable as Bra measuring and consulting are a very personal issue to some ladies especially if the client has had breast surgery and may have scarring and disfigurement of the breast. I love to reassure clients so they feel relaxed.
To find out more about Julie’s work visit www.thebraconsultancy.com or connect with her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thebraconsultancy
Home/Work is my current project documenting people who work from home. ‘Home’ is a recurring theme in my work – I am fascinated by our interactions with objects and spaces, particularly our homes, and with the number of home workers on the increase I thought this would be fascinating to investigate.
According to the Office for National Statistics, “There were 4.2 million home workers in January-March 2014, or 13.9% of those in work. This was the highest rate of home working since comparable records began in 1998.” Visit www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lmac/characteristics-of-home-workers/2014/sty-home-workers.html for further information on these statistics.
I am hoping to photograph the workspaces of lots of different people, working in a wide range of industries, but all of whom work from their home or within the grounds of their home. I am interested in how people create these workspaces and how the lines between home and work are defined or blurred. If you work from home and are interested in participating in the project please get in touch!