The wall behind a home worker’s desk has become a kind of shop window. It appears on every video call, so people want it to look tidy, personal and professional. Garden offices raise the stakes further: a timber or composite building at the end of the garden, often with large glazed doors, that needs to feel like a proper workplace rather than a shed. For printers and interior designers, both are a growing source of small, repeatable jobs.
What customers ask for
- A feature wall or mural to sit behind the desk on camera
- Branded backdrops for freelancers and small businesses
- Large photographic prints or canvases to soften a bare room
- Planners, maps and project boards that are referred to and handled every day
Backdrops that look right on camera
Webcams are unforgiving with shiny surfaces. A glossy wall graphic behind the desk will often show a bright band from a window or ring light. For video-call backdrops, a lower-sheen finish is usually the better choice. Our guide to choosing a finish covers the options, and it is worth checking a small sample on an actual call before printing the full wall.
Many home workers rent, or simply expect to change the look before long. Phototex printable self-adhesive fabric removes in one piece without damaging the paintwork and can be repositioned and reused, so it can move with the customer. It has no edge curl or peeling, and because it is easy to install, the customer can usually put it up themselves without specialist installers.
Garden offices need more thought
A garden studio is an interior, but often a less stable one than the main house. Some are well insulated and heated; others swing between cold, damp mornings and warm afternoons behind big glass doors. That variability affects how any wall material behaves. Phototex is designed for interiors, so use it on the inside walls of a studio that is properly weatherproofed, and never on external cladding. Try a test piece on the actual wall surface first, as lined timber, painted board and plaster all differ.
Sunlight through large glazing is the other concern. Colourjet, applied as part of Landor Liquid Lamination, adds a protective layer with integrated UV inhibitors against premature fading, as well as protection from water, chemicals and abrasion. For artwork and canvases in a bright garden room, that protection helps prints last longer. Our indoor versus outdoor guide is useful for borderline spaces.
For printers offering the service
Home office customers often order online and install themselves. Clear fitting instructions, a recommended finish for video calls and a coated sample swatch go a long way. As always, solvent coatings do not suit every substrate or ink, so test your chosen media before you list it.
Thinking of adding home office décor to your range? Call us on 01252 624 411 for a chat about media and coatings, or send a note via the contact page.