Interior Design Tips for your Next Zoom Meeting

Written by Trinity Duong

Creating visually appealing Zoom backgrounds for your meetings isn’t something many are concerned with when attending a work conference or academic lecture as society has leaned into a relaxed and comfortable approach in their home. However, lighting, camera placement, and color palettes are all easy things we can apply to our everyday online meeting to create a more professional and impressionable setting. As many countries head into another lockdown, stay-at-home orders have reinforced the fusion of home and work life.

Here are some tips to help distinguish your space and create a focused and professional background design.

1) Lighting

When setting up your camera angles it’s important to understand at what points light is beaming. You can test this out by setting up your camera where you usually would and shifting to get the clearest look. When your lighting peeks in through the sides or behind you it’s very difficult to understand the layers in your environment (foreground to background). Because the light will bounce off the camera it will fuse the image keeping a rather inconsistent and blurry look. To fix this always sit directly in front of your source of light. If you have multiple sources of light placing yourself at the center of where they meet will help focus the camera on you better. If there is a source of light above you, it is recommended that you turn it off and use a different source such as a desk lamp, so there is no overcast above your face. Lighting is one of the most important parts of making your home setting look like work. By providing accurate imagery through the tone and mood of your lighting you will be able to keep a clearer and more genuine Zoom meeting design.

2) Camera Placement

Optimal angles are all about seating and computer height when it comes to online conferences. When your computer camera is at eye level, positioned far enough where it cuts just below your shoulders you will undoubtedly erase and potential posture issues that leave you with a double chin. By rising your device as well you are able to get the best angle. This can be done by using books or any other flat surface. Nobody can see what you're using to set up your workstation so using at-home items is a cost-savvy way of creating professionalism. 

3) Color Palettes/Textures

To curate a professional setting or mood it’s important that your background have a little color or pattern behind you to curate your space. Especially if you work in a creative field it’s nice to showcase a little personality. Ensure not to overdo it when it comes to the color, texture, pattern, pictures, or exposed brick because it can become quite overwhelming and pull focus away from the work you want to put in. When you work from home it’s important to note that you will be sharing a bit more personality with your workplace because of the circumstances, so remember to curate and organize your home and Zoom background.

Some honorable mentions that you should keep in mind are picking a color scheme as well as incorporating some props like plants or a collection of vintage cameras. Your Zoom interior design should be important to you and it will be incredibly appreciated by the people you contact via online meetings. You will be able to harbor a professional yet dynamic setting that will help you prosper in your academic or career life.

If you liked learning about Zoom interior design and want to further understand online meeting and home and work etiquette check out “Aiming To A Healthier Work-Life Balance”