How long have you worked from home? And where is home? Ever since I can remember I wanted to be self-employed and work from home. To me this was the perfect combination of freedom, creativity and self expression while earning a living. First and foremost I define myself as a designer. I specialize in web design and as an autodidact have established some good programming skills throughout the years. This precious knowledge has come in handy when I discovered how much I love writing and as my passion for design and architecture took over I was eager to share this passion with the world and that is how Busyboo got started.

In addition, for the last 10 years my partner and I have been developing Shine, evolving from a web design studio to a company offering online marketing solutions for global high-tech companies – during all of this time we’ve been working from home. You will find us tucked away with our dogs in a quiet neighborhood, surrounded by green fields, oak trees and the sound of birds chirping in the background, since as much as I love the city I’ve always preferred to live and work with the countryside at my doorstep.

Describe your style? How would you define your aesthetic? I would define my style as eclectic since I am inspired from pretty much everything; whether it’s the Japanese style with its modern minimalism or the romantic touch of an English style landscape design.

How do you keep your office organized? I’m thinking here of the physical space but also your computer. Are there any particular programs you find really useful? In general I am a very organized person, and you can see it in my workplace as well, where almost everything I need is within reach. The only thing I struggle with is trying to cover the vast amount of design information out there, going over thousands of bookmarks that continue to grow rapidly every day. It’s amazing, just when you think you’ve got it under control new ones start to pop up.

When you were setting up your home office what do you keep in mind? I was guided by the thought that this will be the place where I will be spending most of my time so I better make it my own. It’s cozy yet practical with lots of books, music, magazines and notes everywhere. It’s my second favorite place at home, the first being my garden where I can relax every morning and start off my day with a positive approach to life and a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

Is there any piece of home office furniture you wish you had? Well, it’s kind of ironic, but I would love the Aeron chair.

What is a desk accessory you can’t do without? My graphics tablet and my 60GB Creative Zen Media Player.

What would you change about your own workspace? I remember I saw on the BBC Homefront TV show where Diarmuid Gavin designed a beautiful garden pavilion with a large open space, spreading out to its natural surroundings and blurring the boundaries between inside and outside – and I thought to myself this to me would be the perfect workspace.

What do you most love about your space? I love that I am surrounded by things that make me happy; the fact that I can lift my head and gaze at my favorite books, design magazines, photographs and the greenery outside my window or take a break and go outside to play with my dog Mikey, a beautiful blue eyed Siberian Husky.

What inspires you? People. Nature. Spirit. Form. Rediscovering the power of simple design.

Who is Hugh? Hugh was a son of Herman Miller’s founder DJ De Pree and CEO of the company from 1962 to 1980. This was also the period in which charismatic designer George Nelson worked as Herman Miller’s creative director (1945 – 1972). Nelson was not only busy designing for the company – he also designed Hugh’s Zeeland, Michigan home. The 3,000 square foot house built for Hugh and his wife Ruth in 1946 (Hugh was vice president at the time). Nelson also designed the 1961 additions that included a sunken living room  and interior courtyard.

A recent visit to the archives, which are an absolute treasure trove of material, found these images taken by an unknown photographer. The home is still standing and has changed hands out of the family since Hugh’s death in 2002. The current owners, Richard and Cheryl Van Oss, bought the house in June 2004 and spent a year renovating it. The Van Osses moved into the house in May 2005 adding vintage and new Herman Miller pieces – including a 1954 bedroom suite designed by George Nelson. They certainly have a great respect for the Nelson legacy and have documented their restoration of the house. For a wonderful insider’s tour click here. And for more on Nelson click here.

These photos are from the Herman Miller archives.