T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
A RICH HERITAGE BY TERRI GRAVITT | PHOTOS BY MATT CORNEL IUS
W ith the COVID-19 pandemic pushing millions to work from home over the past 18 months, it has brought about the end of the traditional office and changed our view of the workplace as we once knew it. Working from home has become the new normal for many Americans and professionals around the world. It has forced us to create workspaces that allow us to perform at our highest capacity, while also being surrounded by all the comforts of home. With this challenge, we are endeavoring to find that delicate balance between creating a space that expresses who we are professionally, without overlooking style and functionality, as our offices have become extensions of
our homes. Jessica and Blake Rich, local business owners, have successfully achieved this balance and created a comfortable, masculine and practical office reminiscent of Mad Men , that seamlessly flows with the style of the rest of their beautiful home. Blake Rich, owner of Heritage Home Health and Hospice, is in the business of providing home-based health care to East Texans. He specializes in offering restorative and end-of-life care. He has been busy doing this since he graduated from nursing school in 2007. The work done by Rich and his staff is considered front line, so, unless there was known exposure to COVID-19 or a staff member had COVID-like symptoms, work for his staff was full steam ahead. Blake stated, “We experienced our fair share of
staff members going into quarantine, which has been a challenge in making sure we have enough feet on the ground to get the patients seen. We were guided by state and federal recommendations to help keep everyone as safe as possible.” Part of that effort meant allowing staff members to work from their homes for a time. If Blake was going to be spending more time at home, Jessica, Blake’s wife, decided he needed an office to make the transition easier. Jessica has her own personal space or “ladies’ hangout” in their home she affectionately named her “pretty purple room.” She thought it was only fair to give Blake the same type of environment, which could also be used as a “guy hangout” or “man room.” So, Jessica brought in local
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