How To Rearrange Your Space For The Perfect Zoom Backdrop

Take it back to the days of being a freshman in college, living in a dorm. Whether it's a solid color or funky design, tapestries are a fun way to spice up the background of your Zoom videos chats. You can find tapestries online at Amazon, Etsy, and Target, among other retailers. And the great thing about tapestries is that you can hang them over practically any flat surface. Hang them up on any wall or even over a door.

A bulletin board helps create the feeling of a designated workplace. Set aside a corner of the room, hang up a bulletin board, and post all of your important memos on it. It'll look like you have a cute little office space for yourself on camera, and makes it easier to separate what area is for work and what area is for relaxation. You can hang up a calendar, sticky notes with this month's goals, a to-do list, and even pictures of you and your friends to add a personal touch.

Lifesize, a video and audio telecommunications company, suggests using multiple light sources during video calls in the same way photographers do to create ideal lighting. If you're working later hours in the night and can't rely on natural light, use multiple lamps to bring more light into the room during your Zoom video calls. "It is important that you are the focus, so you should be centered on the screen and your face should be well lit," Cohen, an interior designer, says. Placing lamps at both sides of your desk is kind of like creating your own ring light, and can help bring more attention to your face.

Natural light is a great way to lift the ambiance of a room. Although you might be tempted to sit with your back to a window, that can cast a shadow on your face making it difficult for others in the video chat to see you clearly. "If you have a bright light shining from behind you it can be very distracting," Cohen says. Instead, sit facing toward the window, the same way you would when taking a selfie. Your video feed will come out brighter and (if you're sleepy) it'll help you look more awake.

This may go without saying, but cleaning up your room before Zoom calls can make a huge difference in what your video call looks like. "Keep the area behind you free of clutter," Cohen says. "You want to be the focus and not a bunch of small frames or papers behind you." Plus, if your room is clean, you're likely to feel more organized yourself, making for a less stressful call.

While your instinct may be to move any objects or furniture out of shot for your video calls, Cohen says you don't have to necessarily do this. "Simple shapes of everyday objects make the best background," Cohen says. "A vase of flowers or a lamp (that is not turned on) create a sense of depth but they are basic enough to not be a distraction."

According to Curbed, a real estate and urban design blog network, using any bookshelf you have as a backdrop for Zoom calls can be a great touch. Not only will it highlight your collection, but it's also a subtle way to create the appearance of a workspace even from home. You might even spark up a conversation about one of titles behind you.