I’ve often wondered whether my boyfriend and I could both work remote from our small home in Huntington Beach. He likes listening to music while I need quiet to write.
With only one desk in our guest room, someone would be relegated to the kitchen table. And what about the old adage that distance makes the heart grow fonder? Would working all day under the same roof strain our relationship?
As of September 2025, 10.7% of workers nationwide were fully remote. According to the Current Population Survey, the number of couples with both partners working remotely accounted for 2.9% of parents and 3.5% of nonparents.
That setup can change the dynamic of a relationship, with normally endearing quirks becoming annoyances, and overheard work conversations leaving little to talk about later or revealing too much about a partner’s personality.
With both at home, who is planning dinner, picking up the kids or calling the plumber? Experts say setting boundaries and maintaining clear communication are key to a dual home office arrangement.
In Huntington Beach, husband-andwife Mark and Maureen Ahrens are among those making it work under the same roof. Living in a multigenerational household with their two sons, Micah, 9, and Malcolm, 5; Maureen’s aging parents; and her niece, who attends college nearby, working from home allows the couple to drive family members to doctor appointments and attend more of their kids’ school and sports events, although often with laptops in tow.
“It’s giving us the flexibility to be pres-ent for the special occasions … (and) big milestones for our kids,” Maureen said.
Maintaining separate work spaces is important, experts advise. Working elbow to elbow for eight hours a day is often a recipe for disaster when stress builds up.
Since moving into their current home in 2017, the couple has refined their home office setup, recently swapping spaces. Maureen is based in a living area at the top of the stairs, which is quieter for her many virtual meetings, and Mark is in a downstairs bedroom where he added an adjustable treadmill desk.
“He does his work, like regular office hours downstairs, and I’m in my office upstairs,” Maureen said. “Then we connect for lunch. So, it’s not like we’re seeing each other 24/7.”
For the most part, using their home as a dual office is a successful arrangement for the Ahrens family. But there are a few drawbacks.
“The downside is that work can feel ‘always on,’” Mark said. “While we have flexibility during the day, it’s common for us to log in early and back in after the kids are asleep, and work until 11 p.m.”
“One wonderful benefit is a daily rhythm of morning and late-afternoon walks together through the neighborhood, frequently crossing the Magnolia pedestrian bridge,” Mark said. “Seeing traffic backed up on the freeway is a regular reminder of how grateful and blessed we are for our current situation.”
Working on laptops at the beach. Photos provided by
Mark and Maureen Ahrens