Marty Baldwin

Sharing Tips on How to Design an Inviting and Productive Home Office

Choosing to work at home has never been more rewarding and with the advent of the internet technology, the possibilities are endless. For employers who have transitioned from working at the office to being a home-based employee, getting into the mood to work can be difficult – especially if you have limited space in your home. Kids running around, dogs barking, and other distracting occurrences in your home can affect your productivity.

The great thing is that you can transform your home office into a conducive and inspiring workspace with simple decorative items. Adding ornamental items not only helps you become functional but can also induce creativity and interest in the look and feel of your home office.

Design by Alvin Wayne
Design by Alvin Wayne

Key Design Features

Whatever reason you choose to have a home office, working at home means “working” as much as in a normal office space. For this reason, you will need to set up a corner or space in your home that encourages you to not slack off, be productive, and be free from distractions.

Look For the Right Spot. Squeezing an office space in a living area can be challenging, especially in tight spaces. Choose an area with the most minimal household or neighbourhood noise. It would also save you energy bills to have good daylighting but without the glare all throughout the day.

For homes with generous spaces, you can choose an unused den, attic, porch or an extended room for your garden or lawn. Meanwhile, for tighter spaces, you can choose down below a flight of stairs or just any corner of a room, but you’ll need a high divider and screens to create privacy.

Create Privacy. Defining your work area from your living space helps you get focused and organized. Sliding panels are a good choice for both large and small spaces. If you have the budget, choose a sturdy framing for frosted glass or acrylic sheets to hold unto. Foldable dividers, drop-down curtains and high shelving are some of the cheaper options.

Provide Ample Storage. Know how much storage you need. You can choose open storage if you’re more of the organized type, but if you have less time for keeping your stuff tidy, then enclosed storage will work better for you.

Choosing Home Office Furniture. Since most work today is paperless, a simple desk for a laptop and a comfortable chair are adequate enough. Though, if your space allows you, you can place a side desk for taking notes or for placing a vase of flowers and decor to pump up your office area.

Collapsible desks and chairs, as well as shelves on wheels, can be great options when you are still trying to look for the right spot in your home. You can purchase a lazy Susan Organizer to organize smaller office items, such as pens.

Whatever furniture you choose, make sure they are comfortable to use. Chairs and desks should be ergonomically designed so you don’t need to slouch or hunch when working on your laptop. Adjustable chairs and tables should be high on your checklist.

Design by Space Factory / Photo by Hervé Goluza
Design by Space Factory
Photo by Hervé Goluza

Selecting the Perfect Colour Scheme. Choose a colour scheme that you’re comfortable with but, if unsure, you should select colours that won’t drizzle your work energy. Colours such as red and tangerine are perfect to pump up your desk area. And if bright colours are too much for you, the blues and green hues might suit you better.

For those who really don’t see vibrant colours on their palettes, the sleek grey, brass, and black combo might be a perfect choice for you. The colour scheme will work perfectly with industrially made furniture. If you have a special piece of furniture or an interesting piece of artwork in your home office, then work around it as well for your colour scheme.

Reduce Household Noise. Eliminate, if not dampen, the noise by installing sound buffering or acoustic panels. Installing soundproof tiles worse well in apartments and other shared residences. If you’d rather go for a cheaper option, you can consider purchasing a pair of sound-blocking headphones, a good investment since they can be used outside of your workspace as well.

Create an Inviting Space. Like any day at the office, a workstation near your home can be a tempting time to get listless. You may need to update your office abode look to make it more inspiring simply by adding a few touches.

Start by choosing a comfortable chair You can either select the typically adjustable office armchair or opt for an unconventional version, such as an egg-shaped office chair.

SecretAir
Photo credit: Myny
SecretAir
Photo credit: Myny
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