Whether you work from home permanently or are telecommuting temporarily, having a customized home office is essential for productivity. If the dining room table or kitchen island currently doubles as your desk, creating a custom home office might be something to seriously consider. Everyone can be successful working from home under the right conditions but coming up with the perfect office design to accommodate your remote work requires careful consideration. From layout to lighting, this is your chance to craft a workspace that is unique to you and how you work. Use these home office ideas and remodeling tips as a guide.
To put you in a more positive and productive mood your home office design should include these essentials:
- Spacious desk
- Ergonomic office chair
- Modern electronic gadgets (computer, monitor, printer, wireless router, etc.)
- Storage and organization
- Enough soft lighting to prevent eye strain
If you can, choose a separate room for your dedicated workspace. Separating your work space from the rest of your home has important mental benefits like helping you to check out at the end of the day and leave your work “at the office” so to speak. You can even fake a commute. You’re looking for a space that is either inherently quiet, like a basement or attic, or has a closeable door. Being able to close the door or keep pets out during important calls or meetings can make a huge difference in your productivity. Areas that are close to the kitchen or living room are rarely ideal, as you’ll be able to hear household noise more easily. The less distractions, the better! If you host clients in your home, be sure the space is either connected to an outside door or very close to it.
After deciding on a location, you’ll need to decide between a more permanent built-in office versus a freestanding workspace. If you’ve been aching for a home workstation and plan on working from home often (or full-time), a built-in desk may be the best choice to maximize space, optimize storage and promote efficiency.
Some people enjoy the flexibility of working from home and being able to mix up various workspaces. If that sounds like you, a freestanding office might be the best fit. To provide a more serene setting you could even create a freestanding home office on your back deck or front patio—after all, this is about what will make you happy!
Organization and a great office chair are the two things that will help your home office stay comfortable and clutter-free.
If you can splurge on only one thing in your office, it should be a chair. Don’t think of it as a luxury item. If you spend a lot of time on the computer or telephone, we recommend you invest in an ergonomic chair to help with your posture and lumbar when sitting. Your future self will thank you, we promise! A well-designed, quality chair will help you stay comfortable in one place for most of your day and will typically be adjustable so you can find just the right setting for your body. It will take into account a headrest, arm height, curves for better posture and hopefully come with an option for wheels. Many office chair makers offer trial periods and free return policies so you can find the right fit.
Another area to splurge on is home office organizers. Whether that’s a file cabinet, mail sorter, paper clip holder, catchall, paperweight, or other organizer is up to you. Take a look at what your current desk lacks and take some time to think about how you can group together your desktop items, so they all have a designated place. Find the right combination for your specific needs and tailor it as needed.
