Design Tips for your Home Office

Over the past 20 months, many of us have been working from home and have had to create makeshift home offices, in the spare room, using an old table.

But as we begin to move past the Pandemic, remote working seems to be sticking around for many. If you are someone who will continue to work from home and feel like you need to transform a room in your home into a functional office space, take a look at our top tips:

1. Find a Space

For an efficient work-life balance, you need a space away from the hustle and bustle of family life. We recommend keeping work away from your bedroom too as work should not be mixed with sleep and relaxation.

If you have a spare bedroom or an underused bathroom, convert it into your hub of productivity. If you do not have any spare rooms, a corner in the living room or utility where people will not disturb you during the day could work well. Sectioning off a part of a larger room with curtains or panelling will work well.

2. Stay Focused

Practicality and functionality are extremely important in creating a beneficial home office. The main function of the space is the ability to work in your office so think of what helps you to focus.

Storage space is essential in order to keep your space decluttered. Having paperwork and stationery all over your desk will make you feel unorganised and slightly overwhelmed when stressed. Folders and desk organisers will help you to stay clutter free and shelving units will make it easy to access whatever you need. 

3. Be Inspired

While stay focused is key to a good work etiquette, many of you will need to be inspired in order to perform well. Mood boards or a white board will help you envision your ideas. Postcards of places you love, or your favourite artwork will keep you inspired throughout the workday too. Just make sure not the clutter your space or you might lose that concentration.

4. Incorporate Nature

Reports have shown that workspaces can be happier and healthier when in close proximity to nature. Having a window facing a green area or a lake would be ideal for reducing stress and exhaustion and increasing cognitive function and energy. However, incorporating nature inside with a plant or some flowers will have a similar effect too. 

5. Colour Schemes

The right colour scheme could be essential to you for productivity. Your perfect colour palette will depend on the way you need to work.

A deep blue promotes clear thoughts while softer blues keep you calm and help with concentration. Yellows and oranges spark creativity and energy. Paler shades add light to the room and boost productivity while dark colours are far less stimulating for most people and may make you tired and less creative. 

6. Stand Up

This may not be everyone’s cup of tea but working at a standing desk helps for energy and focus. Sitting down all day everyday is not good for our bodies or our minds. Slumping physically will result in our brains slumping too and there’s always the risk of back pain from sitting hunched over your computer all day. 

7. Light up the Room

A well-lit room is vital to feel awake and ready for the day. Lighting can make all the difference when it comes to boosting creativity, as a dark space can leave you feeling dreary and uninspired.

Natural daylight is extremely helpful so having windows and lots of mirrors around the room to reflect the light are a good idea. Facing the window gives you light as well as a view to look out at. 

For some people, facing a window can be distracting so alternatively, make sure your room is well lit with many lights and keep a lamp by you so that you are not straining your eyes.

Whether you’re planning on working full time from home or just want to convert a room into a study space, we hope these tips have given you inspiration to create the best home office for you.