A home office is an important yet easily overlooked area of the home. If you work out of your home regularly, you’ll want to take the time to shape a space that will suit your needs and that you’ll find inviting and comfortable. After all, working adds up to hours of sitting in the same space. These tips will help you design a functional and beautiful office space in which you’ll want to work daily.
Find the Ideal Location
Choose an area of your home that offers enough space for comfortable work and supports your productivity needs. For example, if you need somewhere quiet and away from household distractions, avoid setting your desk up in high-traffic areas like your kitchen or living room. Instead, you might be better off in a spare bedroom or basement.
Remember to account for the space needed for work-related items (such as files or reference materials), as this will also determine how much space you need to find in your home.
Find a Desk That Suits Your Work Needs
Often, we end up needing more than just a place to put a laptop to accommodate our work lives. You might have additional monitors and computer accessories or need a clear surface to accommodate notetaking and flipping through files. Depending on your profession, you may need space for larger tasks like reviewing printed floor plans. Your needs may change throughout your career, so select a desk that accommodates your current requirements and offers room for growth. A general guide is to aim for a desk at least 48 inches long.
Think about a sit-stand desk that allows you to adjust the height. This enables you to vary your working style for better health, as prolonged sitting can be harmful. For taller individuals, this feature helps adjust desk height to protect your back, whether sitting or standing, over time.
To help reduce visual clutter, look for a desk with storage or cord-management features.
The storage space will allow you to have items you might need available within arm’s reach while keeping your work surface clear. Cord-management features will allow you to use your computer and accessories without bulky cords eating up your desk space or visually distracting you.
Invest in a Fashionable & Functional Chair
In pursuit of a fashionable space, you might opt for chic chairs over ergonomic or functional ones, such as an upscale dining chair. While this can certainly round out your aesthetic, it has a few drawbacks, most notably not having a comfortable and supportive chair.
Fortunately, ergonomics and fashion can coexist, but they may come with an extra price tag. However, investing in a functional space is worthwhile—you’ll enjoy comfort while being satisfied with your workspace’s appearance.
Include a Variety of Lighting Options
Utilizing natural light with sheer curtains or blinds is ideal, but your home office might lack a window, or the window light may be insufficient on cloudy days. Adding overhead and task lighting is a perfect solution. These will allow you to work in an adequately lit space that makes you feel comfortable regardless of the weather or time of day you’re working.
Consider the View From Your Desk
If your home office space has a window, this could be the perfect view for your desk. If you don’t have a window, position your desk facing the office door and hang art. Whether it’s a window or wall art, an enjoyable view from your desk can help you rest your eyes from your screen to avoid eye fatigue and inspire you.
Incorporate Storage
Incorporating shelving, filing cabinets, and other storage solutions in your home office can make your space more functional and clutter-free, allowing you to focus on your work. This can also be done in a way that’s aesthetically pleasing to enhance the look and feel of your workspace. For example, floating shelves can serve as a place to store work files and resources, as well as a place to showcase photos and decor. Even if you don’t need all the storage for your work needs, having extra storage in your home is always useful.
Match Your Home’s Style
Your home office doesn’t have to feel cold and corporate or look separate from the rest of your home just because it’s a workspace.
Add homey details that allow this space to flow from one room to another. Elements like comfortable seating, accent rugs, and curtains that suit the colors and style of the rest of the home create a space you’ll want to spend your time in.
Include Motivation Reminders
Having reminders of why you work hard daily is a great way to make your home office feel even more inspiring. It could be a family photo to remind you that you’re working to support your loved ones, or maybe it’s a photo of your dream home, vacation, or some other goal your work is helping you attain. Placing it where you can see it from your desk will keep you motivated whenever you sit down to work.
Conclusion
By combining comfort and function, you might even create an oasis in your home that you’ll want to escape to after the workday is done. Whether you prefer to watch YouTube, play PC games, or make a casino deposit of $10 on sites found at Casinos.com, a comfortable space where you can indulge in hobbies is one where you might also choose to unwind at the end of the workday. Creating a home office that harmonizes your home and work life can be as simple as implementing these tips.
