For those of us that work from home, whether occasionally or full-time, the home office is often an afterthought. Perhaps it’s a small corner of a room or a random desk in a guest room that’s hastily cleaned up before company arrives. Instead of this haphazard approach, we recommend making a conscientious effort to make your office stylish and functional.
- Consider your work flow. Always consider how you work, distances, left/right handed actions, etc., before investing in office furniture and furnishings. Only choose pieces that facilitate your work flow.
- Let there be light! Multiple studies show natural lighting is significantly more beneficial for the human spirit than even broad spectrum incandescence. Try to set your home office up in a space with ample natural light. Consider adding a solar tube if a window isn’t available. Then, use attractive fixtures with high-quality lighting for those cloudy day or post-sunset work sessions.
- Honor ergonomics. Boy are our bodies getting screwed up from all this hunched over, arm-cocked, slouchy office work we do. It’s not how the human body was meant to operate. Do all you can to set your space up in ergonomic fashion. Check out these Office Workstation Ergonomic Solutions to learn more. Consider a variety of options – standing and sitting, yoga balls, a high-quality chair, etc. to protect yourself.
- Accentuate your style. Is it predominantly your home office? Then make it yours. If the rest of the home is a blend of your family’s design tastes, your home office is the space where you can make it all about you: your favorite colors, works of art, funky chotchkies, etc.
- Anchor the space with an area rug. If your office isn’t a room but, rather, takes up a space in a hallway, under the stairs, etc., anchor the space with an area rug. It will add definition, as well as a little color and style.
- Get creative with the desk. You don’t have to use a traditional desk to do your work. Keep your eye out for charming and unique furnishings that will do the job. Perhaps an antique armoire with a drop-down writing desk that will also double as storage and organization.
- Built-in storage. If your office is a permanent addition to a room or corner nook, make it permanent by adding custom, built-in shelves, storage and cabinets. This is a great way to make the add-on office integrated with the rest of your design, and cabinets can cleverly hide printers, scanners, cords, etc., which can create clutter if you aren’t careful.
- Hide it behind the couch. If you don’t have a designated office room, it can be hard to find the right spot. I like the idea of using a console table behind a couch. You can tie into the floor plugs from the living room for your lamp(s), your laptop can be shut for a clean look when you’re finished and even a simple, tasteful file cabinet tucked underneath won’t look out of place.
- Coordinate your organizational tools. Go ahead and ditch your mismatched desktop organizers and file drawers and invest in pieces that are coordinated for an look that is instantly more cohesive and stylish.
- Give it a coat of paint. Are you working in a sea of standard white walls? Warm your office up and give it a little life with a fresh coat of paint in a color that inspires you. Are you renting? Even a single accent wall will be worth repainting again later.