The Top 5 Tips For Designing A Home Office

Image by Benjamin Thompson on Flickr

Taking the leap to work for yourself can be as exciting as it is daunting.

Working from home is a pleasure that more people than ever can afford to do, with many taking up the option of either going freelance or breaking away from office life to work at the house.

It can be dangerous, though. The distractions in the home that are only usually available in the evenings are now within reach at all times. Televisions, radios, big comfy sofas…

As well as increasing your willpower it’s essential to create an environment that not only complements your new lifestyle but helps improve your productivity and concentration.

Everybody’s different, though, so here are five tips to take into consideration when designing your new home office:

1: Make the most of your space

Look around your new office. Can you visualise what you need to work efficiently, and can you imagine where those components fit into your new workspace?

If you have a lot of paperwork and documents that you need access to then is there enough space for shelves and cabinets if you’re in that space all day?

Do you do a lot of design work and need a large desk that can accommodate drawings and a computer? Or if you’re planning on using the space fleetingly is there space to have access to the most important things when you need them?

2: Consider portable furniture

It can be a tough ask for creative types to stay in one place for hours a day, so a more flexible working environment may be right up their street.

Consider moveable furniture such as laptop desks with wheels and smaller cabinets that can be moved from room to room and can be matched with any seating arrangement such as a sofa or chairs in the kitchen.

3: Wear and tear?

The furniture you use is an investment in is contributing to the future of your business. So you need to consider timescales – are you using it for the short- or long-term?

If you want an office chair that’s going to last you for the next five years, wherever you are, then it’s worth considering something sturdy such as a gas swivel chair with leather padding. If it’s for the short-term then invest in something suitable yet comfortable.

4: Assembly

It may seem like a small thing but if you’re setting up an office space for the long-term then it’s worth considering construction.

If you’re buying ready-made furniture then that shouldn’t be a problem, but if you’re setting up a lot of desks, chairs, cabinets, and more then take note of the building time involved. If you’re ordering all your furniture at once then are you going to have to put crucial work hours aside to build it all?

5: Maintenance

As in an office, if you’re working from home then your furniture will need to be cleaned at regular intervals to keep it spotless and – more importantly – keep you in a hospitable working environment.

With that consider the theme of your room. Different materials will require different cleaning solutions; glass surfaces need soapy water, fabrics will need specialist care products, woods will need to be dusted, and more.

If you’d like to learn more about how to create a professional environment from home contact the Planscape team today!