Designing your home office. 5 tips for a nice and functional work space
Whether your home office is designated for using occasionally or for full time work, or simply for organizing your bills and schedule, you need more than a desk and an extra chair stuffed into a spare corner. An office must reflect the design and comfort of the rest of your home, especially if you have to spend lots of late hours there. Here are five tips on designing your home office, in order to create a pleasant and functional work space.
1. Designing your home office. Make use of all the space you need
When you set your office, don’t stiff yourself on space. You’ll spend a lot of time there, so don’t squish a tiny desk into a windowless closet to preserve a rarely used guest room. Also, consider the traffic flow or if you work best in the thick of activity or isolated.
2. Designing your home office. Functionality and aspect
Consider your workflow and the items you need in the office and choose adequate furniture. Besides functionality, they must be in harmony with your entire home design. If it’s classical, choose wood furniture and warm colors. If it’s contemporary, you can have darker colors and metallic pieces.
Invest in a great chair. A beautiful, ergonomically-correct chair is worth all the money, considering how much you’ll be using it.
3. Designing your home office. Walls
Paint the walls a color you love, that gets you in the mood to work. For many it’s a cheery, bright color like orange and green lime. Others prefer a calming shade like botanical green or light blue, for better concentration.
4. Designing your home office. The view
Position the desk where you can stare at something more interesting than an empty wall when you glance up from your papers and computer. It’s great if you can place it against a window for natural light. If not, hang a picture above the desk or place it to face the door.
5. Designing your home office. Decorate
Unless you’re going for a contemporary look, choose office and decorative accessories for a welcoming look: a pretty mug for pencils, colored, trendy notepads and post-its and a decorative waste basket.
