In this age of COVID-19, you might well be one of the many working more from home. You may even be considering going it alone and setting up your own business. In both cases, you’re going to need your own home office. This space should be pleasant to work in, comfortable and foster productivity. Here are a few tips on how to set up your office just the way you like it.
Featured image above – home office design by Paul, architect from Lambeth, London. See more details below to shortlist them for your home project.
Personalise your office
Remember that this isn’t some dull corporate office; it’s your own personal office and you’re the one who has the say in how it looks and feels, so add some personal touches. Ideally, you should tailor your home office to the design and style of your home itself, but that’s up to you.
What inspires you? Do you have a favourite piece of artwork, for instance? Think about this and incorporate it into your office design. Your working space will feel more relaxing.
Invest in a good desk
You’re going to spend a lot of time in your office, so you want a desk that will serve you well without overshooting your budget. The desk should offer enough space for your computer or laptop, but also for any filing or paperwork. If you prefer to be more mobile, you may even prefer a standing desk.
You’ll have to think about the amount of space your desk will occupy, too, and how to get your new desk from the furniture store to your home and into your office. You may wish to order a desk online or buy one second-hand and then hire a special delivery service to get it from A to B.
Choose suitable seating
Just as you should have a decent desk, you should have equally suitable seating. Good seating will offer sound pelvic and lumbar support, keeping your posture healthy and sparing you lower back pain, headaches, fatigue and other woes. It should also make it easier to concentrate, be more productive and withstand longer hours at your desk.
You might even wish to think about alternating between an exercise ball and an office chair. As well as the benefits you can enjoy from exercising with one, these balls can help you to improve your posture. The instability of the ball makes you more aware of your posture by forcing you to shift around and correct it. Note that you should only work for around 20 minutes on your exercise ball and then switch to a chair. Check your ball has anti-burst technology to avoid any potential accidents.
Keep the space private
Working with headphones will isolate you somewhat from everything that’s going on, but you can’t go on like that forever. Make sure your office gives you the privacy to work with as few interruptions as possible. Ideally, you should have a door that closes the space off or a sign that lets others know when you’re working.
A little background noise can feed concentration. You may choose to install an air filter or a fan to create that necessary white noise. You could also set up a radio in your office and let it play quietly. Work may sometimes become stressful so a radio can help you to relax while you perform your tasks.
Make sure you have lots of light
It’s important to have plenty of light in your office, especially natural light, to keep your spirits up while you work. If you don’t have much natural light in your office, you’ll need some general lighting and some task lighting for cloudy days or late nights.
You should position your computer to allow for angles of natural light. Avoid placing any artificial lighting directly above a computer screen or right in front of it, to prevent glare and eye strain.
Choose your office colours carefully
Colours are more important than you think. Different colours trigger different feelings, emotions and responses.
Although there’s no hard-and-fast rule about what colour your office should be, you should consider:
- green, which is neutral, adds freshness and vitality to an office and is good for concentration
- purple, which inspires creativity and aids concentration and focus
- or white, ivory, grey or tan, which are neutral and combine well with accent colours to invigorate the room with freshness, energy and vitality.
Red, on the other hand, is an intense colour and may feel overwhelming in the office. Meanwhile, yellow, despite its elegance, commands attention. You may find it something of a distraction while you’re working.
Working in your own home office is highly enjoyable, especially when you set up a comfortable office that fosters productivity. Thinking carefully about the design of your office will put you in a position to achieve this and get the very best out of your working days.
Home office inspiration from the home design pros on DfM
Design by Paul, architect from Lambeth, London. Click on the image to see more and shortlist them for your home project.
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Design by Kashi, architectural designer from Westminster, London. Click on the image to see more and shortlist them for your home project.
#architecture #homedesign #modernhomes #homeinspiration #renovation #homeoffice
Design by Laura, architect from Bromley, London. Click on the image to see more and shortlist them for your home project.
#architecture #homedesign #modernhomes #homeinspiration #renovation #homeoffice
Design by Gagik, interior designer from Kensington and Chelsea, London. Click on the image to see more and shortlist them for your home project.
#interiordesign #interiors #homedecor #homeinspiration #homeoffice
Design by Sooyeon, interior designer from Kingston upon Thames, London. Click on the image to see more and shortlist them for your home project.
#interiordesign #interiors #homedecor #homeinspiration #homeoffice
Design by Melanie, interior designer from Islington, London. Click on the image to see more and shortlist them for your home project.
#interiordesign #interiors #homedecor #homeinspiration #homeoffice #staircases #staircasedesign #staircaseinspiration #staircaseideas #staircasedesignideas
Design by Melinda, interior designer from Wyre, North West. Click on the image to see more and shortlist them for your home project.
#interiordesign #interiors #homedecor #homeinspiration #homeoffice
Design by christian, architect from Test Valley, South East. Click on the image to see more and shortlist them for your home project.
#architecture #homedesign #modernhomes #homeinspiration #homeoffice
Design by Paul, architect from Lambeth, London. Click on the image to see more and shortlist them for your home project.
#architecture #homedesign #modernhomes #homeinspiration #glazing #architecturalglazing #naturallight #homeoffice #gardenroom
Design by Rebecca, interior designer from Lambeth, London. Click on the image to see more and shortlist them for your home project.
#interiordesign #interiors #homedecor #homeinspiration #homeoffice
Design by Andy, architect from Sheffield, Yorkshire and The Humber. Click on the image to see more and shortlist them for your home project.
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