7 Steps for Designing an Intelligent Home Office

Unfortunately, home offices are the newest addition to our homes. Before the pandemic, they were something of an after-thought, but today they are of central importance.

After all, we spend most of our days in them, so they should get at least as much attention as the living room, if not more. 

In this post, we run through some tips to help you intelligently design your home office space.

Before we get into the tips, one piece of advice is to use Latest Deals to find cheap furniture deals. Their website posts daily new deals from the most important furniture retailers in the UK, so you will find furniture with quality and affordable prices.

Make sure to check them to take home a bargain. Here’s what you need to do: 

 

Choose A Location That Makes Sense

If you’re like most remote workers, you’ll spend eight-plus hours in your home office every day. Therefore, you’ll want it to provide enough space for you and all the stuff you need to do your work. 

Don’t try to work in a cupboard. That will just leave you with a sore back and a vitamin D deficiency. Instead, give yourself enough space so that you can stand up and move around (if you want to). 

If your work is creative, you’ll need more space. Existing rooms in your home may not provide this, so you’ll want to consider building a garden room or purchasing a repurposed shipping container office instead. These give you all the conveniences and space you need while costing less than conventional constructions. 

Don’t Just Prioritise Function

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While it is important that your home office is productive, you don’t want to sacrifice form for function. You need at least some beauty to keep you engaged in your work. Stunning interior design isn’t as optional as you think it is. While mahogany panelling and hand-carved wooden seats might seem a little excessive, they can change the way you feel, impacting productivity. Many times, beautiful objects can pay for themselves many times over, thanks to the positive impact they have on your mood and performance. 

Make sure that your home office reflects your house’s overall theme. For instance, if you have shutters in your home, put them in your office too. Add similar décor, such as comfy chairs, warm soft colours, and recessed lighting to make it feel great. 

Invest In A Quality Chair

Even if you don’t spend money on anything else, you should buy a quality chair for your home office. Having a great seat totally changes the feel of the space and makes your life better at the same time. 

Because you’ll be doing work for many hours at a time, you need an ergonomic chair. You want something that forces you to concentrate but also provides plenty of support at the same time. 

Fortunately, the market provides many options. There are all kinds of seats out there for workstations. 

If you don’t want to buy one brand new chair, you can get them second-hand. Companies often perform big clear-outs and flog them at discounted rates. Just make sure that you get something that feels comfortable all day long.

Treat Yourself To A Nice View

While some people can cope with staring at nothing other than a computer screen and a blank wall all day, it’s not everyone’s idea of home office bliss. Therefore, you’ll want to pick a room where you have a decent view of the outside world, even if it’s just your own garden. When you can see nature it changes your mood and makes you more productive. All of a sudden, working from home doesn’t seem so bad. 

If you have a large window in your office, desk alignment is important. Try to avoid angling your screen so that it is in direct sunlight. Ideally, you want the view to be either to the left or right of your screen. Straight behind it is okay, but you may have to deal with glare at certain times of the day. Again, if the sun’s light becomes too intense, you’ll want to invest in blinds that you can adjust. 

Adopt A Power Position

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Alternatively, you might want to arrange your desk in a so-called power position (like senior executives do in regular offices). Here, you place your desk in the middle of the room (so that you can walk around either side) and then place your chair so that it’s facing the door. This way, you have a commanding position and nobody can see what’s on your screen or table when they enter. 

Power positions can help you get into the mood, particularly if you have a senior role but have to work from home. Adjusting your setting can make you feel more confident and powerful. 

Add Accessories That Make You Feel At Home

Another thing you can try is adding accessories that make you feel more at home. This way, going to work won’t feel as harsh as it does when you have to work in an office. 

Nice little home accessories include things like pencil mugs, trendy notepads, glittery notice boards, and decorative waste baskets. You’ll also want to include nice little touches, like white bookshelves, pink rug under your feet, and extravagant toppers for all your ball pens and pencils. 

Try adding a few colourful picture frames here and there as well. These help to bring out the best in your rooms. 

Organise Your Items

The trick to making a home office really feel like one is to arrange your items both vertically and horizontally. Insisting on this level of order in your rooms gets you in the mood for work while also making the best possible use of the space you have available. 

To do this, install vertical organiser shelves next to your desk. If you have room, add modern weave baskets to your worksurfaces. Make sure that you have organisers for all your stationery, notes and paperwork. Avoid clumping it all together in a big pile on the table. That’ll wreck your productivity and the look of your room. 

So, there you have it: our advice for designing an intelligent home office. Which of these ideas will you try?

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