Improve Or Create Your Home Office Space

Tuesday, 14 April 2020

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As a diligent self employed professional or one of the growing lucky who get to work from home for a portion of the week this article is aimed at you. This article provides insight into creating a professional working environment right in your home. And suggest some home office inspired products to you which you might not otherwise learn about.

Having a nice space to work in is critical, but there are items which you can't do without. A good desk and office chair are vitally important. But there is more besides to get right. Of course you can start to work from the dining room table, the kitchen top or other surface but it is not a long term solution. Separation of your workspace from your homely areas is important for your (and your families) long term satisfaction.

Homely Office Design

Space

White Corner Electric Standing Desk

Ideally a separate room or space is necessary. Eventually make this a must have. You are a professional so equip yourself and your home to better serve your career goals. At a push, dedicate a corner or an area in an existing room for a desk and chair- get this right you will be halfway there. Making your space better is also about keeping a tidy organised desk. This helps in framing the mind correctly to really put in an effective shift. See our suggestions on home office storage a little later on where your cabinets can fit and take on a home-like appearance. You are not looking for that metal filing cabinet anymore.

Home Office Lighting

Pick the best space with the most natural light. It could be that this is lacking so you will need to invest in some home office lighting. If you are unlucky here then also try to get out to a coffee shop or co-working space on a regular basis. We all need natural light to function well. Some lamps offer the benefits of natural light. They can be called SAD lamps after the known disorder Seasonal Affective Disorder. There are some really nice home office lamps and lighting solutions out there to choose from.

Basic Home Office Furniture

Desks

small office space ideas

Read our article on Home Office Desks and see what positive ergonomic experiences could be yours. These include stand up desks or adjustable sitting desks. You should pay attention to ergonomics and we go into more detail on that science here. For now just realise that having a great desk will make your daily work much more joyful. If you have ever had a wobbly desk or an uncomfortable desk height you will know the importance.

Click here for the Best Office Desks 2020 Guide

Try and find desks that don't try to be storage units too. Having some draw space inbuilt is not so bad but the desks that incorporate a large storage block on the end will limit your interior design space.

Here are a couple of home office desk ideas that I really like. They have a somewhat minimalist theme.

This is as much storage as I would like incorporated into a desk. I like the weathered metal parts that make it look interesting in its own right. This one is from Oak Furniture Land.

Solid Wood Desks With Drawers

Wood certainly oak brings a warmth to an office space which sometime can be a problem if you go for stylish contemporary desks and chairs. There are ways to keep a warmer look and feel if you like a clean cut contemporary desk. Certainly go for one of these if you want but then you will make efforts with pictures and objects around you. You don't want too much of a lounge feel as you need to be focussed.

Stylish Office Desks

Chairs

You need a comfortable and ergonomic position with which to work your mastery. The chair is the root so don't go for the cheapest option. Make sure there is adjustability in both height and backrest angle and a locking backrest is a must. I also like having arms to rest my arms on when I am in absorption mode. Again here are a couple of office chairs to start off your search with. Also a must is a secure solid backrest with locking position, it must take weight.

Storage

Beyond a few pots and folders you are currently working on your desk should be clear allowing you to fully focus on your current task. To achieve this you need a good storage solution that can take a good amount of stuff. You need to store perhaps a printer, computer peripherals and your physical folders and papers. Storage is one of those things you always seem to use up 100%! There are nice storage solutions that fit in the home much better. Sideboard style allows a good amount of interior storage and also allows you to stand some nice artifacts on top. Again don't clutter the top. I actually suggest something unlike a family photo, something more aspirational. You will move to other spaces throughout the day with plenty of family type stuff. This is the space away from the family. It's an opportunity to get something for you there. If it was for me I might choose a globe as I love travel and perhaps an underwater photo as I love undersea life.

This amazing wooden cabinet from r/nextfuckinglevel

Closing Tips

In summary some other things that can really help when setting up your home office are:

Plants- Adding plants brings nature and the positive effects of plants to your space.
Negative Ioniser- There is much scientific evidence to back up the claims around negative ions.
Pet bed/space- If you have a cat, dog , bird or other pet they might love to spend time snoozing in the same space as you. It can be a good way to break up thinking or over intense thought to go pet an animal. We work better when we move around we need to see the wood from the trees.
Desk organiser- keeping things tidy is essential to me. If I have an untidy desk I can't work well. A tidy desk just starts me off on the right foot.
Monitor Riser- Get this basic ergonomic fix in for low cost and see a huge benefit.

Switch On and Off

It is really good that you are spending time working from home but don't lose your home because you work from the home. Create a space within your home where you can switch.

Of course you have your own style and ideas on what colours and furniture you like. We hope that this article has given you food for thought. We would love to see how you have designed and created your spaces. Please send us yours and we will happily include them below.