Designing a Home Office that Works
Whether you bring work home or just need a place for personal projects, a home office is the perfect place to concentrate—in theory. A poorly organized or cluttered workspace can hinder your efforts to work at home. So how do you create a space you’d actually want to use?
For some reason, many people forget that their home office is, in fact, at home. They choose bland, utilitarian furniture and skimp on the accessories like they’re arranging a cubicle.
Remember that you will never receive a memo about how many personal items you can keep in your home work area. Don’t be afraid to personalize and beautify your office with the same gusto that you used for the rest of your home.
Keep it Fun!
The first tip is to always keep the space light, airy, and fun to be in. Even if you like the idea of going with a more traditional look featuring built-in shelving and wood paneling, give yourself a big comfy reading chair to cut down on all of the formality. At the end of the day, your supposed to want to spend time in the room.
The best way to make a home office feel inviting is to make it personal. Move your favorite piece of art in from your bedroom. Chances are you don’t need any motivation to go to bed. Try painting the room a wacky and invigorating color. It’ll brighten things up, and you can use shades you wouldn’t dream of putting in the public part of the house.
If you still avoid your work space, make your home office the place for your personal photos and collections. Who knows? You may come in to look and stay to work.
Finding Storage Solutions
One of the biggest problem with workstations is how quickly they get cluttered. When you’re rushing to finish a project, putting everything in away is that last thing on your mind. A good way to keep your desk from becoming a mound of junk and papers is to have a place for everything.
The great thing about creating storage is that it allows you to use your imagination. Why not use decorative baskets or your old cassette rack for an ultra cool clutter catcher? These repurposed pieces (along with strategically placed filing cabinets) can clear up the mess and make everything easier to find.
These days, the computer is inevitably the focal point of the home office. Unfortunately, it brings with it nests of unsightly wires, tons of peripherals, and stacks of media. Untangle, organize, and bound wires together in order to reduce the mess. Organize the rest of the paraphernalia in one of your storage containers.
Work Space Niches
Those of us who have been liberated from desks by our laptops are the worst about putting things in their place. After losing my note pad and pens for the hundredth time, I realized I needed to consolidate the post-it notes and accessories I had strewn about the house into a laptop work station. So, since my home office is reserved for my husband, I carved out a spot in the bedroom for storage space, fold away desk area, and comfortable work chair. In addition to consolidating my stuff and providing a place to consistently charge my electronics, my niche helps me get in the mood to work.
Incorporating a workspace into a room with another purpose is easy. In my room, I set off the space with a different, yet coordinating color palette. A rug or savvy placement can achieve the same effect.
Though you may never get your boss to agree to a total office redesign, you always have the opportunity to turn your home work space into a place you love to be. Go ahead and turn your home office into a place you love to be.
Still looking for inspiration? Take a look at these brilliant work interiors.
Add A Comment