Tips for Creating a Great Home Office Space

The average full-time worker spends 47-50 hours a week at  the office and often has the work coming home with them. And the rate of employees either working from home full-time or part-time is on the rise. So, it’s important to have an efficient great home office space – not just a desk tucked into a corner of a room. But designing a home office space can be tricky. While working from home is exciting because of the comfort and efficiency it can bring, if your office space is too relaxed and casual or is too integrated into the regular living space, your productivity can go down. Here are seven tips to make this space more useful for you.

1. Don’t have too much Pinterest inspiration

We are huge fans of Pinterest and some days have Pinterest envy or the many swoon-worth interior design photos. But, tiny vintage desks may not often accommodate your work, a bright red wall may prove too distracting and an upholstered dining room chair will not be best on your back for long terms of sitting. Too much environmental stimulation can actually be a form of distraction.

Use interesting color combinations in the rug, throw pillow or framed wall art. Your home office should be functional first and gorgeous second.

2. Embrace natural light

Don’t recreate a cubicle in your home. Place your desk close to the windows and align it parallel to the panes so you get the benefits of natural light along with an easy quick break from the computer.

3. Add in lamps

While natural light is great, natural light has a timer on it every day. Lamps add in warmth to the room that is more suitable for work unlike overhead lighting. Not only do table lamps add an extra light source, they can also add some interesting design features to the home.

4. Be creative with storage

While you need to store papers, files and more in your home office, office storage solutions aren’t the most visually appealing. Instead of metal file cabinets, look at wall storage like magazine type racks or display shelves. Or look into the canvas storage solutions which can fit into your office color scheme and can hide office supplies and paper from plain sight. For book cases, get nice ones that you artfully display or use the room’s closet – if you have one – and install shelving in there.

5. Create a comfy space

Since you’re at home, you can incorporate some of your home’s comfort into your office space. A home office is a great place to think, read, plan or dream. Add a comfy chair in the corner with an ottoman and chair-side table is a great place to curl up and work away from the desk. This comfort zone can spark your creativity or prompt you to think of new ways to solve a problem or think of a new strategy or initiative.

6. Add some green and personalization

Plants are known to make people happier as it brings the outdoors indoors. Add some low-maintenance plants to your space in small wall planters so you’re not taking away from valuable desk space. And since it is your home, you’re not tied to personalized office décor like you may be in a traditional office. Add in the photos of your friends and family as a reminder of why you’re working. Mix in some of your other favorite things like sports memorabilia, favorite movies or more.

7. Hide the office supplies

Tuck a printer into a storage cabinet, run cords into walls, cover an exposed desk with fabric. Just because it is an office, doesn’t mean it has to look like one. But make sure the TV stays out of the office. You may not think you’ll be distracted by the game or home design show, but you’ll be less focused and productive.

(Source: Fast Company)