How to: create a successful home office
Creating a home office doesn’t have to be a second thought. Designing a space that’s comfortable, calming and offers a place to be productive and organised is key to making working from home a success!
As our modern working environments change in accordance to new routines and work patterns it pays to have a space in which to feel productive, relaxed and creative at home. From finding the right task lighting to boosting your concentration levels with the help of biophilic design, we’ve got some ideas on how to set up your work-from-home station and get your space working hard for you…
A dedicated space
The first stage in creating yourself a home office is deciding upon the location. Ideally, a work space should be away from the places in your home that you associate with certain behaviours or routines… no one has ever produced their best work from bed, trust us! A separate room from where you spend time cooking, socialising or resting is preferable, but not essential.
If you do find yourself temporarily perched on the dining table not all is lost, just make sure you spend time away from the space during breaks and outside of work, else routines can begin to merge. As much as there’s the danger of being unmotivated at home, it’s also possible to find it difficult to switch off at home time if you’re not running for a train or don't have set evening plans to pull you away from your desk.
Task lighting is key
Once you’ve settled on your designated work space it’s time to get yourself kitted out. In addition to a well-proportioned desk and a comfortable, ergonomically designed chair, every home office needs good lighting.
Task lighting, in the simple form of a desk lamp, will help you avoid straining your eyes when looking at a monitor screen or reading, and can equally change the mood of your space in the flick of a switch – especially if you’re not sat in direct natural light.
Position our Hanter Table Light opposite your writing hand (so it doesn’t cast shadow whilst you work) or treat your desk to our Archer Table Light which is guaranteed to illuminate your space and create a relaxed working environment.
Smart Storage
Whilst storage in the office can often consist of industrial white under-desk draws, filing cabinets and paper trays, working from home allows us to be more creative with our storage options.
Shelving is important when it comes to getting organised and it certainly doesn’t have to be boring. Our new Lundy Shelf is both practical and aesthetically pleasing and looks great styled with home office essentials such as paperweights, candles and your favourite books and prints. Likewise, our Housel Shelf offers compact storage and is likely to be an eye-catching conversation point during team video calls or conferences.
TR tip: Try your hand at paperless working to help save on storage space and save trees – the environment and your office will thank you!
Introduce Houseplants
It’s no wonder that the biophilic design trend has swept the industry by storm over the last few years. Plants really are nature’s air purifiers; they absorb pollutants, particulates and chemicals from the air and produce oxygen, through the process of photosynthesises, for us to breathe. They also look great and don’t require a lot of care or natural light (if you choose wisely).
Some of our favourite plants include Chlorophytum comosum (spider plants), Scindapsus Aurea (devils ivy) and Sansiveria (snake plants) as they thrive in low light level areas – perfect for positioning in an office environment.
Furthermore, studies show that the colour green is strongly associated with creativity and that introducing some greenery to an office space can increase productivity, help spark innovative ideas and keep you feeling engaged and motivated.
Make it your own
Adding homely touches to your home work space will help create a place you feel content and happy to be working in, as well as making your new routine feel less alien. Try positioning some photographs, art prints or candles to help you feel relaxed.
Or, why not introduce a warm sheepskin rug and Beeble Pouffe to rest on whilst you take your well-earned coffee break? Having a place to take time out is equally as important as having a formal set up, as frequent breaks are recommended for improved workflow and productivity.
Posted: 17.04.20
Updated: 15.04.21