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Whether you’re doing remote work, running a business from the comforts of your house, or simply want to do crafts and hobbies in your free time indoors, you deserve to have a dedicated and well-designed home office that inspires creativity, boosts productivity, and makes you feel homey.
So, how do you transform a messy spare room into a comfortable and idea-sparking home office? Continue reading the guide below to learn more.
1. Prioritize Function Over Aesthetic
When designing a home office, the first step is to always think about how you like to work and how comfortable you’ll be.
You need to understand how you want your home’s working space to function. Consider your workflow in order to determine the proper layout of the room.
Also, your shelves, desk, and other furniture should serve you and not the other way around. Determine if the furniture and other fixtures you’re eyeing can help you work properly and aren’t there just to look good.
2. Minimize Sources Of Distractions
Your home office is where you do your grind and squeeze out creative outputs. So, when designing your office, you need to set it up for success by anticipating and minimizing possible distractions that you might experience.
For instance, some people follow desk layouts that are believed to result in distractions— whether it’s facing the door or an open window.
In addition, you also need to consider what you’re adding to your space and if it really needs to be there. You need to ask if a piece of décor can help make your office more functional or is going to take your focus off work?
That said, while too much or bold décor can be distracting, so is emptiness. So, don’t ditch decorative items completely. Whether you’re looking for simple framed prints to hang on your wall or tchotchkes like a statement desk crystal to display, a few decorative items could help fill the space without pulling much focus away.
3. Choose A Comfortable Chair
You’re likely to spend hours sitting in your office chair. Hence, it’s recommended that you shouldn’t skimp on this part and choose one that is high-quality, comfortable, and ergonomically correct.
A great office chair should be supportive enough to spend all day in. Thus, you want to look for a desk chair with good lumbar support and other similar handy features.
4. Determine Your Storage Set-Up
Most jobs require supplies and access to some kind of equipment such as printers. You don’t want these supplies cluttering your desk space and you’ll need to have a dedicated space for your equipment pieces, especially if you’re not using them all the time.
So, consider crafting a storage setup that meets your needs. You can build customized cabinetry and shelves to store office supplies and equipment. A well-planned storage setup can make your workflow more organized and smoother.
5. Light It Up
In terms of home offices, light is your friend, especially when you’re a night owl. That said, you want to light up the space while avoiding glare. You can even position your computer monitor so that there’s no glare from an overhead light or window.
Then, add a small lamp with built-in dimmers for task lighting. Consider pairing bright windows with curtains so you can adjust the amount of light entering into the space during the day. Both of these additions can help control your home office ambiance.
6. Add A Splash Of Bold Colors
Like with any room, a fresh coat of paint can transform your office space. And because home offices are usually small spaces, you can get away with painting the walls with a bolder color.
If your office looks boring or you simply need a change, paint can help create an instant impact. You can opt for a fresh coat of navy or dark green paint on your cabinets and walls to create a sense of excitement. To spark creativity and stimulate your imagination, go with bright colors like orange, red and yellow.
7. Include Some Lush Greens
Other than a fresh coat of paint, plants can also brighten up any space instantly. Plus, home offices need as much greenery as possible.
The right house-friendly flora can help keep you energized and connected to nature throughout your workday. They can literally clean the air and freshen up the room while reducing stress and boosting productivity. Additionally, since plants grow and change, they’re a great way to keep your home office feeling new and interesting.
Takeaway
And there you have it!
Designing a home office is never easy, but not impossible. And with the above tips, you should be able to create an inspiring space where you can work with laser focus and get your creative juices flowing.
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