What is it that makes a home office different from a formal workplace?
A home office is exclusively designed for you and a formal office desk is designed for a group. Home offices give you the depth of any professional working space along with the comfort of your home.
While many find it tempting to plan the layout of a room, it’s also very likely for non-professionals to make common interior design mistakes.
Some of the most typical challenges to tackle (that are easily avoidable) are listed below.
Ignoring Functionality
One of the reasons for having home offices is to separate work and daily life while still having access to both.
Your home office should be able to function as your workplace. Make space for all kinds of stationery and devices used for work and segregate them from your personal life. Assign shelves and drawers for storage of your work material.
Moreover, transforming a relatively small space into an office takes work. To build an appropriate office, consider using furniture that has multiple purposes, like a shelf that opens into a workstation or a desk that also acts as a coffee table.
Clutter
Decluttering will not only make a difference in your physical surroundings but also in your mental space. Treat your home office as a sacred space.
In a cluttered office, you might find yourself spending time looking for important documents and objects in the chaos. Combat this inefficiency by keeping your home office tidy.
Develop better organizational skills. Utilize storage compartments to arrange files. If you require a lot of paper, consider digitizing documents, it’s eco-friendly and time-saving.
A decluttered space will improve your productivity and make your office more beautiful.
Setting the Room in a Distractive Environment
People work in a wide range of environments but expert writers prefer a space with the least distractions. It’s agreed that the ideal condition to work should be a quiet, non-distracting environment.
Designate a room away from busy roads and construction sites to build your home office.
If you don’t have the luxury to choose a quieter space, consider soundproofing the room and investing in noise-cancellation devices.
Having Inadequate Lighting and Ventilation
The absence of light can make a room look dull and confined. A gloomy home office impacts your mood negatively.
Not only do windows provide natural light but also fresh air. Proper air circulation reduces pollution indoors. Install air vents in case your home office doesn’t have enough windows.
Natural light energizes the room and cuts your electricity bill by half. If you happen to use a basement or a windowless room for a home office, make sure you make up for the lack of natural light by placing adequate artificial lighting.
Choosing Paint Before Furniture
Always begin with furnishing your home office instead of painting it.
Some prefer starting with painting the rooms but that just increases your workload.
Once you actively start resourcing furniture and décor, you may have a change of perspective.
After assessing all your options, you might want to go with a different layout rather than what you had planned. In this case, it’d be tedious and expensive to repaint.
It’s easier to pick a color that matches the vibe of the furniture rather than vice versa.
Over-Accessorizing
Over-accessorizing is compensation for a dull room. While it works for many living spaces, a home office is not one of them.
Decoration can easily be overdone. The moment pieces of art and furniture begin to distract you rather than inspire you or give your comfort, they become useless.
Instead of multiple wall hangings, figurines, mirrors, and artificial flowers limit to one or two paintings or photographs, potted green succulents, or fake ivy and lights. Manipulate natural light to look like décor with items like ‘sun catching’ crystals and stickers!
Conclusion
Designing a home office by yourself is a process wherein you have all the artistic freedom to design a space you’re compatible with. These few ‘rules’ exist to enhance your final result, not hinder your creative process.
With these tips, we hope you find the balance between home and office!
