The new normal has given rise to the Work From Home (WFH) concept. Different home scenarios lead to as many home office ideas. In smaller houses, the loft or living room corner becomes an office, whereas, in bigger homes, an extra room is required to set up an office. What is essential is that you separate your home space from the office space so that you can physically step away from the computer after office hours.
Your home office needs to provide the perfect balance between work life and family life. With the WFH office now a necessity, let us learn how to set up a home office innovatively that will help you collaborate better with your team from a distance.
Here are seven home office ideas for creatively setting up a home office and work-friendly space that will inspire you to work all day: –
1. Recreate part office decor in a designated spot
Do you love your office table and chair? Do you wish to get something similar to what your office had? In that case, the first step would be to invest in a work desk for the home office or study and laptop table and an office chair to bring home the office atmosphere. Make your home office design resemble your office in some way. Whether you are recreating it in the living room corner or under a staircase, stage the space to feel like your office. Remember to accessorize it with items that remind you of the office, properly outfitting it for long-term work. Build a ‘work only’ spot/nook to feel professional and be productive.
2. Utilise vertical and horizontal spaces
Until recently, an office required space for storing physical files. But today, with Cloud computing and paperless offices, you need only a limited space to set up a home office. So why not consider vertical and horizontal spaces? Start by looking at a designer wall-mounted folding desk. If that’s not your style, place a sleek desk against the wall and a pegboard behind it to hold small shelves and hang office supplies like scissors, scotch tape, and staplers. Likewise, use a corner next to the table to fit a slim wall-mounted vertical storage cabinet or hang a ceiling swing cane chair for a visitor. There are hundreds of work from home office ideas to save space. All you need is a bit of imagination for your small home office design to deliver big results. Here’s a modern work desk that looks completely different and cleverly utilizes both vertical and horizontal spaces.
3. Convert an extra room or a walk-in closet into a home office
If your floor plan allows you to assign an entire room for a stylish home office, you have no reason to complain about WFH. Begin with some customized work from home furniture and fixtures. Throw in two extra colourful chairs for colleagues or clients who may visit, a bold geometric rug, few pictures on the wall, open shelving, and an aloe or snake plant for pure oxygen. Of course, don’t forget your laptop, office supplies, high-speed internet connection, and proper lighting for the perfect home office. And if you don’t have the luxury of an extra room, try converting a closet into a cosy office space. Decorate it with wallpaper, light fixtures, white shelves, and a bright
4. Surround yourself with the right WFH furniture
A home office empowers you to adapt to working on your computer from home. Whether you are living and working from your bed, a 500 sq. ft. apartment, or a spacious study, surround yourself with the right work-from-home furniture. If you have no choice but to work from your bed, buy a portable laptop table, to keep in your bed and if you are working from a cramped 500 sq. ft. apartment, invest in a portable table with a drawer that you can move around as per your convenience. Of course, if you are lucky and have the luxury of space, design a complete home office with the right furniture – a quality office desk, an ergonomic chair, guest chairs, conference furniture, cabinets for storage, and multi-purpose shelves to hold items like speakers and more.
There are several options to choose from among the best home office furniture. But, before you invest in office furniture, revisit your work requirements, the space limitations/advantages, and your budget. Then, all you need is a bit of imagination to shop for home office furniture online.
5.Lighting – keep it natural or layered
Natural light makes space feel bigger, brighter, and better to work. According to a recent study at Cornell, people exposed to natural light while working experienced an 84% drop in issues such as headaches, eyestrain, and blurred vision that lead to fatigue. So, try your best to get natural light in your home office area. Adding blinds or a film on the window is a good option if the sun rays get too direct.
On the other hand, if your home office has no natural sunlight, go for layered lighting. Overhead lighting with an additional desktop lamp next to the laptop may produce the right lighting effect without being too dim or reflecting on your computer screen.
6. Style your workspace with artsy decor
Your home already has its style — traditional, modern, bohemian, or Bollywood. Continuity must be maintained while adding a home office. Don’t be under the impression that an office has to be in white and grey or beige and brown. Go with an accent wall, an animal rug, a chandelier, wall art, statement pieces, and an artsy décor that is a reflection of your personality. Let it be your workspace that will motivate you to work. And don’t forget to create a pretty background for those Zoom meets. If you have an artistic home office, flaunt it.
7.Introduce the flex style office
