Guest Blogger: Designing a Home Office That You’ll Actually Work In

 Guest Blogger #851, Entry #2036, January 22, 2012

With more and more people transitioning from working in an office to either telecommuting or starting their own business from the comforts of their own home, now more than ever, individuals are looking for creative ways to design the kind of home office that they will actually be able to work in.

Of course, with that want comes also the desire to achieve the décor goal in a way that will not cost a ton of money or even require a lot of time. If you can relate, we’ve got five quick, easy and not-too-expensive things that you can do that will transform any room in your house into the home office that you’ve always dreamed of:

Choose the right space for your home office

Image via: Mark Newman Design

Choose the right space.

When you’re looking for the right room to call your office, there are a few things to take into account. You need a place that is quiet and away from a lot of “house traffic” (kids, pets, etc.). You need a place that has enough outlets to accommodate all of your electronic needs. And you need a place that is easily accessible (if you are going to have clients come in). You don’t want to select a room that is by a lot of bedrooms, for instance. Those are private areas within your home.

Select the right furniture.

One thing that makes a home office different than just about any other room in a house is that you shouldn’t just pick furniture based on what’s comfortable or even what simply catches your eye. You need to select things that will keep you working in a “professionally progressive” manner. Ergonomics is the study of human engineering. When it comes to getting a desk and chair, look for ones that are marketed as being ergonomic (ones that will help you to work more productively). As it relates to the decor, select things that will inspire creativity and productiveness. For instance, great home office colors include neutrals, blues, lavenders and rose. Smart additions would include ottomons (for storage) and a vertical bookshelf (that, rather than a horizontal one, will provide you with more space).

Have good lighting.

When you work from home, you probably already know that while it can be really empowering, you can also easily find yourself working from dawn until way into the nighttime hours. For the sake of your eyes especially, make sure that you have good lighting in your office. Although natural lighting is great for during the day, make sure to also have some additional lamps for your desk, along with a motion sensor light switch when you want to change the mood a bit.

Keep down the clutter

Image via: Peter Murdock

Keep down the clutter.

There are some rooms in the house that, since there are only one or two people who frequent it, there is a temptation to just toss things in it and shut the door. Don’t allow your office to become one of those places. Make sure to file your paperwork, hang up things rather than lay them on the furniture and when it comes to electronic equipment like your desktop and printer, place them close to an outlet so that the cords are not in the way.

Incorporate little “touches”.

We all know the saying: “Little things mean a lot”. As you’re putting your final touches on your office, don’t forget to hang some art on your walls, to bring in a plant or two and to add a couple of soy candles for the sake of aromatherapy (rosemary and peppermint are great for fatigue; sandalwood and jasmine build self-confidence; rosewood and grapefruit help to relieve stress). When you’ve created a professional space that’s both warm and inviting, you know you’ve got the perfect home office.

For more home office ideas on Stagetecture, click here.