Guest Blogger: Tips to Design your Personalized Computer Study Area

Guest Blogger #575, Entry #1313, June18, 2012

You’ve found either a subject in school or a career trajectory that you’re passionate about, and you want to set up an environment that will help you excel. Well, congratulations! Many people go through their whole lives without finding something that fills them with such a level of interest and excitement that they’re willing to put in whatever amount of work it takes to be successful. But now you need an area where you can stay focused and get the work done, and that’s your computer study room. But if you’re designing it from scratch, you may not know quite how to begin. What turns a spare room, a finished attic, or even an extra few feet of the garage into a proper study room? Here are some design essentials to get your started.

Tips for creating an inviting study area

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Give your space a facelift

First off, you should consider painting the space a different color than the rest of the house, as a way of designating it for study. A cool blue or neutral tone could help you keep calm and focus in on your work. Or you could go with a bright, wilder color to inspire your creativity. Outside of the color of the study room, consider additions to the walls that help you work effectively. Chalkboard paint is a great option, so you can keep track of projects or just brainstorm. If you don’t want to give up a whole wall to chalkboard paint, or don’t have the space, you could hang a small chalkboard or use a dry erase whiteboard. Finish off the wall work with posters or paintings that inspire you, either quotes from your favorite public figures, or images that remind you why you are working so hard in the first place.

Bring in inspiring furniture

Now that the walls are handled, it’s time to think about the furniture. It all starts with the right desk. You need a desk that sits at the proper height, and has space for everything you regularly study with. It doesn’t have to be huge, so don’t despair if the room is small. There are hideaway desks that actually have a built in chair, or desktops that raise up to reveal storage for all of your devices. Regardless of which way you go with it, make sure it’s situated so everything you need is within reach. Consider classic, wooden pieces if that’s your aesthetic, or sleek, modern pieces if you want that cutting edge look. The chair should be comfortable for long hours of sitting. You should probably splurge on something that’s ergonomically designed, to avoid neck and back troubles, and make sure it can raise up to position your hands comfortably on a keyboard. Finish it off with an adjustable lamp that you can turn up for reading or turn down for viewing videos or tutorials.

Create a study space you will love

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Choose technology that matches your study lifestyle

Now it’s time to turn your attention to the technology. Choices here will all come down to how you work most effectively. Do you need a traditional telephone, or are you comfortable with a cellphone and a wireless headset? Whichever direction you go, make sure you can silence or turn off the phone when you don’t want to be disturbed. Studying is the focus of this space, not chatting with your friends. On the computing side, you can go for a tower computer or a laptop. That decision may be predicated by the space you have available. Make sure you can fit the computer with a screen protector, not only to avoid scratches, but also to help prevent eyestrain. And if you do go with a laptop, consider adding a wireless mouse and keyboard. You’ll be spending quite a long time at that computer, and you want using it to be as effortless as possible. Finish it off with a filing cabinet that fits your needs and a bookshelf for all of your reference materials, and you should be good to go.

For more home office ideas on Stagetecture, click here.