How to Create a Functional Home Office

Working from home is often lauded as an ideal scenario. But, without the right environment, it can be much more distracting, less comfortable and otherwise difficult when compared to traditional office work. That is why you need to design a space which will help your work ethic and ability to get stuff done. 

Which is why, when creating a functional home office, you may want to consider some of the following design factors for the best result: 

Make it Ergonomic 

An office needs to follow a few rules in order to be a healthy place to work, especially when it comes to your posture and how you sit at your desk. This is where you need to apply some of the rules of an ergonomic workspace. A good desk chair is a key to this, as the better your chair is at supporting your posture. And it is also important to ensure that your feet are fully resting on the floor. Your body should be in sharp lines wherever possible, rather than slouched or sat unnaturally. 

Losing moisture in your eyes throughout the day is a concern, but one you can avoid if you position your chair and computer at an appropriate eye level. If the top of your computer is aligned with your eye, then you should naturally slightly close your eyes as you scan the page – which then should moisten your eyes as you read. 

Use Natural Light

One of the biggest drawbacks of working in a corporate office is that often you are stuck in a cubicle or a large space, far away from any natural light. This is obviously quite depressing and can affect our work. If you want to ensure productivity and feeling good in a workspace, then it is important to include lots of light – and natural light at that. Especially when typically your instinct will be to replicate the dark nature of traditional offices. 

Instead of placing your desk in the darkest, deepest, corner, try and place it as close to the window as possible. Give yourself a workspace with a view whenever physically possible! Of course, the window space isn’t always the most convenient for several reasons–power outlets, etc.–but, you should aim to be as close to it as possible. 

Good lighting can help stop your eyes from straining, as well as keeping you happy during the winter months (light being in poor supply at this point in the year). 

Storage Options 

Overall, storage is a key factor in any office space; including the home office. So you need to create good storage in the room without potentially overtaking, distracting or being aesthetically displeasing. Filing cabinets, for example, should be a no go. 

Visual storage can be attractive, especially if you have a lot of supplies for crafting or anything similar to that. Open shelves full of cloth, paints or anything like that can be a decorative piece in itself, as well as functional. Just make sure the storage is functional, as well as attractive. As high shelving you can’t reach might look nice but will make your day to day work difficult. 

A good idea is always to install large bookcases, especially ones that will be big enough to create a great background for your conference calls. But make sure you don’t overstuff or make these look too busy, as it can quickly clutter your office and goes against the point of good storage. 

Create a Comfort Zone 

Being comfortable is not something you may necessarily consider important in an office. However, it can be vitally important to have a break-out space to relax and sometimes feel a little more comfortable in your own space. A desk is a workspace for actively doing tasks, but you also need somewhere to read and potentially take a break from your more intense activities. 

This can be fairly basic, a piece of crushed velvet furniture such as a couch could work here completed with some soft cushion sets. Or you could create a full reading nook, with a seat and overhanging reading lamp to match the aesthetic you want from your home office.

Beanbags are also always a good option when aiming to create something a little more comfortable in a given space. They also offer an entirely different experience to a desk, so can present the perfect escape in many scenarios. Get yourself a beanbag and work in a level of comfort you only dreamed of before…

Last Tip… 

Though these are functional ways to outfit your home office, it is also important to remember your style. Functionality without enjoyment is fine, but it won’t make you want to use the office! Add some artwork, include plants and potentially give it your own flair (creating a mural of your life, for example). 

At the end of the day, you want to use your home office as a functional space but also one where you can feel relaxed and surrounded by luxury homeware. Work is already stressful enough without it radiating through your office!