According to Australian bureau of statistics 1 in 12 Australians are working from home, and one of the main reasons for that is to achieve work-life balance. With the increasing number of home-based worker the demands for better home office designs are also growing. When the whole work-from-home craze started, all that you needed was a laptop and a place to sit, but now the workers are expecting to have a full-blown office to meet their needs. Luckily, turning an unused room in your house into an office, as it turns out, is not at all complicated. All you need is some time, creativity, the right tools and a smaller sum of cash. If you are feeling lost, here is our guide to the perfect home office to inspire great deeds.
The Painted Path to Productivity
Painting the office is one of the easiest and most affordable way to update the room’s decor and prepare it for further designing endeavours. When you are choosing the colours, keep in mind that they can affect your productivity, both negatively and positively.
The colour intensity is also important – the higher the saturation, the more stimulative the space is, but try to not go overboard with high-saturated shades, because you will need something to sooth your mind, too. Blue is the best shade for focus and inspiring productivity, but green and yellow have their perks too.
Inspiring Lighting
Similar to colours, lighting can also affect how you feel and how productive you are. In that case, it would be best to have as much natural light in the room as you can. Choose a room with a large window to be your office, and preferably with a view on green surface or tree, to be even more focused. If your future office, however, lacks the access to natural light, try to compensate that by layering your lighting sources, instead of opting for a single intense overhead bulb. Use desk, floor and wall lamps, not only as sources of artificial light, but also as decorative elements.
Where the Actual Work Is Done
The most important part of your home office is your desk. If you are planning to spend long hours working, you have to make it comfortable. The desk should be of the appropriate height (you should be able to keep your elbows on it at a 90 degrees angle, without feeling discomfort). According to experts for office furniture from Melbourne, to avoid stressing the structures in the spine and developing back problems, you should acquire a quality ergonomic chair, with an adjustable seat and lumbar support cushion. Also, if you are spending hours in front of the computer screen, you should install anti glare screen protector to prevent eye fatigue and headaches. An ergonomic keyboard will make the typing much easier.
Keep, Store and Organize
Storing all the necessary office supplies and items is a frequent issue for people designing their home office, but it is not as complicated as it seems. An office desk with plenty of drawers will be helpful, but you can also install vertical (open) shelving, use labelled bins, boxes and baskets to store documents, papers, etc., and turn to some interesting DIY projects to keep your office organized, such as mason jars pencil holders, drawer dividers, wall organizers, hanging notepad, etc.
The Link with the Rest of the House
You should not lose sight that this is an office in your home, and therefore its decor should be cohesive with the rest of the rooms in the house. A soft rug will make your working area feel more like home and less like a sterile cubicle where you go to produce money. Light and flowing curtains have the same purpose. Enhance that atmosphere with photographs of your family, your children’s drawings, or simply add some piece of art on the wall. If you find pictures and words inspiring, hang some motivational posters on the wall (‘You can do it’; ‘Hang in there kitty’…). Add some accessories (wall clock, figurines, vases, etc.) that will tie the office look with the rest of the house. Some fresh flowers on the desk will surely make the working hours much easier.
Designing a home office is actually easy, and working in a well designed home office is even easier. So, roll up your sleeves and start revamping that empty room today.