Once a rarity, the home office is a landmark of our evolving culture. Many of us today work at home, at least part of the time. Putting some time and effort into your home office design can boost your creativity and productivity.
Whether you need a full-time office to run your freelancing or property business…or an efficient corner to pay bills, answer emails and lay out the family schedules, these design ideas will help you plan and create spaces that stimulate productivity, enhance creativity and allow you to work in your pyjamas.
- Don’t have a spare room? What about an underused loft or basement?
- Use a stairway or bank of cabinets to divide the space so that storage area can be separated from working space.
- Bring in natural light with skylights in attics and with below grade windows with exterior window wells for basements.
- A light, neutral colour palette can make a smaller space feel less cramped.
- Small scale minimalist furnishings can also play up the distinctiveness of a “found” space.
Work Inspired Design Style!
When it comes to imparting your style to your home office design, look to the work you do for inspiration.
When I first met my partner, he was a young building contractor working out of a converted shed behind his house. Skylights flooded the painted clapboard room with natural light. A sheet of finished plywood on sawhorses made a perfect drafting table, while door blanks set on file cabinets provided lots of desk space. Antique tools from second-hand stores and framed photos of projects lined the walls.
His natural office design was professional, appropriate and charming.
Web-Designer….landscape architect. Or just like ART?
A great tip from my friend at Best4Frames, who even sell quirky square picture frames for design proposes, was decorating with photos and framed art work. How about hang some framed prints of clients’ homepages above your desk? Letting client presentations and botanical reference books add to the ambiance of your design? They suggested that:
“You could use picture frames to showcase some fantastic designs, photos, and art that speaks volumes about your work”.
If you bring your work home a couple days each week, consider creating an office in a seldom used guest bedroom, one end of a large family room or a master bedroom alcove.
The secret here is to delineate the space with area rugs, spot lighting and furniture groupings for working meetings. Again, you can use a piece of furniture, like an entertainment centre or hutch, to separate your home office in a shared space.
Finally, remember to keep the home in your home office Design. Extend the personality you’ve infused into your unique Interior Design style through to your home office.
Taking time with home office design will give you a soothing, harmonious working space where you can do your best and realize your highest potential.
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