Top 5 Tips For 2020 Home Office Design
With cold weather approaching and home centered living not going away anytime soon, your home office should be an oasis now more than ever.
That’s why I’m helping my clients in Fairfield and Westchester County redesign their home office spaces to be more functional and more enjoyable.
One of the changes that 2020 brought, is the fact that we are using our office spaces very differently. Prior to Covid-19, a lot of people used their home base simply as a place to catch up on work. Once working at home became full-time, many of us discovered that our improvised home setups just didn’t cut it.
A common problem I hear, is that these insufficient work areas have become more cluttered and as a result, more stressful.
We just weren’t set up properly for working full-time from home thus our spaces did not work efficiently. Not to worry though, it’s nothing that a little redesign cannot overcome.
1
A reflection of you
It’s okay if you work in a defined office or a designated area in a shared room. In either case your work space should reflect your personality. Unlike in a corporate setting where you may have little or no control over your office decor, take this opportunity to show your style. Why? Because when a room makes you happy, it helps to inspire you and you’ll get more work done.
2
Designated space
Your office should be well defined so you can shut out distractions. If you have a dedicated home office, that's great. But if you do not, carve out a defined space that you can set up specifically for work during the day. This way you can really focus and concentrate. This will inevitably lead to more a productive work life.
3
Have a seat
One of the most important elements in your office is your chair. What are you using? Is it suitable for sitting in for short periods or comfortable enough to sit in for hours? Trending now are great desk chairs that are ergonomic. If you spend a lot of time at your desk, this is perhaps one of the best investments you will make. Other trends are standing desks and bicycle desks. Both help keep you comfortable and engaged.
4
Zoom friendly
I don’t know about you but every time I see reporters broadcast from their homes, I’m always checking out the room in the background. The point being, that the rest of us should take note of what people are seeing in the background when you do Zoom calls. Is it messy, is it neat, what does it say about me and my business? Does it help me or hinder me? Give it some thought and do your Zoom calls with a pleasant background that supports your brand. (Scroll down to Quirky Tips for a cool trick for backgrounds.)
5
Cozy & comfy
This is your home so instead of chatting with other people, perhaps around the coffee maker, you’ll be interacting with others in your household. But you still need to take some breaks.
You can do that by mowing your lawn 🙂 but being able to regroup and recharge right within your work space keeps you in the work frame of mind. For this, I recommend that your space be inviting by adding guest and accent chairs. This will help you not only integrate your office into your home environment but also help you recharge, all the while adding comfort and style. And don't forget some plants to give your office a warm feeling and help oxygenate your air.
All of this sounds very simple but first we must acknowledge that at this time we truly deserve and need to be thoughtful about our home offices. You’ll be happier and get more accomplished if you do.
You can do this yourself with these top 5 tips or if you want to take it a step further I can help you with traditional Interior Design or E-Design services. My E-designs services can help you set up a new work space with very little effort. Feel free to reach out to kellydesigns anytime for more info or to set up a consultation.
For additional reading:
To warm up your space - Best Green Plants Faux and Real
Bring summer sunlight indoors – Purchase the perfect lighting
Confined yet cozy - Ideas to make your nest its best
How to style your bookshelf
More resources:
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