Home offices are becoming extremely popular. With the advancement of technology, most employers are offering work-at-home incentive packages. For those of us who work from home, there is no reason that our office space has to look like we’re in a work environment; it can fit into the decor of the rest of our home. Home offices are generally smaller than business offices but contain everything needed for the relevant tasks, including a computer, some sort of filing system, and in some cases a client meeting area. This is where you have to be creative in your design approach—you need to make the space work to your advantage. It doesn’t have to be extremely tidy, but it should be reflective of you are and it should be a place that inspires you to work. Before embarking on decorating your home office, you should have some ideas on how you want it to feel. Although you are working from home, you want an environment that appears professional as well as comfortable, especially if you will be having meetings at home. If the office feels too comfortable, you will be easily distracted and you won’t be able to concentrate on the tasks at hand.
A good way to start decorating your home office is to organize. Discard or recycle any unnecessary magazines, papers and old files; you want to gain control over the chaos. With all this space freed up, you can start thinking of paint color, office furnishings and lighting. I would suggest getting an ergonomic chair, because comfort and support are a must in any office chair. For paint colors, choose a color that’s not overly bright and intense. Go for a more muted color like a pastel, which will provide a soothing and calm environment and not a claustrophobic one. This is especially important if there’s not much natural light coming into the room. Pay attention to your lighting; if it’s too dark, the office will feel uninviting and uninspiring. A cost-effective way to increase your lighting is to add lamps.
For inspirational ideas, cut out pictures from magazines and print out pictures from design websites. These are great resources in helping you with any design project you’re thinking about starting. You don’t need a home office that’s expensively put together; you just need a room that you can look forward to entering every morning.
Having inspirational boards in your home office can be a focal point. When working on a project, these boards can help you channel your creativity and chart your project process.
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How about this home office decor? It’s so warm and inviting with its use of brown accessories. I love the adjustable brass wall sconces; they are perfect for highlighting your work area.
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A walk out office, who wouldn’t love to work at home if this could be your home office? I can only imagine how inspired I would be in this space. Gorgeous garden office!
A desk lamp that’s adjustable is just right for a small desk area.
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If you are self-employed or your employer doesn’t require that you have client meetings at home, your office can be in the most unexpected spaces. It doesn’t have to be situated in an area that gets a lot of traffic. It can be in a closet that you’ve re-designed, underneath a staircase, or it can be a shared space in your bedroom. These spaces are typically small, so having your office supplies hung on the wall with colorful holders or boards can make it a more inspirational space to work.
This office is sandwiched between closets. Using wall-mounted organizers keeps everything neat and tidy and eliminates a lot of clutter from the desk.
A gorgeous corner office with a view!
You can have your home office in an area where all the activity is, like in the kitchen. Here, a ledge is built underneath a window. When not used as part of an office, it provides additional countertop space. How creative is that?
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Here’s a home office in a closet. Shelves above the desk and filing systems provide storage space. No space is left un-utilized. Even the doors are used to hang office supplies.
Everyone has different ways in which they approach their work and this is translated into their office space. Consider remodeling or repainting your office—the new environment will lift your spirits and improve your productivity!
Simone
