Home Office Ideas: 6 Interior Design and Layout Tips

Working from home? Here are some fresh home office ideas to help you feel more comfortable and boost your efficiency.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people are working from home. Those among us who are freelancers, digital nomads, or who had progressive employers may have already been used to the idea of remote work. However, the majority of people found themselves in a quite new and unusual situation. 

Then, there’s also the question of space and how to possibly squeeze a home office in a home that is already too small for everything you want to do. 

And lastly, you might be wondering how to get motivated to work from home in the first place. 

All of these issues, as well as some others, can easily be solved by employing sound design principles to your home office. 

“Yes”, you might say, “but who has time and money to deal with such things in times like these?!” We understand that you’re maybe feeling overwhelmed by everything that is going on and don’t have the head space or energy to make big changes in your home. 

So we’ve made it easy for you: We’ve talked with interior design experts, and seasoned working-from-home pros to compile this list of home office ideas, just for you:

Home Office Benefits

There is a difference between making a choice to work from home and having no alternative due to external factors, such as a pandemic in this case. But even if you’re not thrilled to work from home, there are some advantages of having a home office that you may have not thought about:  

• Unless you’re lucky (or important) enough to have a private office at work, you’ll likely have to handle a lot of distraction. That colleague who insists on sharing every life detail while you’re trying to focus, or others talking on the phone, etc. When you’re working at home you don’t have to deal with all of this, thus you can have more peace and quiet to think, and be more productive. 
  
• Working from home gives you more opportunity to plan your time around your personal rhythms. Some people prefer to work earlier in the morning and then enjoy the rest of the day, while others opt to work into the evening. 
  
• Unless your work involves a lot of video conferences, you don’t have to worry about what to wear – saving time in the mornings. (And even if you do have lots of video conferences, you only have to worry about your top half!)

Home Office Tips 

1. Location, location, location

It’s important to think about the area where you are going to set up your home office. 

Consider several factors: How much space you have at home and also how much time you spend working. Also whether you are living alone or you share an apartment with friends or family.

If you need peace to work then the best thing is to turn a small separate room or a garage into an office, making sure that you have enough space for home office furniture.  

A lot of people who have a yard also opt for a home office garden room. This is a fantastic idea if it is possible because being surrounded by greenery significantly improves your mood and increases productivity.  

2. Make sure you have enough space 

This is sometimes easier said than done, especially if you have a small home. However, it’s important to be comfortable and have enough space for all the necessary accessories and to be able to move around.  

Having the sensation that you are locked in some kind of box can make you depressed and unmotivated. To make sure that you have enough space for your home office, interior designers recommend the space measures at least 1.5m in width and 2.1 in depth.  

Space for manoeuvre is also important so you can take regular breaks to stretch or workout, resetting and regaining energy for increased productivity and focus.

3. Make sure that the space is bright 

We all know that light affects us in different ways. For example, some studies have been carried out to understand how environmental factors affect our productivity and work. The results showed that poor lighting contributes to drowsiness and feelings of weakness, as well as depression. So good home office lighting is critical.  

Bear in mind that there are different types of lights for different purposes. For example, ambient light can be useful when you need to read to concentrate; custom light is excellent in preventing eye strain, and so on. Think about the main thing you are doing in your home office and choose the light accordingly.  

4. Paint the walls 

Similar to lighting, there is a clear link between wall colours and our mood. We may have experience of choosing paint colours for our living rooms or bedrooms, but what colour is best for a home office? 

Well, the first step is to know what you want to achieve. For example, if we are talking about a small home office then bright colours are ideal; if cosiness is what you’re aiming for then warm colours are a good option. If your work causes you to be under a lot of stress then soothing shades are helpful.  

5. Choose the right furniture 

You’ve probably heard many times that i’s important to have proper home office furniture sets. 

Sitting in front of a computer for a long time can cause back and neck pain. These are not serious problems, but are unpleasant, and can worsen over time. Yet, they are perfectly preventable if you have appropriate home office furniture.  

Most important is an adequate office chair – one that is not only comfortable, but adjustable as well.  When choosing a desk, think about all the things you are going to keep on it. For example, if you are working on a PC you need a wider desk than if you are using a laptop.  

6. Think about your storage needs 

Often a concern when designing a home office is where to find space for documents, stationery and other necessary things. Many of us end up with a bunch of papers scattered around or loads of boxes under the table. And then we are faced with the cruel truth that a messy environment dramatically decreases productivity.  

The best thing you can do to prevent this from happening is to think about what you need to access most frequently and the flow of your average day. This will help you realise what things you can keep on home office bookshelves and what needs to be within reach.  

Final Word

The most important when setting up a home office is that you follow your inner feeling and create a space that reflects your personality. It’s too easy to focus solely on the functional needs and overlook the details that will make it an enjoyable place to spend time in. 

It’s always good to add a few touches that have sentimental value, that can make you more comfortable and motivated.