As work from home becomes the new norm, questions arise on the ideal remote workstation. Work from home definitely offers a lot more comfort. It cuts off on your painstaking daily commute, it allows you to watch your kids and spend more time with family.
However, it can also be equally challenging. While lounging on the couch with the laptop may seem tempting. The arrangement may do more harm than help in the long run.
Well, you definitely wouldn’t want your productivity level to plummet, would you?
Have you considered a home office yet?
Why Build A Home Office?
In Kerala, the concept of a separate home office or a designated home office space is still alien to many. If you are building a new house, you better consider this prospect.
(If you already have a home, don’t worry! We have exciting home office ideas for you as well.)
Where To Locate Your Home Office?
Where you decide to set up your home office is critical. While considering the various home office ideas, give in thought on the kind of work you do and the amount of space it would require. In many cases, more than one person in the house may work from home. In this case, you would need a space that addresses the other person’s requirement as well.
Often, a trend observed is to just cram up the study/workstation in any available space. Well, then it would be impossible for you to spend your hours productively when you work from home.
What do you love? A desk with a soothing garden view or a zero-distraction zone. Will you have clients visiting you? In that case, you may need a separate room with additional seating.
What liberty of space does your plan allow? Do you have space constraints? Then you could definitely try out some creative home office ideas.
Hallways and landings which are often deemed unusable, the nook below the staircase are some spaces that can become great workstations. You can even set up a separate outbuilding or a garden office. The options are many.
What are the Factors to Consider while Designing a Home Office?
Picking the Perfect Colour
Colours can have a great influence on your mood and productivity. Always pick out a colour that inspires you to work from home and makes you feel energetic. While beige and off white dominate the usual office colour palette, do not hesitate to try something more vibrant. This needn’t be boring. In fact, it must be anything but boring.
Some commonly recommended colours are – Yellow, Lime Green, Teal, Blue-Gray, Brown, Light Blue, Purple and Orange. One of these colours could dominate the focus wall or the wall you face. On the contrary, you could also choose to go with wallpapers. This option also allows an easy change when you get bored.
Getting the Lighting Right
Lighting in the home office requires careful consideration and planning. While incorporating various home office ideas, make sure that the positioning of the lights is appropriate.
Too little light could strain the eye while wrongly positioned light could cause glare on the laptop screens which is undesirable. In case of natural light, ensure that the windows are at right angles to the desk. This will avoid the glare.
Other lighting options are ambient lighting (natural room lighting) and task lighting (desk lamps). Again, you must carefully position these lights to avoid unpleasant shadows on the desk. One option is to use low-glare LEDs as downlights. Also, avoid using a glossy finish for the desk and other furniture as these may create glares.
Choosing the Right Gear
Office space must be highly functional. For this, it is absolutely necessary to choose the right gear. You need adequate storage, a work desk that offers enough space and a comfortable chair. However, you mustn’t overdo the space either. Balance is important. In fact, a cluttered space may even hinder your productivity.
The best way to tackle this is to get multi-functional furniture and maximize your wall space utilization. Smart storage, wall-mounted desks, wall-mounted cabinets etc are concepts that pave the way for some interesting home office ideas.
Another important aspect to consider while choosing your work from home gear is ergonomics. Poor ergonomics leads to poor productivity and health. To avoid this, ensure that you purchase an ergonomic chair which allows you to adjust its height with respect to the work desk and also provides proper back support. This may cost you a bit now but will save you from huge medical expenses in the future.
Image Courtesy: https://www.samford.edu/healthprofessions/
Creating an Inspiring Space
Beyond everything, your home office must inspire you to work. It must be a space that motivates you to put your best foot forward.
For this, add on some elements to your workspace that will surely inspire you. You could bring in some life with greenery. Add a few indoor plants and get inspired as you watch them grow.
You could set up a notice board to keep track of your goals and deadlines. Put up some quotes which motivate you to keep going on a dull day. Surround the space with books, puzzles and music you could turn to for breaks.
While planning your remote workspace, always remember that all home office ideas are a means to boost your productivity and help you work better. Always stick with a design which describes you!
It is indeed quite difficult to get a designer who completely understands what you desire.
But you don’t have to worry anymore. You are already at the right place. Our designers are devoted to making your dreams come true.
Makeshift Home Office Ideas for an Existing Home
If you do not already have a designated space to work from home, you can always set up one. The equipment you require is minimal. While choosing the location, do consider the home office ideas mentioned above for optimal results.
- Select a spot wherein you are less likely to face a lot of interruption and distraction.
- Make sure the area has good network coverage and easy access to plug points.
- Get a desk or a stool which can accommodate your laptop and other gears. You could also purchase DIY wall-mountable desks and fix it in a suitable location. Another option is a foldable desk.
- Select a comfortable chair which matches the height of the desk. Make sure the chair provides proper back support.
- Also, ensure that the lighting is sufficient. If not, get a desk lamp with a low-glare LED.
- To add some life, you could also add a small plant to your desk. In addition, if you have a block wire mesh lying around, you could also use this to set up a notice board to keep track of your goals.
And there you go! Your makeshift home office is ready.