Home office design ideas for a more productive you
Having good home office design ideas will set the scene for a more productive you.
For example, how do you go about setting up a home office that will meet your professional needs, but still stand up to the ordeals of a home with children ?
As you would be fully aware, nothing is sacred to little hands !
Certainly there’s no easy answer here, but the following home office design ideas, tricks and tips may help.
It’s well worth remembering that lots of families have either one or both parents working at home, so it’s a challenge which requires perhaps more balancing than even working outside the home. However, it’s a worthwhile challenge.
When setting up a home office, while contending with curious little children, the following are some ideas for home office furniture you may want to consider.
Home office design ideas in relation to desks
You can set a desk and chair in front of a window and fill an empty corner with a tall bookcase. Keep the furniture in sync with the existing pieces so it blends seamlessly with the entire look.
It doesn’t matter whether your home office desk is in the corner of a room or has its own room entirely, when setting up a home office, you should try to pick a desk that has rounded edges as well as sturdy drawers that can be locked, particularly since there will be documents that children should not get into.
Please don’t think that your home office will be “off limits” actually working, especially if you have small, curious children.
File cabinets are needed when setting up a home office. As with home office desks, the same with filing cabinets. Perhaps more so. Heavy cabinet drawers can be pulled out and actually crush a small child, so ensure you have locks that work, or have latches that are difficult to open.
Computer equipment – Again, make certain that your business computer is kept where little children can’t get into it. Lock it away into an armoire desk or perhaps even consider locking up your office at night.
Chairs – A wise investment is a solid home office chair that youngsters would have a difficult time tumbling over. Our advice is to be wary of regular office chairs as kids love chairs that spin – it’s a simple fact.
However, you’ll be very angry if they go round and round and you find they actually stop after knocking your coffee over a stack of important papers.
As you go about building your own home office don’t forget that childproofing your office is important. But expect a problem from time to time and be proactive by keeping items they shouldn’t touch out of sight – and mind!
Other home office design ideas and safety requirements
Your office furniture should be arranged to provide plenty of maneuvering space. Keep the path to your office door and windows clear, just in case of emergency.
In addition, don’t forget to keep all computer cords and wires involved with office equipment neatly concealed behind desks or under specialized “runs” on the carpet. These are designed to minimize the potential for trip and fall accidents.
When getting the measurements of your home office room – take care ! A 10-foot desk might be the perfect desk for an executive, but you’ll have a big problem if your home office is only 8 feet in width.
Your executive office furniture should not only be be functional but attractive.
However, the first place to start is your home office furniture budget which will determine how much you can afford to spend on your home computer desk.
If you going to be spending a lot of time at your desk, or on the phone, then without doubt you should be looking at ergonomic furniture.
Something that is becoming more and more popular is the ancient art of Feng Shui interior design to help make your home office not only more inviting but to assist with the ‘flow’ of your office.
Of course, home office security is just smart business practice and you should protect yourself against every eventuality.
One of the most important pieces of home office furniture is the home office desk chair. It’s something that you really can’t afford to skimp on.
Once you have taken the plunge and decided to work from home you are going to need to consider your working environment.
Too many people think that working from home means that they can effectively handle phone calls from the kitchen table, or work well into the night cuddled up in front of the television.
And while you may be able to get away with this type of working style once in awhile, you will need to design a home office space that is effective and efficient.
A well designed home office will allow you to be more organized, more productive and definitely more professional. There are a few things that you will need to consider when you are designing your space. Do you entertain clients in your office? If so, you will want a separate entrance to your home office.
It is not very professional to have clients walk through your kitchen with dirty dishes in the sink in order to get to your office.
Even if you do not host clients in your office, you should strongly consider the benefits of having a separate space for your office.
You will feel more professional if you have a designated room or space for your office rather than a corner of the living room. This will also allow you to tune out distractions such as the children, or the television.
When you are working, close the door and focus on work.
Some things that you will need to consider are furniture, organization, lighting and ventilation. You will need to equip your office to suit your needs and for most people this means that you will need the standard desk.
When designing home office design ideas your desk does not need to be fancy; in fact as long as it suits your needs, you can get away with a very simple table.
Storage is also very important when considering home office design ideas for a home office. Do not underestimate the power of a quality file cabinet and a good organizing system. If you have a lot of books a shelving system will go along way.
When considering home office design ideas you must consider high quality lighting which is essential in your home office. You may need to install a better overhead light as most residential lights will not put out quality light that is needed for an office.
Adequate lighting is essential for a comfortable and ergonomically sound working environment.
Ventilation is also important, as you will need to work in a comfortable environment. If your space gets hot in the summer months, invest in air conditioning or a fan.
Last but not least, do not forget to make your home office inviting for you to come to work. Put up a few pieces of artwork or some prints, bring in some house plants or fresh flowers and create an environment that is not only functional, but enjoyable to be in as well.
When setting up a home office remember that you’re going to be spending 8 – 10 hours per day in there.
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