Home Sweet Office: Must-Have Design Tips for Today’s Remote Workforce

As the coronavirus pandemic marches on, record numbers of Americans have continued to set up shop in their homes.

Many people were suddenly thrust into working remotely and didn’t have the luxury of setting up a perfect home office space equipped with upscale furnishings and the latest high-tech devices. Having a dedicated room for your office is ideal, but you can also make the dining room table, guest room, or even your kitchen island work. Whether you scrambled to set up a makeshift remote workspace or you’ve been working from home for years, there are plenty of things you can do to spruce up your home office design.

Read on as we share our favorite secrets for a home-based work area that’s made for comfort, motivation, and productivity.

Let the light shine in. If possible, set up your home office where there’s ample natural light. Not only does natural light improve productivity and engagement, but it’s also been shown to reduce eye strain, frequency of headaches, and lethargy while working. To avoid having a glare on your computer screen, it’s best if the light enters from in front of or beside your desk, rather than from behind. If your office space has minimal natural light or none at all, ample artificial lighting becomes crucial. A single desk lamp won’t do the job. Incorporating various light fixtures into the interior design of your work area can be a great way to disperse light throughout the room. For example, task lighting can illuminate a specific area when you need to focus on tedious projects and important documents, while the soft light from a table lamp can add a warm, calming glow to the entire room. Avoid using harsh, bright white, cool lighting, such as fluorescent, which can be visually disquieting.

Choose functional, supportive furniture. Poorly structured work areas and equipment can result in numerous physical issues, such as back pain, muscle strain, stiffness, frequent headaches, and more. You can avoid common issues like these by incorporating ergonomic furnishings into your home office design. For example, there’s a reason that standing desks have become standard fixtures in offices around the world over the last decade. A recent survey shared in US News & World Reports revealed that nearly 60% of employers now either provide or help employees procure standing desks, and they’re popular for home offices, too. The Varidesk, for instance, allows users to quickly adjust from sitting to standing, providing health benefits and improved focus. When choosing your office chair, opt for one that supports your back for good posture and has adjustable features so that you can raise or lower it to a comfortable height. If you sit for a majority of the workday, choose one with a memory foam seat. Do you do a lot of typing? Consider getting an ergonomic keyboard, mouse, and mouse pad to reduce hand and wrist pain.

Incorporate elements of feng shui. Start by placing your desk in “command position”, which symbolizes positivity and taking charge of your life. Ideally, it should be located as far away from the door as possible and not directly in front of it so that the energy can flow without interruption.

Avoid placing your desk so that it’s facing the wall, which can feel confining and claustrophobic. Colors also have an important effect on the room’s energy and overall harmony, so choose them carefully. Consider incorporating green, which symbolizes growth and new beginnings, or white, which represents creativity and clarity. Attract positive energy into the space by displaying reminders of the goals and success you hope to achieve. This could be in the form of artwork that inspires you, motivational quotes, diplomas, awards, or anything else that you associate with success.

Don’t get too cozy. There’s a delicate balance between feeling comfortable in your home office and wanting to spend your entire workday on the sofa. One popular option is to add a dedicated comfy chair in your home office that’s used just for break times. As you arrange your space, aim to make it comfortable enough to work in for an extended time but not so relaxing that you lose focus.

Keep your workspace clean and free of clutter. While it’s nice to work in the comfort of your own home, little messes here and there can easily become distracting chaos that impedes your efficiency. Having ample storage for work-related documents and supplies is a simple yet effective way to keep your office area clutter-free.

Having a designated home office space helps separate your personal life from your work life. Free from distractions and interruptions, it also makes it easier to stay focused during work hours. That doesn’t mean you can’t occasionally take your ‘office’ on the road, to an outdoor coffee shop, or even to the beach for a change of scenery, but having an organized, attractive workspace is the key to long-term productivity.

The right home office improvements can enhance its appearance, improve your comfort, and boost your productivity.

To learn more about how to transform your residential workspace, please contact our helpful team of professionals.

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