Designing Your Perfect Home Office
Here are our top tips for planning your ideal home office remodel. As experienced home renovation specialists, we’re here to provide complete remodeling services, from the overall design concept to the smallest construction detail.
Identify your priorities and plan your new home office by working through these steps:
How exactly will you use the home workspace on a typical day? Will it be used by others to work, or for client or training appointments? How much surface space do you need for work projects? Where should the computer and printer go? Will you have a standing desk? Dual Monitors? Will you need a wall space for tracking activity, goals, results, etc.? If your business grows, could you need to hire an assistant? Plan for possible increase in need and use for the office.
Choose a dedicated location that will help to avoid distractions such as noise or household chores. If you have children at home, they can learn if you are in the office and the door is closed, you are not to be disturbed. This can be changing the use of a spare bedroom, repurposing a formal dining room, enclosing a portion of a patio. If you do not need a home office for daily use, but do want an organized desk station, you may want to utilize a guest bedroom. If guest stays are short, you may want to install a murphy bed so for the bulk of the year it is out of sight, so it looks like an office of a successful professional. Our team can help you strike a balance between available space in your home and your professional requirements and priorities.
Establish your privacy and quietness needs. If possible, locate your office in a somewhat isolated area of the house. If that’s not practical in your home layout, consider using sound dampening curtains, wall insulation, and/or a white noise app to help you concentrate.
Consider your budget. Are you ready to go all out and boost your business with a completely bespoke home workspace? Are you simply aiming to make your current home office more functional and comfortable? Whether your home office remodeling budget is large or small, you’ll begin to see a return on your investment almost immediately, in increased home value, comfort, and work productivity.
Plan for proper storage. Special attention to storage design is crucial to avoid future clutter in your home office and be sure everything is nearby when you need it. Custom home office storage solutions could include items like a wall-mounted desk, built-in bookcase with integrated desk, work tables with shelving below, perfectly sized storage cubbies, and/or impressive, custom home office cabinetry.
Plan for convenient locations for electrical, telephone, and cable outlets. Have your surge protector strips easily accessible. You may want your Wi-Fi router on a switch so you can easily shut it off when not in use for security. Keep in mind electronics don’t like static (or heat), and too many hard surfaces create sound reverberation. Will you want a ceiling fan?
Consider your lighting requirements. Include natural light and proper lighting so there are no shadows. You could also use bright “daylight” light bulbs and task lamps positioned to avoid glare and eye strain.
Incorporate your décor and style while being respectful of your individual business requirements. Choose paint colors and finishes that both calm and energize you, to make working almost effortless. Consider a feature wall or cabinets painted in the wall color for a streamlined look that visually enlarges your home office space. If you will be on “video conferences,” situate your layout so what will be seen thru your computer camera in the background looks professional.
Make it happen!
