The WOW House-
design inspiration for your home
In the new reality, having a home office is no longer an option, it’s a must.
Bespoke joinery designs offer infinite bespoke possibilities- allowing for truly customised, unique and personal home offices to exist. Having said that, we have also created home offices with off the shelf furniture that look amazing and function very well.
Here’s a list of key things to consider when creating a home office:
1) Identify a workspace.
2) Create a multi-purpose home office if space is an issue.
3) Maximise your vertical space.
4) Get organised.
5) Consider both natural and ambient lighting.
6) Consider ergonomic furniture for the best set-up.
7) Consider colour, temperature, noise & scent.
Let’s dive into the details.
Is there a low-traffic, quiet area of your house or apartment that you could use for a home office? Think of any empty corners that you could fit a small desk. Or see if there’s a spare closet you could convert into a workspace.
Sometimes, it just isn’t possible to create a separate home office. When this is the case, sometimes your spaces and furniture become multi-purpose. You can designate a section of your kitchen table to function as your desk during the workday. You can even place a thin desk behind a sofa or in a wide hallway to maximise your workspace.
If space is at a premium think of these ideas below that will help turn a small area into a functional office:
- Fold-down desks- usually they’re wall mounted
- Floating desk- this is really more suitable for occasional working on a laptop;
- Install floating shelves of bookcases above your desk to storage office supplies etc.
- Use a pegboard to hang accessories, organisers etc.
- Invest in convertible furniture- a desk that can convert into a dining table or a cabinet with a built-in desk
- Think of a corner desk that can maximise the working space in small areas
- Think what kind of under-desk storage you can fit- rolling carts or small filing cabinets;
- Use drawer organisers- we love these- it takes much less time to find anything if you have a drawer organiser;
- Use some form of a room divider to create a home office for the time you need to work; you can also do that with a set of bookshelves that will also provide storage;
This is a good example of how to make the most of the vertical space with extra shelving. Remember to tie the finishes together so the area looks consistent and well thought-through.
Add shelving units on the walls for additional storage. Floating shelves are stylish and functional, and they can be used to display books or houseplants. Maximising your wall space gives you more floor space to work with, so you can arrange your furniture in a layout that fits the room.
Clutter can make a small space feel even smaller, and even a bit chaotic. Look for a sleek desk that has built-in storage. Or hang a pegboard or wall organiser to organise miscellaneous items.
Consider how to hide messy tech leads and bulky equipment- who likes seeing cables?
The easiest but probably most expensive way is to have custom joinery and furniture with false backs and cable management systems where everything can be tucked away.
There are easier solutions which include cable concealers, cable ties and clips and cable management boxes that can be added to the existing furniture.
You can also be creative and use hollow books, decorative boxes and baskets to store cables neatly. I use that solution in my small home office area; I also placed a lovely decorative cushion to cover the cables. The basket is positioned strategically as well close to the main socket.
Above: Two different types of home offices: the first is a dedicated small office located in a box room; we chose an l-shape desk to maximise the surface space which also allowed our client to have both the screen and the laptop; the photo below shows a home office set up in a guest bedroom- when not in use it works as a lovely sofa, and when needed it folds down as a bed.
Ergonomic desk and office chair at the foundation of creating a productive home office space- everyone should check the height of the desk you have in mind and ideally get an adjustable office chair with a good back support. The screen should be at approximately 750mm from your face at the eye level- if you take that as a rule, you should measure whether the desk would allow for this. A typical desk height is 750mm but you might need a desk that’s a bit taller or slightly shorter, depending on your height. Some desks have drawers underneath which might be uncomfortable for some people.
Your home office will likely be used for a variety of tasks – from working on a laptop or computer, to writing at your desk. You need task lighting to provide focused light exactly where you need it. Desk lamps are ideal for this purpose. Models like the UnoLamp Table are flexible and have different brightness options. This means you can adjust them to suit the task at hand.
The general lighting in your workspace is typically provided by ceiling lights, wall fixtures and windows. It’s the base layer you start with, and ideally, it’ll offer an even level of illumination. If not, installing blinds can help diffuse the light.
With accent lighting, you can highlight key architectural details and items in your home office. If you have uplifting artwork, photos or awards, this kind of lighting will help them stand out. Your accent lighting could be a floor lamp, a wall-mounted light, or picture lights. You can choose something that matches both your needs and your décor.
Keep the air fresh, invest in scented candles that are vegan and non-toxic, ensure your home office temperature is comfortable for you- this is very personal and can vary but remember if your office space is too cold you will feel unsettled and distracted, and if it’s too hot you will feel uncomfortable and lethargic. Consider adding a colour that makes you feel good- again this is very personal but colour psychology says blue is the colour that boosts productivity, can improve concentration, stimulate thinking and provide mental clarity.
If you’d like to discuss designing your dream home office, click here to book your complimentary project audit.
