Whilst the era of working from home doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon, designing a home office that works for you has never been more important.
Are you one of the many Australians that have found themselves trying to work from your kitchen bench, or at the dining table? Even with the medley of social distancing and self-isolation measures currently in place, not all of our homes were equipped with inspiring spaces to allow us to do our jobs. With many of us questioning when exactly we can head back into the office – or indeed, if we even want to – it might be time to start considering your options when it comes to designing a home office.
Six Tips On Bringing Your Dream Office To Life
Although some clever cookies have managed to do it successfully for years, the onset of the pandemic saw many traditional workplaces close down virtually overnight. Many workers were abruptly introduced to the realities of working from home, and it’s fair to say that most weren’t prepared for it. This rings especially true for those who also face the mammoth task of juggling work and overseeing virtual learning for younger members of the household.
Thus, it’s not unreasonable to bite the bullet and start planning or designing a home office space. On a day to day basis, it should be a space that’s comfortable, functional, and allows you to get the job done. However, it’s also wildly important for maintaining work-life balance. Even for those who have managed to successfully nail remote work long before the arrival of the pandemic, there needs to be a line between your home life, and your life.
Thankfully, having a designated home office space allows you to quite literally do so, as you can still shut the door to your office and ‘power down’ for the day once 5:00pm rolls around. While the need for a well-organised, practical yet stylish working space has become somewhat of a necessity, knowing exactly what you need to do in order to achieve this can take some time to figure out – so where do you start?
Zoning Is Everything – How badly do you really need that spare room? The first step to designing a home office is all about identifying the spaces of your home by what gets the most usage and time dedicated to it. After all, surely your home office space deserves more than simply shoving a desk into a corner of the lounge room.
Consider Functionality – That bright orange velvet armchair you’ve been eying off might look truly ravishing in the corner of your new office, but how often is it going to get used? When making a plan for your space, don’t prioritise trends or design over functionality. Another example is to try using wifi based devices for things like printers to hide those pesky cords too.
Invite The Light – Does a dark or dim room inspire you? Most likely not, and nor does it encourage optimum brain function. Even if you don’t have a great deal of access to natural light, invest in a lamp or two. Not only will this warm up your working environment, but you should be able to see your keyboard relatively clearly if you have any hope of working efficiently.
Smart Storage – Let’s face it, home offices usually don’t get the largest room in the house, so when you’re looking at storage solutions – think up, not across. Vertical storage spaces, even if they’re open plan, can really help to open a space up and ensure that it doesn’t feel cluttered. It’s also worth investing in a professional office fit out if you’re permanently working from home.
Inject Colour – When designing a home office, it’s important not to forget that this space still should reflect the overall look and feel of your entire house. You’re no longer restricted to the traditional office cubicle palette of black or white, so don’t be afraid to experiment with colour. Your palette of choice will also influence the mood and general productivity of the space.
Get Inspired – Most importantly, a home office should ideally be a space that innovates you, inspires you, and be somewhere that you actually want to retreat to. Hang your artwork from your children if that’s your thing, because nobody knows what inspires you better than you. Ensure that your home office is somewhere that you want to kick some serious goals.
Designing a home office is equally about form and function, so before you start stocking up on stationary just yet, be sure to ask yourself the following as a means to establish exactly what you need from your work area. Ultimately, there is no right or wrong answer.
- How much desktop space do I need on a day to day basis?
- Will I need to print anything, and how often?
- What type of storage do I require and what for?
- Do I need to consider noise insulation for my home office?
- Am I more prone to be messy or cluttered, and how do I avoid this?
- What types of technology do I need and where?
- Do I need to store any physical files, paperwork or even books?
If the answers to these questions present more problems than they solve, then it might be time to consider investing in a professional office fit out provider – but where do you find one?
Introducing Your Home Office Fit Out Specialists
Whether you’re considering a home office fit out or even a large-scale renovation, it’s always important to speak to a professional before you start tearing down a room or home. In operation for over ten years, Brisbane based Kibo Constructions believe that quality, reliable workmanship with an honest approach shouldn’t be the exception to the rule.
With a wealth of fit out experience under our belts, our in house joinery provides access to having your very own custom home office furniture such as desks, shelves, drawers and bookshelves to fit any space or design requirements necessary. By working closely with our clients, we ensure that the entire process is both a transparent and enjoyable experience from start to finish – after all, undertaking a construction project shouldn’t be painful.
If you know that there’s an upcoming project coming up for you, your brand or your business, we would love the opportunity to provide a quote – you might be pleasantly surprised at the result. As we specialise in residential, commercial, hospitality and residential fit out options in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, please get in touch to discuss how we can bring your vision to life.