Identify a spot in your home that you can dedicate to work. Consider an unused bedroom, a corner of a living room or a spare hallway.
Add decorative office accessories that reflect your personality. These accents will inspire you and help you feel more focused throughout the day.
Add houseplants to your home office to improve air quality and enhance visual appeal. These plants are also known to relieve stress.
While a homeowners warranty coverage does not cover aesthetics of your home, you can still put time and effort into making it comfortable.
1. Use Vertical Space
Whether you designate an entire room or co-opt a corner of another, it’s easy to make a home office that feels inspired and productive. Use an alcove, room divider or wall of curtains to separate a space in your home and decorate it with a chic desk and storage shelves. Incorporate greenery to keep things fresh and healthy, as houseplants like Peace Lilies and Rubber Trees can cleanse toxins from the air.
Stylishly store infrequently used items on shelves above your workspace, such as silver trophies and vintage tool boxes that hold paper clips and scissors, or colorful baskets for rolled-up drawings and blueprints. This will help minimize clutter and maintain a neat, open look.
2. Invest in a Desk
A good home office desk provides a place to work that looks great and is ergonomically sound. It also gives you a spot for your computer monitor, papers, and supplies.
Invest in some sort of filing system and use shelving or cabinets to keep everything in its place. This will reduce the clutter on your desk and help you stay organized.
Consider placing your home office in front of a window so you can enjoy the natural light throughout the day. It can be a great way to boost morale and energy levels.
3. Get a Comfortable Chair
Whether you’re working from home full-time or using your own space for side pursuits, it’s important to get the right setup for both comfort and functionality. For a starter, invest in an ergonomic chair that’s designed to help you stay comfortable throughout the day.
To further improve your work environment, add shelving for additional storage. This is a great way to keep the clutter off of your desktop and helps you easily locate your essentials when needed. To make this look even more built-in, mount shelves in an attractive color that matches your desk or walls.
4. Make the Most of Natural Light
A home office filled with energizing natural light will make you feel more productive. If you don’t have a window, tunable smart lights can mimic the effect by changing the color of the light to suit your needs throughout the day. In the morning a cooler blue light will help you focus, while in the evening a warmer shade can help you wind down and relax.
Incorporate plenty of storage space for your supplies. You can repurpose pretty possessions like silver trophies and vintage tool boxes to hold paper clips, scissors, pens, and other work essentials. Add a few house plants that cleanse the air and a calming color scheme to make your home office an oasis for productivity.
5. Organize Your Space
If you work from home, it’s important to keep your workspace organized. This will help you stay focused and productive, and it will also ensure that any clients or visitors have a pleasant experience.
Use pretty containers to hold pens, paper clips and other office essentials. Repurpose pretty silver trophies, vintage tool boxes or vases to store supplies like rolled-up sketches and blueprints.
Add some inspiration to your space – like pretty postcards, a mood board or plants – to keep your eyes from getting tired. It’s also a good idea to keep some art on the walls, as studies show that looking at artwork is a great way to boost creativity.
6. Make It Your Own
If you work from home, it’s important to set boundaries between your personal life and work life. You can do this by adding decorative touches that separate the spaces. This includes incorporating items that are both functional and pretty, such as a chalkboard or desk organizers.
A personalized home office also makes it easier to stay focused during those late night projects. Even a tiny nook can be transformed into an efficient workspace with the right furniture and storage solutions. From ergonomic desk chairs to repurposed room dividers, this collection of functional home office ideas has everything you need to get the job done.
7. Keep It Out of Sight
If you’re sharing a home office with a spouse or family member, clearly delineating work areas will help you maintain a healthy work/life balance. This doesn’t necessarily mean creating an entire room dedicated to a home office; instead, consider incorporating a workstation into a living space.
Even in a small home office, elevate supplies beyond black-and-white notebooks and plastic pens. Dress up an old trunk or wicker basket with French-toile fabric to store everyday tools in style.
If your office shares a space with an open-plan living area, try hiding a printer behind wraparound shelving to keep it out of sight. You can also use a sideboard or console to stash your office necessities without compromising the lines of your furniture.