I have been working from home for eight years. During this time, my office has been a corner of my bedroom, a corner of my living, and my spare room. During each iteration of my office, my main goal has been to have an inspiring creative space to work in. Somewhere I feel at home, and I have all the creative energy I need to do my work to the highest level possible.
If you’re designing a home office right now, here are some tips on how to create a beautiful space to work. Creating your ultimate home office doesn’t need to cost the earth and will result in more productivity and a happier time while you’re working.
Laying out the room
My office is a small L-shaped room, so laying out my office furniture in a good way was really important for finding the best flow. Now, you can spend a day moving the furniture around to find the perfect placement. However, this is really tiring.
Instead, it is better to use a drawing. Now, you can use software like Fusion 360 or SketchUp (both are available for free). By using the dimensions of the room and your furniture, you can create the perfect plan for your office really easily.
I chose a slightly easier option, though, as I have never used a drawing programme before. I took the measurements of my office and scaled them down to fit them on some graph paper. I did the same for my office furniture on a separate piece of paper and cut them out. Then all I had to do was place the pieces of paper representing the office furniture onto the layout of my office to find out the perfect locations. Now I have a clean and flowing space with everything I need close at hand.
Inspiring artwork
Your workspace must inspire you to do your best work and put a smile on your face. So, when I designed my office, I reached out to some of my creative friends and purchased some of their creations.
I now have beautiful wildlife photos displayed, taken by a very talented friend of mine. A drawing of my dog and me that I keep on my desk. A beautiful poem from a friend of mine and many other creative creations from inspiring friends.
My workspace inspires me every day and reminds me of the wonderful people in my life, which is great on the harder work days!
The desk
Your desk is one of the most important parts of an office. It should be bigger enough and strong enough to support all of the equipment you need and as clutter-free as possible. If you use several screens while working, you can buy monitor stands that clamp onto your desk. These are really handy for keeping the desk clean while allowing you to move your monitors into the perfect position.
Speaking of desks, it may be worth investing in a standing desk. These are really popular at the moment. You can adjust the height from a comfortable sitting position right up to a comfortable working height when standing. If you find yourself getting uncomfortable while sitting at your desk, a standing desk will really help, and there are several models that are fairly inexpensive.
The chair
Again, your office chair is really important, even if you intend to buy a standing desk. Your office chair should be really comfortable and offer plenty of support for your back while being stylish, of course. The right office chair for you is tricky to say. So, if you can, try a few before you buy them. That way, you’ll know whether the chair offers the support you need it to. A comfortable and stylish office chair makes your space a lovely work environment.
Keep things clutter-free
Having good storage in your office is really important, as a cluttered workspace often leads to a cluttered mind, something I found out about very early on. Keeping your desk free of only the bare essentials while having everything you need readily available is the best way of working for many.
One place I found really useful when getting my office sorted was Facebook marketplace. There are always plenty of storage solutions on Facebook, and many are available for free. If you have a theme for your office, you may want to look elsewhere, or you can upcycle old office solutions to better suit your needs.
Have a good cleaning routine
Lastly, a good cleaning routine for your office space is crucial to keeping your lovely work environment tidy. Cleaning your desk, removing any clutter and taking your coffee cups to the kitchen (mine tend to pile up during busier days) all helps to ensure your office remains the productive space you need it to be to create and enjoy work.
If these home office design tips helped you, why not explore urdesign further? We have loads of fun and creative ways of transforming your home and office into the best spaces for you.