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Having a work from home office set up has become a necessity in American homes. Whether you're a creative, remote worker, freelancer or home school provider, having a designated workspace helps you stay on task. I love designing home office spaces for my clients. It's the combination of problem solving, organizing and personalizing that just brings out my creative best. Productive spaces inspire creative ambition. They tap your passions while promoting self discipline. Few things in life are more satisfying than making great things happen and being able to hit repeat in a way that keeps frustration to a minimum. Your home office set up can make or break that potential for you.
Here are some key elements to incorporate in your home office set up to achieve a productivity aesthetic that promotes success!
Great home offices will have both a sitting and standing work station to allow for flexibility in your posture through the day. The added bonus to making this happen in two spaces is that it will allow for two people to use the space for work or make room for a child to do homework while you continue to make progress on your goal.
Personalizing your office with art you love, pictures that motivate joy, or symbols of inspiration like personal collections will lighten the intensity as you pursue your dream. They are reminders of why you work as hard as you do!
Comfortable floor coverings are essential in a work space. They minimize foot discomfort when standing and keep the noise level down in a room that by necessity has many hard surfaces that contribute to echo. I prefer a low pile, hand tufted wool rug both for it’s utility and its durability. This allows for desk chairs to roll easily and for high top stools to keep from creating indention over time. A wool rug will be color fast and survive foot traffic if your office is directly adjacent to your entry.
I can’t say enough about how important natural light is in office space for creatives. Colors are deeply impacted by light. Lighting that casts shadows will annoy in such a subtle way that you may not realize it's the reason you often gravitate to your kitchen to work or why your child prefers working from the living room couch. Great task lighting can compensate for limited sunlight, but honestly…..find a space that has a nice window, you will be glad you did. If you are not able then invest in wall lamps that will light every corner and replace your center overhead with a multi position bar light that can spotlight work stations.
Your home office is not unlike your kitchen in how much it is helped by effective storage. Optimally your workspace will have two to three drawers, a few open shelves, and at least one closed storage cabinet.
-Choosing low shelves that are deep enough to accommodate a printer will make it possible to print and retrieve without reaching over work stations. Keeping a shallow box for ink and paper will keep supplies out of sight.
-Deep baskets can contain cords that are not always in use. I keep a multi outlet strip mounted to the back of my cabinet for easily accessible cord changes when temporarily used equipment needs a recharge.
-I have a small armoire that houses bulky items like my camera and tripods. A low credenza is also aces at storing flat bed scanners that are not in use every day, art supplies, lighting enhancers for product shots. It also makes available more cabinet top to keep frequently needed office supply in reach, and paper work handy.
-Devoting a drawer exclusively to decorative papers, sticker, stamps and labels is very handy and multi tasks during holidays when tagging gifts is frequent.
Work from home office set ups are a blessing to the entire family when they are equip for success. This multipurpose space will serve you and your family well with intentional elements that facilitate creative problem solving. Enjoy creating greatness y'all!