Your Home | Designing a Home Office That Works!

Whether you’re working full time from home or simply need a place to pay bills and manage your household, the set-up and design of your home office space can make all the difference in your productivity and enjoyment of your work.

First and foremost, design your workspace in a way that reflects your personality and is pleasing to you. Small touches implemented throughout the room help to make that space your own. After all, not only should your office allow efficiency and productivity, you want it to reflect a connection to your spirit. Inspire yourself with framed art that you love, special photos, or cherished mementos. These items aren’t meant to distract you, but to keep you focused on your goals.

The psychology of color is real. The colors you choose will impact your mood and energy levels. Some colors, such as the cool tones of blues, greens and lavenders tend to foster relaxation and a calming environment. Colors such as bright yellow and red are energetic. There’s no right or wrong here, it all depends on how you want to feel at work. Some want to feel soothed while working on stressful projects. Others want to be empowered with vitality through a vibrant setting.

Maximizing productivity often comes down to ergonomics. Choose your desk chair carefully and let that be an item you splurge on. Manufacturers now offer seating with research-driven body biomechanics in mind, allowing for hours of work without body fatigue. Also consider ergonomically designed desks, keyboards and mouse devices.

Often, home offices are small and storage space is limited. Here’s where you need to stay neat and organized. Set up your filing systems and storage configurations to give you maximum efficiency and optimize your workflow. Again, the key is to create a space that feels good to work in.

The proper lighting can make all the difference as well. Abundant natural daylight is ideal. If lighting is low, it can trigger eye strain, headaches and even unwanted psychological effects such as depression. If you don’t have adequate natural lighting, you’ll want to supplement with general lighting and task lighting. When setting up your lighting, be cognizant of where the light falls so there is no glare on your computer screen or harsh lighting directed at your eyes.

Whatever type of work you do, it’s easy to combine professionalism and stylish details in your home office design. We hope these home office ideas have given you some inspiration to get you started!