Working from home does not always have to mean perching yourself and your lap top at the kitchen counter all day. Even if you only have a corner of the kitchen or living room to work with at the moment it is still possible to create a modern home office that is functional, stylish and most importantly conducive to actually getting things done.
Creating a great modern home office does not mean bringing all the things you hated about your old one into your new space. Steel filing cabinets, dreadful florescent lighting humming overhead, a boxed in feeling that drives you nuts by noontime – none of those things belong in a good home office. Here are some tips for creating a modern home office that is all about you:
Desk Space – The right height for a home office desk is somewhere between 28 and 30 inches high. When purchasing a desk for your modern home office you do not have to be constrained by workplace norms. You do not have to opt for a desk with a lot of drawers, you can always use shelving or creates for stylish storage as well. As long as the piece of furniture you chose has plenty of space and is close to the right height, almost anything goes.
Many people actually opt to use an armoire in their home office because it offers the shelving space they need, a work station area and can be closed up at night when it is time for the work day to end.
Lighting Considerations – Now that you are working in your own space you have the chance to get the lighting in your home office just right. If at all possible do not set your desk underneath a window – the glare from the sun at certain points in the day will probably prove far too distracting. If you have no choice at least invest in a good set of blinds to cut the glare down.
To provide just the right amount of task lighting consider adding a table lamp to your desk space. Modern table lamps come in all shapes and sizes and they provide the function you need, providing just the right amount of light to work by, while being a great way to easily inject a little of your own style to your home office space.
Keep it Simple – The best home office spaces are clutter free and organized. That may have to become an ongoing daily task – making sure all those papers are put away in the right place- but the five minutes that will take at the end of each day will be well worth it as it will help boost your productivity during the day.
Add Interest – A favorite piece of artwork above your desk, a great family photo, a simple vase of flowers, all of these small touches can help give your home office its own personality. If you do have to create a home office that is a part of another room try adding screens to separate the office space from the rest of the room.
Need a little more inspiration? Check out the gallery below for some great ideas.
Angelica Pinto is an artist, interior design lover and Realtor serving the Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph, Ontario communities.