Working From Home Interior Design Tips and Common Mistakes

With the world changed forever by the impact of the 2020 pandemic, one of the biggest changes came in the form of work from home. Most office jobs were moved to a remote working environment with zoom calls becoming more of a reliance for business communication. While offices have reopened and businesses are heading back to a sense of normality, the work from home experience has stuck for a majority of people.

While it may be for one or two days instead of all the time, working from home is here to stay and with that comes a need to prepare your home for the work environment. While this article will stay away from the ‘zoom background’ discussions and the ‘keeping work professional in a casual setting’ debate, it is important to have an area in your home you can work at for a number of reasons.

• General health. A lot of work is on laptops at a desk. Not having a comfortable or proper area can be dangerous to your health and your posture.
• Removing distractions. The work mindset can be difficult to get into when you’re still in your house. Having somewhere you can go to minimise distractions and just focus on getting your work done will provide better results and keep you in a better mindset.
• Keeping your work/life balance. The work/life balance of many of us is increasingly blurred and even more so as we bring that work into our homes. Therefore, having a separate area to work can be highly beneficial and keep your head focused and clear.

So, set out an area of your home for your work. An office room, a dedicated table or desk and keep these following things in mind when using or creating your perfect space.

• Keep your space clean and organised. You can do this by implementing storage solutions and setting out dedicated areas when your documents and files go. This can be harder to do in your home where storage space may be at a premium which is why a dedicated storage solution is best.
• Add a touch of nature. Don’t forget how much a touch of green or colour can add to your office. While you shouldn’t overdo it, one or two plants can help revitalise you and keep you positive on a stressful day. They are also nice to look at so it provides an extra little element that can really help you kick on with your work.
• Take advantage of window space. A home, even more so than an office, can provide a lot of inspiration and positives if used correctly. When looking at where your office should be, keep in mind the level of light your area will be getting. Being near a window is advantageous for a number of reasons as it can provide fresh air and pleasant views that might just spark your creativity and drag you out of a slump.
• Design your space around your surroundings. It pays to bear in mind that you’ll be moving around this space a lot so make sure that is a pleasurable experience for you. If your chair has wheels, is it easy to manoeuvre or are you going to catch on rugs or the carpet? Are you tightly packed into the corner? Are you constantly having to get up to access files or get paper? Home design is all about what works with your behaviour and your style of working. This is as true with your office space as it is with the kitchen so build your space around what works for you and what best suits your style.
• It’s your space. The biggest tip and possibly the most common mistake people make with their office space is that they forget it’s their space. You don’t have to match or stick to an office guideline or an industry standard. Make the space that best suits your requirements and how you work. If something isn’t working, change it. Adapt your space and prioritise making your work as comfortable and as convenient as possible. You can keep tweaking and tweaking til you find the right balance. That’s the benefit of working from home.

There are a few examples of things you can do and things you can keep in mind when designing and using your home office. It’s never going to be perfect but if you can optimise your space effectively then you’ll find working from home far easier and far more enjoyable. If you want support with home design throughout your house, check out https://www.dshomedirect.co.uk/ for your interior design needs.