Plan a productive workspace
Fuel your creativity with these home office design ideas
By Kathy English
A well thought out home office marries the efficiency of a business office with the comforts of home.
That means you ideally want a space that is both functional and inspirational, a place that’s as efficient as a corporate cubicle and as inviting as your family room.
The key to creating an at-home work haven is to think seriously about your particular needs before you sit down at your computer to begin a new project. “The biggest consideration is location,” says Edmonton-based designer Cheryll Gillespie. “It’s essential that you have an area that is going to be devoted to doing business and it really should have a door that closes.”
Toronto organizational consultant Janet Hennick of JRH Creative Consultants predictably says the most important factor is organization. “You must have a place for everything and then do the work of keeping things in their place.”
Here are some key considerations in establishing a productive and inviting home office.
The location
The best solution is a room devoted to your home office and that often means a spare bedroom. Other locations include your basement, an attic or a garage. Gillespie advises clients to consider whether a dining room might better serve as a home office. “If you only use your dining room once every couple of months, does it not make more sense to convert this under-used space to a home office that may be used every day?”
The setup
The right furniture and equipment can enhance your efficiency and make your office a place you enjoy spending time in. Basic requirements usually include a computer workstation, an ergonomically correct desk chair and both ambient and task lighting. An ideal work space puts everything you need within a comfortable arm’s reach.
Gillespie suggests investing in a comfortable reading chair so you can move away from your computer for certain tasks. “If the furniture is not comfortable, then you won’t enjoy working there.”
The décor
Make your home office a room you truly love walking into. “If it’s ugly, why would you want to work there?” says Hennick. “I love country and my office has a lovely, old-fashioned roll-top desk and filing cabinets that I found at a country auction.”
Gillespie says you should think seriously about a colour scheme and the role colour plays in mood and motivation. She likes green walls in home offices because “green is the colour of money,” but also suggests red or purple walls for creating a vibrant energy flow in your work space.
She also advises surrounding yourself with objects that inspire you — candles, fresh flowers, pretty throw cushions, a colourful area rug and mementos. “Always include photos on your desk and around the office to remind yourself of all the reasons you work so hard.”
The organization
The most inspiring office will resemble a disaster area if you don’t organize right from the start. “Even a few items out of place in a small space can decrease your productivity and make your room look unkempt,” says Gillespie.
Hennick says you must designate a place for everything and then determine what equipment you need to store or display essentials to your tasks. Basics items include bulletin boards, an inbox and an efficient filing system.
Both Hennick and Gillespie suggest you use lots of baskets and other inexpensive containers to keep piles of paper and “stuff” from cluttering your office.
Gillespie advises checking out bathroom and kitchen stores for innovative containers that will help you stay organized.
