Do you work from home regularly? You can design or build a functional home office to make balancing home and work life easy.
Ever since emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people are choosing to work from home rather than spend time commuting to and from work daily. As such, many custom homes are being designed with a functional home office as part of the plans.
With the right office accessories, housing units of all types can be converted into excellent places to get some work done. However, to do this, you will need a reliable contractor, which is something Paragon Builders can help you with.
If you are designing your own home office, consider the following 7 tips:
1. Make the Most of Available Space
Unless you are planning some elaborate room additions to your home, creating home office space is not likely to be easy. You will have to work with the limited space you already have, which may require a bit of creativity.
However, most houses usually have a few nooks and crannies that are not being effectively utilized. You can plan your workspace around these areas so that your office can be as big as possible.
2. Consider Functionality
What sort of work are you going to be conducting? An engineer who does technical drawings will need a different office setup compared to an IT specialist who has a lot of computers and other gadgets. As such, you need to consider functionality very carefully when designing your office.
If you are not sure what work you will be doing, or you plan on sharing that space with others, consider creating a multi-functional home office that accommodates a wide range of activities.
3. Get the Lighting Right
Poor lighting will severely reduce your productivity and may even affect your eyesight. If your work area does not have access to plenty of natural light, consider installing some LED bulbs to brighten the place.
4. Buy the Right Furniture
These days, the buzzword in office furniture is ergonomics. Be sure to invest in the right type of desk, chair, and other furniture essentials that will help you improve your productivity while safeguarding your health and posture.
You also need to make sure that your furniture is not too big or too small for the office space you have created. When you sit behind your desk, it should feel as natural as possible if you have the right type of furniture.
5. A Functional Home Office Needs Storage
Usually, a home office that functions well will generate a lot of paperwork and use plenty of accessories. These items need to be stored safely away at the end of each day. This means investing in a filing cabinet or some other form of storage.
A good alternative would be to switch to digital storage to eliminate the hassle of having to deal with papers and files. This method also makes it easier to share your documents with colleagues who are also working from home.
6. Create a Good Atmosphere for Working
You need to try as much as possible to create the best atmosphere for work as possible. If you happen to be doing a full house renovation, doing this will not be difficult because you will have a lot of freedom to choose how to design your office. Otherwise, you will have to work with what you have and try to recreate the workplace environment you are used to.
7. Add a Personal Touch
Finally, no functional home office will be complete without you adding a personal touch to the design and décor. Unlike the workplace, where rules and regulations may prevent you from creating your idea of an ideal work environment, you have complete control in your own home.
Consider adding some personal photos or indoor plants to make your home office reflect who you are as a person.
8. Need a Home Office? Paragon Builders Can Help
While creating a functional home office may not be as complex as a bathroom renovation, you may still need some help to do it the right way. Paragon Builders has expertise that extends beyond just garage conversions and room additions.
This can help you with everything you need for the initial design and drawing plans for your home office. With such a partner by your side, you can balance your work and home life seamlessly to improve the quality of life for your family.
Final Thought
Having a functional home office has quickly become a necessity for many homeowners. However, it is not always easy to design one on your own. If you are considering creating home office space in your house, call Paragon Builders right now to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Utilizing all the available space in your home starts with proper planning. Do not rush into breaking down walls and stripping off floor tiles before you have considered all the available nooks and crannies in your home. Alternatively, you can hire a designer with experience in such projects to assist you.
The majority of homeowners consider the guest bedroom as the ideal location for a home office, with the basement being a close second. However, it all depends on the layout of your home and the number of family members living there. In a house with just two adults living there, an open and airy kitchen might prove to be the best place for an office.
Even without an empty room to convert into a functional home office, you can still work with what you have to create a work area. If you happen to be doing a kitchen renovation, for example, you can simply include an extra-large counter that can double as a desk when needed.
Yes, it is quite possible to set up a home office in one corner of the bedroom. The peace and quiet of the bedroom makes it a great place to get some work done without any disturbances. However, the proximity of your bed may make it too difficult to resist the temptation to take regular naps, which is something you will have to consider.
