home office inspiration design

Create the Perfect Home Office

Get your space rearranged quickly, be productive and enjoy the time working from home …

For many of us working from home was only ever thought about as a short term need or occasional luxury break from the office.  When first we set up our study or carved out a corner of our living space, we never imaged that one day it would need to function properly as our fulltime office.  However, we are now all battling through this very difficult period and perhaps more than ever, it’s important to find a way to still be productive and get things done at home.  

In Singapore, we are almost one week into the ‘lockdown’.  I imagine (just as in our household) there are a number of frustrations and annoyances about how this is all going to work and how everyone manages to get their own bits done effectively in peace and quiet.  

Eliminate Distractions

Working from home is not the easiest thing to do – at least when the rest of the family is also at home!  The kids are bored and want entertainment (or MORE food) and the household chores are pilling up quickly! So, with this in mind, the first thing to do is find a quiet space.  Is your desk set up in the right room? Can you be left in peace? If you do not have a dedicated study, can you find a corner of the living room that you can focus in or try setting up your desk in a spare bedroom?

Wherever you end up, the aim is to be able to turn off everything else and be happy in that space while you get your work done.  New routines and family schedules can also help so that everyone is coordinated and knows when you need to be left alone. 

Understand What You Need 

It is important to know and understand how much space you will actually require to get your work done. At the office, everything is provided for, perhaps we have never thought properly about this and taken for granted the things we normally have at our fingertips. 

Will you need a printer or scanner? Do you need filing space, storage for books, paper, pens? Or can everything be simply done from your laptop?

These things are important to think of as you set yourself up.  Adequate space needs to be allocated so that everything is kept ordered and within each reach.  Organisation greatly enhances productivity and this will help eliminate more distractions and free you from having to have to run around trying to find things in order to finish your work.   

Invest in a Good Chair and Lighting

Until now it was unlikely that we would ever never need to sit for a long time to work at home.  However, now it is important that we invest in a good ergonomic chair to support us for long periods of work.  Perhaps the chair that originally looked best alongside the rest of our home interiors is now turning out to be rather impractical.  

The other item(s) worth investing in is proper light.  Perhaps this is as simple as moving your desk closer to a window.  Natural lighting boasts a heap of health benefits.  From enhancing your mood to helping with sleep regulation but, most importantly it is the best light to read under. 

If you are working late into the evening then along with a desk light try adding a floor lamp.  Lamps are a good source of ambient lighting and helping to ease the strain on your eyes.  The brighter your space the easier it will be to help you keep your focus.  

home office inspiration

Key Decorating Tips 

  1. Use shelving – Shelves are a cheap way to create more storage and save space, allowing you to build up rather than out.  Now that you have a better idea of what you will need in your space you can arrange them on the wall above or next to your desk so that everything becomes accessible. 
  2. Add some greenery – I am a big fan of having plants around.  Real or fake they add a splash of colour and help to relieve stress.  Particularly when we are stuck inside, it is important to have a touch of nature inside.  Choose something that is low maintenance for your workspace.  A Spider plant, Dracaena or a Boston fern are all easy to look after and known to help improve air quality.  
  3. Consider Cable Management – Wires can ruin the look of a space.  When you are finding the right position for your desk you also need to check the power supply.  More likely than not you will need an extension plug so that all your devices can stay connected and ready to go.  If your desk does not have a cable tray to hide this in then consider getting a cable organiser box.  These help to keep everything clean and tidy and it is often these small touches that make all the difference. 
  4. Home comforts – Depending on your space you might also want to add some colour with a rug and lounge chair.  Just beware of doing too much.  This is a space you want to reserve for work.  Keep it simple, clean, and organised to sustain focus.  
  5. Make it yours – Lastly, remember that this is your space and this is the key benefit of being at home and not in the office.  You can add anything you want and personalise it to your own tastes.  For me that its simple things – I love having a scented candle at the side of my desk.  It keeps me relaxed and focused and it is something I would never have at the office.  So, think about what motivates you and use the space to showcase who you are, your achievements and successes.  

Aym Design is a talented group of interior designers, architects, and spatial narrators providing design solutions focused on a humanistic design-forward philosophy for commercial offices and workplaces, restaurants and F&B concepts, hospitality, and retail spaces. 

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