How to Create the Perfect Home Workstation or Office

Whether it’s for a full-time job or freelance work, nearly 4 million Americans work from home three or more days a week. The key to being successful as you work remotely is having everything you need available to you, as well as making sure you are physically comfortable. Creating the perfect home workstation or office can make you more productive, and it can even beautify your home. Following are a few tips you can use to create an optimal home office.

1. Find the Ideal Space

In order to create the ideal workspace, the first step is to determine what you need to complete your work on a daily basis. Once you know that, the second step is to find the perfect spot in your home that can accommodate these needs. An unused corner anywhere in your home, the entire attic, a sunroom, a spare bedroom, or a section of the basement are all potential places for a home workstation or office.

As you’re deciding on a space, try to choose one with a good view. You don’t want the wall to be your primary view, or you may feel smothered. Instead, set up your workstation so that you can look out of a window or a door.

2. Give it the Right Design

An important factor to remember is that your workstation is still a part of your home, and it deserves to be designed just as beautifully as the rest of it. Base the design on your personality, how you work most efficiently, and your comfort needs.

For example, if you feel more productive in a calm, soothing atmosphere, consider painting your walls with darker colors. If you need bright, vibrant colors to feel more alive, consider lighter walls.

Keep in mind, however, that darker colors can make a small space feel smaller, while brighter colors have the opposite effect. If your workstation is especially small, you may want to opt for a lighter theme.

Additionally, decide on a theme for your workstation. Do you want it to look like a business office? An extension of your home? A rustic room? A childlike area that pops with color?  As you design the room, follow any theme you wish in order to enhance its visual appeal.

3. Work Your Way Up

Having too much clutter on your desk can be overwhelming, but you don’t always have the option of spreading out. A solution is to use your walls for shelving, hanging baskets, decor, notes, and more.

The wall is also a perfect spot for a television or other monitor that you might use for work.

4. Choose Appropriate Furniture and Office Supplies

Select furniture that both fits the area and the look you’re going for.

When you are shopping for a desk, choose one that is proportioned to your workspace; a desk that is too large will make the room feel cramped. If possible, choose a desk with drawers and vertical storage space that you can use to tuck away items in order to reduce clutter on your desk.

Buy an appropriately designed area rug as well to give the room warm personality and also to define your workspace.

An important tip for creating the perfect home workstation or office is to not skimp on the chair. You may spend 40 hours a week in that chair, so you want it to be as comfortable as possible both for productivity and to avoid pain and discomfort.

5. Aim for Privacy

While you want the home workstation or office to be welcoming to you, you don’t want it to be as welcoming to others. In order to focus on your work and avoid distractions, try to add a door or other barrier between you and the rest of the home.

A door will also allow you to have phone conversations without disrupting your family, and likewise keep noise from disturbing the person on the other end of the line.

For additional design tips and ideas, visit Singh’s home decor board on Pinterest or see our blog page.