Before you dive into anything, you have to work out your budget. Make sure you are realistic and practical, begin to think about what home office furniture is a priority as well as some nice to have office accessories.
Try to keep in mind that if you’re working from home full-time then you will be spending a large amount of time in your home office, maybe even more so than any other room in your home. Your home office needs to be a comfortable space that you love the look and feel of and that isn’t only a practical means to an end.
Once you have set your expectations, you have a great starting point to begin thinking of some home office ideas, starting with the layout.
Now you have planned what you need as well as what you want, it’s time to think about how you will use the space. We suggest creating a floor plan, where you can collate your home office interior design ideas and make sure you have thought of everything you need.
Now it’s time to measure your space and begin to understand what you can do with it. Seeing everything drawn out can help you answer obvious questions like; Where should I put my desk? As it is one of the most essential pieces of home office furniture this is crucial to the room design. We suggest you locate your desk in front of natural light so that you are not only well lit for your zoom calls but there is no glare on your computer screen allowing you to see clearly.
When positioning your desk it’s important to think about the size. If you work on a computer or have a multitude of monitors, need room to write notes and keep a keyboard, that’s a lot of space you’ll need! However if you only need a laptop you can get away with a much smaller desk. Consider this when brainstorming your home office layout ideas.
Do you need storage for filing paperwork? Or maybe you need research materials at an arm's length? Think about whether you need bookshelves, filing cabinets or just some simple shelves when designing your home office. All these ideas depend on the space you are working with as well as the size of your office.
When we are planning for small office interior design projects, we put comfort and practicality first and you should too. Yes it would be great to have a sofa in your home office however it’s not worth it if it takes up space that you need.
Firstly, think about how you work in the space. Are you mostly at your desk? Do you need to be able to get up and down a lot? Maybe you have the habit of putting your feet on the desk when taking calls? Prioritize your comfort by allowing yourself space and make sure to invest in a decent desk chair that allows you to be as comfortable as possible while working at your desk.
Often we see modern office design ideas for small spaces, especially when it comes to storage. If you don’t have a lot of floor space then wall space is there for you! Include enough shelving, cupboards or even a built in desk and storage solution to solve all your organisational needs and simultaneously create a clean modern feel to your small home office design. Not to mention these are a great purchase not only for smaller spaces but also for more affordable home office designs.
Designing on a budget doesn’t mean you have to compromise on style! It just means you have to be clever about how you use your space and finding affordable home office furniture that may also be multifunctional. For example drop desks are a genius space saving solution. They’re a desk as well as a storage solution and it’s much less expensive than built in storage. On top of this, they also provide you with a work life balance solution as you can physically close up shop at the end of the day, stopping yourself from being tempted to send that quick email at 9pm.
Make sure you find solutions that you love and won’t “just do for now”. Sometimes all your office needs to make it feel more your style is implementing small pops of colour. This could be through artwork or prints that represent you or clever uses of paint, making your room feel sleek or modern through the use of zoning. If you're unsure of what colours you think would work for your space, check out our blog here to see the best colours for your home office based on colour psychology.
There are so many great ways to make your home office design feel professional and still link in with the rest of your home and that is by making sure it still represents you. Don’t use decorate your home office with posters of quotes that you don’t like, find home office accessories that you love and make you look forward to spending more time in your home office.
If you have the space, why not create some additional seating for a sit-down meeting with clients or colleagues? You can add a couple of arm chairs or even a leather sofa, not only adding professionalism into your office but also adding practicality as these seats could double up as a study area for you in your spare time also.
For more top tips on office space make sure you check out our blog here on how to create a healthy and happy home office space.
