How to design the perfect home office
We’ve probably all picked up a few home office design tips and ideas on what makes the perfect home study over the last couple of years. Whether it’s for an occasional morning working from home or full time, all day, every day facilities that are required, here are some of our thoughts on how to make it a calm and inspiring space.
Glazed internal walls or room dividers allow the home working environment to feel accessible, and it’s a popular design choice for home studies.
Home office proportions and planning
When we’re thinking about how to create a home workspace we’re always guided by our clients. Some may require a small, cosy room with a comfy chair and a small desk, others may need a larger space, with plenty of home office storage, a working desk, a meeting table, and perhaps space for one or two other people to work as well. Modern home office design can include fitted home office furniture, or bespoke fitted furniture. Our Joinery team can construct beautiful furniture that will be perfectly tailored to our client’s needs – whether it’s drawers for folders, open shelves for books or fitted furniture to accommodate audio-visual equipment. Many of our interior design schemes include internal glazed walls, which work well in a home-study or home office environment, allowing the space to feel light and airy, whilst avoiding a sense of the room being ‘closed off’ from the rest of the household.
Home office furniture and technology
Modern home office design may have to accommodate all sorts of tech, from the aforementioned AV equipment to multiple screens for presentations perhaps, or just a regular TV for live news updates! When we design a home study or office we look at all the details. We ask who will be using the study, and how often, where will the computer/laptop screens be positioned and so on. It’s vitally important that the modern home office design incorporates all the necessary tech and connectivity, as well as providing a pleasing working environment. Home office furniture doesn’t have to be formal; it can be inviting and comfortable, perhaps including a favourite desk that has been in the family for ages, or even including a quirky and unusual chair or stool that we’ve spotted and suggested to our clients!
A formal home office will feel efficient yet still comfortable with bespoke fitted furniture and a handsome desk. A comfortable chair is vital, of course.
Home office lighting
Lighting is important, of course, and we will make sure that the home office has the right type of lighting. We will find beautiful desk lights or pretty table lamps to add the perfect finishing touch. Some people like their desk positioned so they can look out of a window, others prefer a desk against a wall, where pin boards or storage and shelving can be easily seen and used. We will work with our design team to create suitable blinds or shutters to avoid glare on screens, and to maintain privacy for daytime or evening working hours.
Using joinery to make the most of your home office
As far as small home office design is concerned, sometimes it can be just the place to do something different, rather like a cloakroom or guest bedroom! It’s not always necessary to follow the rules and smaller, less frequently used spaces can become an opportunity for different colour themes, more patterns and unusual ideas. A home study can be a very personal space, so our designers want to make it as comfortable and practical as possible, adding finishing touches such as soft rugs and luxurious cushions for upholstered chairs, so that the study can be used as a calm and creative working space. Small home office spaces are very often just the right place to include bespoke joinery and fitted furniture to make the most of every inch of space, and our Joinery team can also include integrated lighting as well as tailoring drawers and shelves for specific items.
A home study can have decorative touches, such as pretty wallpaper and matching blinds, the room doesn’t have to feel like an ‘office’.
This informal home study brings together several decorative elements to create a happy and inspiring work space.