More people are working remotely now than ever before. Many companies are planning to keep their employees remote. Working from home is a huge change, and if this is a long-term position, the kitchen table may not suffice.
So, now you need a dedicated home office space to do your work, take your calls, and have your meetings. Whether you already have a home office or you’re going to create one from a new space, you can experience a transformation with an office makeover.
Get inspired by these tips to pull off your ultimate home office makeover.
Contents
- 1 Start With a Fresh Coat of Paint
- 2 Consider the Layout
- 3 The Desk is The Centerpiece
- 4 Choose Comfort for Your Desk Chair
- 5 Think Storage Early On
- 6 Use Your Wall Space
- 7 Find an Organizational System
- 8 Make Room for Your Tech
- 9 Consider Other Office Furniture
- 10 Shelving and Cabinets
- 11 Think About Your Privacy
- 12 Add the Finishing Touches
- 13 Extreme Home Office Makeover: Work From Home Addition
Start With a Fresh Coat of Paint
A fresh coat of paint can do wonders if you’re trying to transform a room. A new color on the walls can instantly update a room or bring in the color the space has been missing.
And if you’re looking for a home office makeover on a budget, new paint is an easy and inexpensive way to change the look of the space. But before you start laying down tarps, give some thought to the color.
The color should mix your personality and promote productivity. Shades of red, blue, yellow, and green can promote energy, balance, and intelligence. Avoid shades that are too soft that might promote sleep.
Consider the Layout
If you’re rearranging furniture or getting new pieces, be sure to make a plan for the layout before you add all the furniture. Having an idea of where you want everything to go before you place it can save you a big headache.
Start with larger pieces of furniture that will take up the most space. Think of your desk, floor shelves, filing cabinets, tables, or chairs. This is especially true if you’re doing a small home office makeover.
You can use principles from feng shui or get inspired by other home offices. Be sure whatever configuration you choose promotes productivity. Once you know where the main items go, you can focus on smaller details in your home office.
The Desk is The Centerpiece
Your desk will probably be the most used item in your office. No matter what your work is, this will be the main centrepiece of the room. So, you shouldn’t only consider the aesthetic style of it, but the shape.
A rectangular desk is one of the most common shapes and can fit in almost any office, large or small. They look great under a window or up against the wall. You can place one in the middle of the office or build it into storage.
L-shaped desks offer you extra workspace and are ideal if you have to keep a lot on your desk. Similarly, a U-shaped desk can offer your more space to spread out, but they’re also great if you’re sharing a home office with a spouse.
Finally, there are corner desks. These triangular-shaped desks fit right into a corner or the nooks of the room. This style is perfect for anyone transforming a small space into an office.
Choose Comfort for Your Desk Chair
Once you spend some time considering your desk, spend some more time thinking about your desk chair. After your desk, the chair may be the most important piece of furniture in the room.
Since you’ll be spending a lot of time there, you’ll want it to be comfortable. Consider one with back support and cushions that won’t make your body sore at the end of the day.
If you’re looking to splurge on one thing in your office, consider splurging on the desk chair. You won’t regret spending a little extra money if it means you’re comfortable after a few hours of work.
Think Storage Early On
Don’t wait until the decorating stage to figure out your office storage. If you need extra space, you can use an external storage unit solution, such as this South Bay self-storage that offers affordable prices. You should start thinking about storage around the time you’re figuring out furniture and layout. Plan your office layout with storage in mind.
Use this time to figure out what kind of storage will be best for your office efficiency and organization. Shelving, cabinetry, or drawers are all great options for office storage.
Consider what you’re going to keep in storage and choose the best options for those items. For example, office supplies may be best kept in a cabinet, while paper folders are best in a drawer.
Use Your Wall Space
Think of your walls as the new frontier of your office. They’re not just the place for a fresh coat of paint or aesthetically pleasing decor. You can use your walls as a place to get smart with storage.
Your walls are especially vital if you have a small office or you’re trying to save floor space. Use wall shelves to display books and wall cabinets to hide away supplies.
You can even forego a traditional desk for one that’s built on the wall or built into a crevice or nook. You can also use wall space for organizational purposes.
Of course, you can hang up calendars and schedules. But for a modern organizational solution, consider turning an entire wall or a portion of it into a chalkboard or corkboard.
Find an Organizational System
When you’re working remotely from home, the proper organization is essential to your productivity. That’s why you should find an organizational system that works for you and your new office space.
Trays, folders, and files are the best way to organize your papers. Bins and baskets are great for organizing supplies.
Of course, you’ll want to add desktop organization like pencil cups, and trays for paperclips. You’ll also want some drawer organizers to keep those smaller items straight.
Make Room for Your Tech
Now that you’re working from home, the technology in your office is more important than it ever has been. So, create space for your technology throughout your office.
Once you know the specs you need, find a place to keep your computer or laptop. Be sure your desk is in a place where any lighting glare won’t affect your monitor. You may even want to consider privacy in case anyone steps in.
You’ll also want to think about where your printer, internet router, and the phone will go. And now that you’re working from home, you’ll want to consider the background for video meetings.
Consider Other Office Furniture
If you have the space, you’ll probably want to fill your office with other pieces of furniture. If you’re working with another person or have an assistant, you may want to give them their own workstation to complete their tasks.
You may want to add a seating area for you to wind down from the day or meet clients if your business allows. For a small seating area, choose at least two chairs and a side table.
An extra table for more workspace can be a great addition for anyone whose business involves making something. When it comes to extra office furniture, choose the pieces that make sense for your needs.
Shelving and Cabinets
Both of these are great options for your office, but they often have different uses in an office. Since shelving is open, there is more of an emphasis on aesthetics. Here, you can place books, baskets, and decor.
With closed cabinetry, you don’t have to make sure that everything is in its place. You’re allowed to be a little messier in places where you can close the doors.
Both shelves and cabinets can sit on the floor or hang on the walls. Where you place them is more of a personal decision of what will make working in your office easy. But, of course, you can always use a combination of both.
Think About Your Privacy
When you go to work in your office, you’re looking to escape to get work done. But it’s not always about shutting the world out. Sometimes, you need to keep the world out.
Think about your privacy in terms of who can see and hear what you’re working on. Make sure when the door is shut, you have the privacy to conduct business. If you’re doing a full remodel, consider soundproofing the space.
Consider, also, the cybersecurity in your home office. It may be worth having separate, more secure internet from your home’s personal internet.
Add the Finishing Touches
Now that you’re nearing the end of the renovation, you can have fun adding the finishing touches. Add curtains to the windows and hanging art on the walls. Find decorative objects to place on shelves and tables.
Add comfortable throw pillows in a seating area, an area rug to make the room feel warm, and photos of your friends and family. Add fresh flowers or houseplants to bring some life into the space or be more creative with a floating planter to give your plant the look of a levitating plant. How wonderful will it look to have your plant being rotated in the air, amazing right? Well, it’s possible now, thanks to the Floately Airsai-Floating Plant Pot, which is based on levitation technology, allowing your plant to grow healthier while floating mid-air. Experience a soothing atmosphere in your space with your levitating plant.
Use the finishing touches to make the space reflect your personality and feel like an office within your home.
Extreme Home Office Makeover: Work From Home Addition
The work you do is important, and you should have a dedicated area in your home to complete it. You deserve to have a home office where you won’t get interrupted by kids or be distracted by the television.
So, if you don’t already have that home office, you can create it. With these tips, you can pull off an extreme home office makeover to give you the work from home space of your dreams.
Inspired to take your office to the next level? Check out more home and technology articles on the blog.