If you work from home (like a huge percentage of the population these days), you probably spend a lot of time in your home office. Whether your job is stressful, enjoyable, or something in between, you need your workspace to promote productivity and help you crush your to-do list.
By tying certain design elements into your home office, you can improve your concentration and focus while you work. It takes the right combination of design ideas — and we’ve got the perfect list below.
Built-In Storage
Clutter is distracting and won’t help you stay productive. Keep your office clean, organized, and clutter-free by adding custom built-ins. Choose beautiful dark wood for a traditional or rustic vibe, or painted wood for a more modern approach.
In terms of the type of storage to use, consider what clutter you need to hide away. For example, if you need to conveniently sort and keep track of documents, having a location for file storage is great. A bulletin board backdrop gives extra display space for reminders and notes while maintaining organization.
Adding drawers and cabinets is ideal for items that you would normally store in a desk. All of this storage frees up space for a clean tabletop where your laptop, printer, or other office technology can go. The end goal: Keep the clutter at bay so you quickly find what you need and can get to work.
Loads of Natural Light
Research shows that those who work in offices with plenty of natural light have an 84% reduction in negative symptoms like eyestrain, headaches, and impaired vision. These are common side effects of prolonged technology use can reduce productivity. We know that employees who are exposed to more natural light are more alert, so it’s crucial to have as much natural light as you can in your home office.
Make sure there are multiple windows and/or skylights in this space. Use drapes, blinds or curtains that filter the light by allowing some of it to come through. Open the drapes and blinds on a nice, sunny day to let more natural light in.
Calming Colors and Accents
Your home office should elicit as much quiet and peace as possible. You can add more calm to the area by using muted paint colors on the walls, neutral furniture, and soft carpeting. Use gold accessories that reflect light to promote more natural lighting. If you’re going to be spending so much time at your home office, why not make it a beautiful, pleasant, and tranquil haven?
Choose any of the following colors categories for your walls if you want to increase your productivity, have more energy, and stay laser-focused on your to-do list:
- Lighter shades of blue
- Muted shades of green
- Subtle shades of yellow
- A splash of red on an accent wall
- Lighter, neutral shades
Plenty of Privacy
Distractions can hinder productivity, especially when you work from home. One way to eliminate distractions is to make sure your home office is closed off from the rest of the house. You can do this with a trendy sliding barn door or classic french doors. If closing off your home office isn’t an option, a room divider could work for those with low budgets, or a room addition is a great idea for those with higher budgets.
Separate the Space
Are you working from home with your spouse or another family member? When more than one person requires an at-home working environment, it might be difficult to stay focused on your tasks. Boost your productivity by dividing the home office into two workstations.
Everyone gets their own desk, storage, and seating area. No more rummaging through your spouse’s files to retrieve your meeting notes from yesterday. No more annoyance when your partner chooses the more comfortable chair. Everyone has their own place designed specifically for their needs. And if you don’t have a home office big enough to divide it in half, consider bumping it out with an addition.
When it comes to making remote work more functional and organized, the design of the room can help. Work with a designer to come up with an aesthetic and flow that fits your home and your work style. And stay focused on your goal: Increased productivity.
Let’s work together to bring your home office vision to life.
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