Secrets for Designing a Productive Home Office

Whether you work for yourself or work from home, it’s important to have an office that allows you to feel motivated and also comfortable. Before creating your office, you should think what your ideal office would entail and how to properly plan out your space so it includes everything you desire. Once you’ve determined how you want your space to look and feel it’s time to get to work.

Use these design tips for inspiration on how to create your ultimate home office.

Color Scheme

One key aspect of your home office is the color scheme. Depending on how you want your office to feel you can select colors that match your personality and make you feel energized and ready to get to work. In general, it’s best to avoid overly bright colors, such as a bold orange, purple, red, etc. Instead, neutral colors, such as a kelly green, brown, white, light blue or even a light yellow can soften up your office and make you feel ready to work. A light brown or kelly green are wonderful selections for your home office since they can remind you of the outdoors and make you feel rejuvenated and at peace while you’re working. The ideal color scheme should make you feel relaxed and focused and not be overly distracting.

Flooring

Choosing the right flooring for your home office is more important than you might think. You can consider hardwood flooring, laminate flooring, carpeting and a wide range of other options for your space. Overall, the flooring should be something that matches with the rest of the room and isn’t very difficult to maintain. Depending on the type of vibe you’re looking for in your home office, carpeting, laminate and hardwood flooring will add a cozy and homey feel to your space. Also, these flooring options aren’t hard to care for. They don’t need regular maintenance and do well in high traffic areas. Before choosing a floor you should consider your budget and personal sense of style.

Lighting

When designing your home office, you should have lighting that sufficiently brightens up your space. Since you’ll be sitting at your desk most likely looking at the computer for several hours you need lighting that will properly light up the room and not cause you to squint or strain your eyes. Some good lighting options are recessed lighting as well as desk lamps and decorative wall sconces. The lighting you choose depends on your budget and your needs.

Desk

A home office isn’t complete without a desk that excels in terms of both form and function.  Beautiful to look at and organized so the things you use the most are easily accessible and there is place for everything. The desk should be made of a sturdy material, such as wood, glass or metal, and offer you enough space to place your computer and any other key items, such as printer/fax machine, on it. Also, the ideal desk should include some drawers to store paperwork and small items, such as a notepad, stapler, paper clips, etc. Your desk should be functional offering you ample space to do work and be productive but also it should be stylish and not take away from the rest of the room.

Chair

When designing your home office, you’ll need a chair that’s not only comfy but also functional. Your office chair shouldn’t be so overly comfortable that you’re not productive when you’re working and end up falling asleep. There’s a wide variety of chairs to choose from depending on sense of comfort and desires, such as one on wheels, a stationary chair, etc. There’s also chairs that are designed to offer you ultimate support for your back and shoulders so that sitting for long periods of time doesn’t cause discomfort.

Bookshelf

A bookshelf is a must for any home office. You need a sufficient space to store books and other essential items that are relevant for your work. You should pick a bookshelf that offers ample space to store your items and also matches well with the rest of the room. A gorgeous wood bookshelf is a great choice if you have a wood desk as well. In order to make the bookshelf more eye-catching it’s important to always keep it organized. It won’t only add more beauty to the room but it will make it easier for you when you’re looking for a particular book.

Posters

Many people like to decorate their office walls with framed inspirational posters. These posters can make it easier for you to feel motivated throughout the day and can easily boost your mood and keep you energized if you start to feel drained. When selecting posters for your office you should remember that less is more. If you have too many posters on your wall instead of it being a sense of motivation it will actually distract you.

Organization

Regardless of the layout and the look you choose for your home office, keep in mind that less is always more. Even with the most tasteful pieces of décor, any room can easily look messier if it’s filled with a lot of clutter and unnecessary items. Select only your favorite items and stick to a single theme when designing your office. Also, remember to keep your bookshelf and desk always organized. Nothing is more distracting and less motivating than a desk filled with papers or a bookshelf that’s in disarray.

Creating a home office can be a fun and exciting process when it’s planned correctly and well thought out. Your main goal is to design a space that’s inviting and also makes you feel motivated to work and be productive. Once you’ve designed your dream home office you’ll be very pleased with the results and eager to get to work.

*This is a special guest post written by Julia Ellison from HouseTipster.