Practical Advice On How To Design Your Ideal Home Office

1. Furnish your home office with ergonomic furniture.

You will be sitting, writing or using a computer at your desk for many hours at a stretch, so

your office chair and workstation need to be ergonomically

designed and adjusted for your personal comfort.

Chairs, armrests and headrests must be adjustable, and the desk

height must be just right.

Good support must be provided for the back, spine,

neck, and wrists to reduce discomfort from sitting,

looking at the monitor and typing for long hours.

2. Control the noise level in your home office.

This can be one of the main disadvantages of working

from home for people who telecommute or run a

business from home; noise kills focus and productivity at

work.

Make sure that other family members are aware when

you are working and ensure that they understand that you need peace and quiet during

these times.

3. Get the correct lighting for your home office.

If you have a window in your home office, then you can use

minimal artificial light and allow natural light to illuminate the room during the daytime.

By afternoon and evening, artificial lighting should be

used.

Some prefer a brightly-lit room to keep them alert while

others prefer a single tall floorstanding light or a desk lamp to keep them relaxed

and focussed while working.

No matter your preference, what’s important is to reduce if not eliminate glare that can

cause discomfort to your eyes.

4. Decorate your home office appropriately.

The home office can still incorporate personal touches within a professional-looking

setting. The décor you can use will depend on your personal

background, what kind of work you do and your personal taste.

For most people, the interior design will centre on the

colour scheme of the home office. Colours can affect your mood and productivity as you work, so consider the overall

scheme carefully.

A subdued palette will often work best, perhaps a

combination of blue and white or brown and cream.

More vibrant colours can then be added in the form of decorative objects such as a painting, small

sculpture, plants, artificial flowers, photo frames,

organisers, and other accessories typically found in a home office.

Some people like their home office interior design to be as

minimal as possible, while others go for a warm homely

style.

The basic rule is to follow whatever interior design

scheme will make you feel comfortable and productive.

Unless you welcome clients to your office (and even if you do,

depending on your clients!), don't be afraid to be a little

frivolous in designing your work space with personalised

touches –

If amusing photos of your kids or pets will boost your morale

during a tough assignment, then by all means have them

on display.

Having your own home office makes it easier for

you to tailor it to your exact requirements, utility

and design-wise.

These are some basic tips you can follow in designing a

comfortable home office.

Now it's over to you to tweak things as appropriate to suit your profession and

personal tastes.