Lifestyle:10 Tips For Designing Your Home Office

Work in style in a beautiful and functional home office.
Whether your home office is designated space for
running a business, the occasional telecommute, or
simply a nook for paying bills and organizing your
schedule, you deserve more than a metal desk and
extra chair stuffed into a spare corner. Why? An
office that reflects the design and comfort of the
rest of your home is a place you’ll want to burn the
midnight oil. Here are 10 tips for creating a
charming, practical work space.
1. Location, location, location. You’ll likely spend
many hours in your home office, so don’t stiff
yourself on space (e.g. squishing a tiny desk into a
windowless closet to preserve the rarely-used guest
room). Also consider traffic flow and your ability to
withstand distractions. Do you work best in the thick
of activity, or should your office be tucked away in a
quiet space? If clients will be stopping by, a private
space with ample seating is a must.
2. Don’t sacrifice form for function. Your desk,
shelves, and storage should serve you, not the other
way around. Consider your workflow and what items
you need at your fingertips before investing in
furniture, and then look for pieces that are both
beautiful and functional. Home office furniture should
complement other rooms in your house instead of
screaming “soulless cubicle.” If your home has
traditional décor, warm wood and soft, comfy chairs
or a loveseat are ideal if you have the space. A
contemporary home office can feature artistic pieces
or modern metal furniture.
3. Invest in a great chair. You spend hours parked
in your office chair; a beautiful, ergonomically-
correct, comfortable seat is worth every dime.
A contemporary-style home office by designer
Berliner
4. Paint the walls a color you love. Forget “office
beige”: you need a color that gets your work motor
humming. For some people, that’s a bright, cheery
color like orange or lime green. Others need a
calming shade like botanical green or sea foam blue
to perform. Find out more about how certain colors
can affect your mood.
5. Give yourself a view. Position the desk where you
can stare at something more interesting than a
blank wall (even if you do love the color) when you
glance up from the computer. A window’s natural
light is ideal, but if you’re in a windowless space,
hang a pretty picture above the desk, or position
your chair to face the door.

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