Working from home may feel like the ultimate win, but that win also comes with the ultimate distraction—your home. Productivity disruptions are everywhere in your home—your family, outside noises, bulky furniture, messy spaces, and even the interior design of your home office can make you lose focus. So what can you do to create a home office space that works for you?
If you have a dedicated office space at home, you’re off to a great start! But what if your home office design is actually working against you? Read on to learn about the best tips for home office design and what you should try to avoid.
Focus on Quality Lighting
Walking into your home office space shouldn’t make you feel as though it’s too bright, too dark, or has an inconsistency in lighting. The lighting in a room can affect mood and productivity or even turn into a distraction. No matter what you’re using your workspace for, your home office design should start with quality lighting.
- Are you working on a computer most of the time? Position your desk and lights to avoid screen glare.
- Are you working on art or craft projects? You’ll want to make sure you have enough properly-balanced lighting.
If you have the option, start with natural lighting from a window and add in complementing lights. Natural lighting only takes you so far, and you’ll have to accommodate for cloudy days, mornings, and evenings.
Consider Color Theory in Your Design
Just like the quality and style of the lighting in your home office design can affect your mood and productivity, so can colors or patterns. According to color psychology and theory, we all have natural reactions to specific colors. You may associate a particular color with a feeling or experience, and it is essential to understand how you react to colors before deciding on your home office design.
If you are investing in repainting your home office space or adding in cabinetry or other storage options, consider how each piece will work together. Will the colors invoke a feeling of warmth, or will they clash and be a constant distraction?
Invest In Adjustable Office Furniture
Whether your home office space is an entire room or just a small nook, investing in adjustable office furniture will take the stress out of working from home. Adaptable office furniture—even office cabinetry—turns your home office space into a multi-functional space.
You may need the ability to adjust lighting, add extra seating, adjust your chair or desk, or have storage options you can shift. Talk with Red Rose Cabinetry today about office cabinetry or storage options that would work best for your home office design.
Create a Flow to Keep Clutter Off Your Desk
In a previous blog, we discussed some tips to get rid of desk clutter using organization in your home office design. Many times, our desks get so cluttered and disorganized because we lack the appropriate storage to keep things off our desktops.
Adding built-in office cabinets to your home office design can eliminate much of that clutter from your desk and give you the breathing space to work. Maybe the work you’re doing from home doesn’t produce a lot of paperwork, but you have other materials all over your workspace. Red Rose Cabinetry can help with both of those scenarios!
A Soothing Smell Can Make a Difference
Scents—much like colors—can invoke a particular feeling or memory. You can use a soothing fragrance to create a more productive vibe in your home office design. Add in a soothing smell naturally with plants or flowers, with oil diffusers or air fresheners—just make sure they don’t overpower your workspace.
Add a Houseplant (or Two)
According to American Forests, indoor office plants can increase your focus and even make you feel happier. Consider the natural lighting in your home office design, and know what lighting your indoor plants will need. If you lack a window, consider a tiny desk lamp that can accommodate a grow light.
If Needed, Insulate For a Quiet Space
Your home workspace might be next to a busy road, without a door, or right in the middle of your busy home—a quiet space may seem impossible. There are several immediate solutions to noise—like closing up gaps in doorways or windows, adding calming background noise, and purchasing soundproofing materials like curtains or heavy rugs.
You can also look into adding cabinetry to add extra buffering between your wall and the noises beyond it.
Common Mistakes in Home Office Design
Your home office design should create a workspace that you enjoy using. Try to avoid these common mistakes when setting up your home office space.
Inadequate Storage
Having adequate storage space can eliminate desk and room clutter and give you a more productive work environment. Work with professionals to help you design and install the perfect cabinetry or storage for your home office space.
Inadequate Wire Management
Are you constantly tripping over loose cables? Or maybe you have grown tired of seeing all of your electronics bunched together? Not having a plan for all of those electronics and the accompanying wiring can be frustrating. Develop a plan today to take care of that constant headache and distraction.
Trying to Just “Tune Out” Distractions
We’ve all been there— thinking to yourself, “if only I could focus a little harder, I could tune out the world and finally get some work done.” Trying to just “tune out” distractions is harder than it sounds and ultimately doesn’t work.
Schedule Your Free Design Session
Are you experiencing any of these distractions in your home office and want to upgrade your home office design? Schedule a free design session with us at Red Rose Cabinetry! Visit our showroom in Lititz, Pa., and speak with an experienced member of our team to discuss how Red Rose Cabinetry can help upgrade your home office design in the Lancaster County area.
