Working from home is becoming increasingly common in the UK. In fact, You Magazine state that up to 50% of workers will have ditched the commute and be working remotely by next year.
This means it’s essential to start checking around for inspirational home office setup ideas immediately, so your new office space features the sort of motivational design and features that can enhance productivity.
Home office design considerations
You don’t need to spend lots of cash on your new home office layout; however, you should make every attempt to create a design that works for you.
If you enjoy fresh air and lots of light while working, locating your new office in a confined space is probably not advisable.
If the only available space for your home office is in a guest bedroom or living area, you might want to consider the benefits of screening your workplace when it’s not in use.
This is also great for creating the defined office area that can help encourage work endeavours.
Procrastination and work avoidance can be very common pitfalls for home workers, but when you have your own ideal office space it can be much easier to schedule your time effectively.
That said, another great advantage of a dedicated workspace is that it can help increase focus and concentration levels. If you have caring responsibilities for kids or senior family members, they will soon realise that interruptions, while you are working, should be kept to a minimum.
There are bound to be more disturbances when you work remotely, whether it’s the postman or delivery agents at the door or a meter reader calling around to check on gas and electricity use. All these issues make it even more of a priority to set up your own workplace layout.
And, finally, any worker needs a designated workspace.
You may well dream about spending all day lounging around in front of the TV with your pyjamas on, but setting your work routine will be an important decider on the ultimate success of your remote work. This kicks off with setting up a useful home office, with all of the essentials needed for the best performance.
Five of the best home office layouts
1. Affordable home office setup ideas that won’t break the bank
One affordable idea for a home office setup is to utilise what’s often the dead space under your stairs.
This can be a really inexpensive solution if the understairs area is already open. All you will need is an office desk or table and some shelving or cupboards.
It can cost a little more if you have to knock down the wall dividing your understairs cupboard from the living room but will be a worthwhile decision in the end.
Brightening up your understairs office with a fresh lick of paint and an attractive picture will make the world of difference and create a work area you can really call your own.
2. Screening is useful for creating a separate space
As already noted, it’s important to create an office layout that enables you to concentrate. So, just adding a desk to your guest bedroom may cause you to become distracted while working.
Screening your work area using rolling tambour screens can be an inexpensive and attractive way to section off your space.
Alternatively, you could consider using wood panelling or even mirrored doors to build an entirely enclosed work area to enhance your sense of privacy.
3. Fit air conditioning before next summer’s heatwave
If you’re accustomed to working in an air-conditioned environment you’re sure to notice the difference when you work from home!
This will be even more apparent if summer temperatures reach similar levels as heatwaves we’ve had in the past. Air conditioning is becoming more and more popular for domestic homes and apartments, particularly in muggy, urban cities like London.
It’s now possible to source AC units without exterior condensers, making it far easier to install units in any kind of building.
Maintaining the comfort of your home environment will be even more essential when you’re working from home, so it’s important to check out every essential amenity prior to launching your new working life.
Plus, air conditioning has been known to increase productivity, so it’s a must for some extra motivation.
4. Working in your outdoor space can be very motivational
If you have the available cash, creating an office in your garden or yard can be a really fantastic idea.
It allows you to separate your home and work life effectively, while still achieving all the benefits of working at home. What’s more, an open, green outlook can be very motivational at any time of year and encourage greater levels of productivity.
Basic garden pods can be purchased on the open market, but you’ll need to think about the costs of fitting electricity and heating alongside any other decorative needs.
If you already have a summer house or durable garden shed, you might want to consider whether it could be converted into an office easily.
5. Loft or attic space can be used to create a unique and spacious home office
If you do have a loft or attic you might want to consider the benefits of decluttering the area and fitting it out as a home office. This will be quite an expensive option, but will truly allow demarcation of your workspace and keep interruptions to a bare minimum.
The sloping roofs of lofts can make a perfect cupboard space, so this is a good choice for professionals needing to store copious amounts of plans or documents.
Other design considerations you might find useful include:
– the addition of recessed lighting above your work area, to help ensure focus
– building your new office in a window nook, to increase levels of natural light flooding your workspace
– adding internal air conditioning to keep you cool in the warmest summer months. Your home can become just as uncomfortable and sticky as your normal workplace when temperatures hit more than 30 degrees C.
Air conditioning makes all the difference to workers in the summer and can be a fantastic addition to your home environment too.
There are lots more home office setup ideas you could consider but it’s important that you create your new office prior to any move to remote working. This will reduce the impacts on your employer and ensure that you can produce typical performance levels from the get-go.
Cool You UK specialise in air conditioning for the home, and there’s no need for an external condenser unit with our systems. Get in touch if you’re planning your home office layout and want to discuss all the benefits of air conditioning in your new work environment.
