Many of us have seen images of custom office spaces in glossy magazines that look like they have been styled solely for photography, but may never have been used for actual work.

Complete with a drawerless desk with no apparent room for plugging anything in, or leaving out a single piece of paper. The team at Balnei & Colina take a more practical approach to home office design, to ensure your home office supports your day to day work activities while still offering visual appeal. 

With the new financial year upon us, perhaps now is a good time to consider allocating some of your FY20 budget to a new home office, that will help keep you both motivated and organised.

In this month’s B&C Journal we’ll show you how to create the ultimate home office space. Here are our top home office renovation tips.

The Team at Balnei & Colina

Image Credit: Project by Oculus Architecture

1. Keep the Space Flexible 

With our homes getting smaller and our workdays getting longer, the home office nook is an attractive alternative, especially now that we are so paperless and portable. However, if you do need supplies like filing cabinets and accessories such as printers, shredders and the like, it’s best to conceal them in a neat but accessible way. Built-ins that fit in with the rest of your room’s design aesthetic can contain clutter, and provide you an with an escape from it all when you’re not working. A study or office nook can be built and customised to suit any room in your home, for example in a bedroom, family room or living room that needs a workspace within it.

Image credit: Rebecca Naughtin Architechture

 

Image credit: Belle Magazine

2. Comfort is Key

 Make sure you allow enough space to work comfortably. Ask yourself if you will be able to move easily from side to side, stand up and sit back from your desk. While this may seem obvious, it’s easy to underestimate how much space you need. To avoid this, use the same rule of thumb as the design professionals at Balnei & Colina to lay out a custom workstation – allow a minimum of 150 cm in width and 210 cm in depth for a comfortable work area.

Image credit: Derek Swalwell Photoraphy

 

Image credit: Peter Clarke Photography

3. Storage and Shelving

Storage is often overlooked when designing a home office and can really affect your productivity. Make sure to allow enough shelving, cabinets or cupboards for your storage needs. Consider your workflow – what comes in, where will it be stored while being worked on, and where does it go when complete? 

Place your inbox on or next to your desk. Keep your current work within arm’s reach. Locate your filing system nearby. Don’t forget reference materials – if you use manuals, catalogues or reference books, locate a shelf near your desk to keep them close at hand.

Image Credit: Ben Thomas Builders

Image Credit: Odelia By Design

6. Natural Light and View

Good lighting is critical for any home office space. Select a location within your home that has natural light. Position your desk to face windows, or in a location where your computer screen will not be affected. Translucent window shades or blinds can help reduce any glare without darkening your room. You can also enhance natural light by including a mirror and by keeping most of your walls a light colour.

An overhead ceiling light or skylight can also provide good general lighting. A pair of open-top floor lamps placed in the corners of your room will do the same. Include a desk light to provide shadow-free task lighting and extra light in the evenings. You can add some full spectrum daylight bulbs in your light fixtures to an extra boost.

Image credit: Design Milk

7. Tame Your Tech

Nothing makes a home office look or feel more cluttered than wires hanging from your desk and running in all directions. Take control of your technology with smart ideas like wireless routers, printers and a wireless mouse. Add a grommet in your desktop to lead any wires from your desk down below and attach any visible wires to the underside of your desk or down along a desk leg. 

Still unsure how to create a home office that’s ergonomically sound with visual appeal?  Book a complimentary design appointment with a Balnei & Colina custom home office expert. Contact us on 1300 450 320. You can also send us your project details via this Contact form. 

Visit us at balneiandcolina.com.au or connect with us via Facebook or Instagram to stay up to date with the latest home renovation and design trends.