Dream Home Offices

February 17, 2017

5 Ways You Can Make Your Dream Home Office a Reality

With the ever-changing nature of the workforce and a growing interest in entrepreneurship, more and more people are choosing (or creating) flexible, nontraditional careers that allow them to work from home at least part of the time, which means it’s time to say goodbye to that drab spare room you call a workspace and hello to your dream home office. There are plenty of steps you can take to create a serene and stylish at-home workspace that encourages concentration, creativity and productivity. Below, we’ve compiled for you a list of the top five ways you can bring your dream home office to life.

According to research from Global Workplace Analytics, 50% of the workforce in the United States holds a job that allows at least partial telework (work at home), and approximately 20-25% of the workforce teleworks with some frequency. The Global Workplace Analytics research also shows that implementing nontraditional work environments where employees have at least partially flexible hours and can work from home two to three days per week “allows for a balance of concentrative work (at home) and collaborative work (at the office).”

Whether you primarily work from home, or often find yourself bringing your work home with you at the end of the day, having a comfortable and stylish workspace at home is key. “Everyone wants to put their desk in front of something that inspires them,” says Kari Whitman, interior designer and owner of Kari Whitman Interiors, who has created home offices for Jessica Alba, Michael Keaton, Antonia Banderas, and other A-list celebrities. “Make your space about who you are, what you want to be, and where you want to go. They say, ‘happy wife, happy life,’ but I believe, ‘happy work space, more production.’”

So, how do you create this dream office? Start with these five tips:

  • Designate a workspace. Some people prefer to work wherever creativity strikes, but having a designated workspace helps many work-at-homers get into work mode without unnecessary distractions.
  • Find the right chair. A proper desk chair is key to a productive work day, but it can be difficult to find a chair that is both chic and good for your posture. Try dressing up a vintage chair with a soft sheepskin blanket or throw for instant comfort and coziness.
  • Make it comfortable, but not too comfortable. You want to feel like you can spend the work day there without having to see a chiropractor, but you don’t want to be so comfortable you’re falling asleep at your desk. Try putting a sheepskin rug underfoot that you can curl your toes into for a little bit of luxury in your workspace.
  • Bring your workspace to life. Research from the International Journal of Workplace Health Management shows that the presence of a dog in the workplace reduces stress. If you’re not a pet person, liven up your workspace with some low-maintenance potted plants on the windowsill.
  • Control clutter creatively. Since you’re working at home and not at the office, you may be more prone to spreading your things out over your desk or the floor, which can create a cluttered, inefficient workspace. Try using pretty bowls, colorful catchalls or these handcrafted, free trade Ghana market baskets to control your clutter without sacrificing one bit of style.