Home Office Design Tips For Remote Work Spaces

With remote work becoming a part of our daily lives over the past few years, the home office has become a familiar presence in many homes. And we're not just talking about a dedicated room for work that you can close the door behind when you're done. As people have found creative ways to create a temporary home office in their homes, for others, working remotely has become the new normal.

Whether you're sitting at the dining table or have taken over a spare corner of your room, you have to make the most of the space you have to be productive when working from home. Now is the time to give your makeshift space a makeover and turn it into a proper and productive work area. Let's take a look at some of the common places in your home where you can set up your workstation.

Bedroom office

While setting up a work area in your bedroom might not be the ideal solution, it might be the only one you have. Whether you live in an apartment or a small house, you may not always have a spare room or additional space to create a remote working station. Your bedroom might be the only space you have to work with.

The size of your bedroom will dictate what solution works best for setting up your remote workstation. If your bedroom has enough space, you can set up an independent desk or convert a table you already own into a dedicated work desk. If you don't have a lot of space, consider a foldable table that you can put away when you're not working. This way, you'll have more of a separation between your work and personal space.

The options here are endless, as there is literally a desk for any size space or need. If you are looking for one within any type of budget—big or small—you are sure to find one that suits you. Either of these options will work well if you are confined to working from your room, and either is better than working from bed—think of the productivity that will come from a desk.

Guest room combo

While you might not have a spare room collecting dust, you might have a guest room. Much like your own bedroom, a guest room offers an opportunity to function as a workspace. You can approach it with the same principle as the bedroom by installing a desk to fit the space and using it when necessary. If you have the resources and are looking for a makeover project, this is a perfect opportunity to overhaul an unused room and make it work as an office and a guest room.

Start fresh and think about what desk works best in your space. After all, having the perfect workspace can improve your work. It's all about productivity, and if you are used to working in an office, you can try to replicate this feeling at home by setting up a desk in the room, with an office chair and any essentials you may need to work to the best of your ability in these strange times. Desks can come in all shapes and sizes, so you should be able to find one for odd-shaped guest rooms.

If your guest room doesn't get much use, consider removing the bed or swapping it for a sofa bed. This way, you can take a break on the sofa away from your desk and open it up to a bed if you have company staying over. Another option is to swap the bed for a Murphy bed that can be used as a desk when not in use.

Shared parent and kids study

If you have kids doing schoolwork remotely, you can always set up a shared workspace for you both to share. This way, your kids also gain a place to do homework and make them feel like they have a quiet and dedicated space for their work. Generally, with kids at home, space can be tight, but there are ways that you can get around this and promote joint productivity.

Like the guest room situation, this can be converted into a study area for the kids and a working area for the parents. We understand scheduling issues could be a problem, so there are other ways around it if space does not allow everyone to be in the same room.

If you have a storage room strictly used for storing Christmas decorations and other items, consider converting this space into a remote work area. Decorations, old clothes, old toys, and other items can always be donated to charity, stored under a bed, or in the attic, which gives you the chance to make the most of that wasted space.

The good thing about kids is that they are smaller than adults and require less space. With the storage room cleared out and the space open, you should be able to get a desk for the grown-up and a desk for the child so that both can work from home in harmony.

Utilize your desk space

If storage rooms or spare guest rooms are not an option for you, you might have to get more creative in your approach to remote work. By looking for innovative solutions, you might discover a new talent you never knew you had. Whether it's your dining table or kitchen island, open space carries potential. With this, you can make the most out of your limited options.

If you have a dining room or kitchen table where you usually eat, you can convert it into a work area. This will allow you to escape the temptations of working from bed or the sofa and create the mindset of going to work as you sit at a physical desk. Likewise, if you have a coffee bar or some free counter space, you can do the same. Studies show it is unhealthy to sit for long periods, so standing while working may be better for you in the long run!

Choosing the color palette

Now that we have covered which part of your home you can use for working remotely, it's time to talk color. While trends come and go, some colors are timeless for a reason, especially with workspaces. It is important to promote productivity, especially when being at home can be tempting to be unproductive. In doing this, color psychology comes into play, let's take a look.

• Blue has a calming effect and is great for the mind and body. Certain shades can represent knowledge and power, making blue a great addition to an office.
• Black signifies simplicity and functionality. It is versatile and can be used in virtually any space. It is modern and elegant and would look amazing in an office. Contrast it with white furniture or modern accents, and it can be stunning.
• White is pure and innocent and can convey fresh simplicity. It can be used in minimalist spaces as it illuminates the areas and creates a sleek feel. Its tranquil ambiance makes it a great tool for office spaces.
• Red is daring and dramatic, often rousing emotions like passion and excitement. The ambitious tones in the color make it perfect for productive spaces such as the office. At its core, it's powerful, but in its variants, it can be rich and beautiful.

Add a touch of nature

As more people had to spend more time indoors, they realized they missed the connection to nature. This, in turn, has led to integrating natural and organic elements into our homes, with an emphasis on our home offices.

There are many benefits to having plants in offices and the home. They can improve air quality and productivity and provide a touch of color and nature to the area they are used in. While many plants don't thrive indoors, many do. Many are relatively low maintenance and, in their simplicity, can provide a significant boost to office space, cacti, for example.

Whether you choose some small plants to sit on your desktop, a tall plant for the corner, or multiple throughout the room, adding some natural elements to any part of your home is always a good idea.

Maximize vertical space

Maximizing your home's vertical space has become more important than ever as people were forced to find a space at home to work from. There are many ways to do this, which are surprisingly easy and will probably make you question why you haven't done it sooner.

With vertical space, it's all about minimizing what is on the floor and building up. If you have an office or desk area in any room, place it against the wall and use the wall space that the width of the desk covers as your office area. Shelves come in extremely handy here, as they can be placed on different levels to maximize the amount of space you have. Invest in some storage boxes, and you can maximize this space even more.

It's essential to remain productive when working from home, and this is hard to do when the office space is boring and bland. With this vertical space, you can hang pictures, place sticky notes with motivating messages or decorate it with an exciting piece of art or even wallpaper. This will help a lot more than plain white walls, which will eventually put you off getting to work.

Bonus tips

Here are other ways to add to these trends and keep your home office space fresh and useful.

• If you live with others who also need to work from home and wonder if you have enough space, invest in a slightly larger desk that will fit your space. This way, you can have more than one person work strategically and make the best use of your space. You can divide the table into two or create working areas on each end.
• While the space to work is important, it's also important not to feel confined. In office environments, there are usually big, open windows so that the employees do not feel claustrophobic and feel like they are in a basement. Try to replicate this at home by placing your desk or working space close to a window, door, or somewhere with a view. This will help you stay relaxed and make the space feel more open.

• Make the most of corners or awkward areas! If you can't find an office space, look around your home. You'll likely find a space to set up shop, even if it's just a tiny corner or hallway. Desks come in all shapes and sizes, and you will definitely find one that will fit that weird-shaped corner in your living area or that long hallway in your home.
• Lighting is incredibly important in your home, even more so in your remote working space, as it will keep you focused and improve your productivity. If you are stuck in a dark room or corner, you will feel less inclined to work, so natural lighting and/or task lighting will be helpful here.
• Most importantly, take breaks. In the office, it is important to take regular breaks from the computer and desk, not only for health reasons but also to aid in keeping your brain recharged. A well-rested person who takes breaks will work better than a tired person.

With the rise of remote work, you must create a proper area and tools to do the job. Whether you want to spruce up your tiny little corner or completely overhaul your home office space, there are ways you can do it to stay on trend and fit your needs.

We hope you take inspiration from these trends and follow our tips to transform your little workspace into one that will aid in you working to the best of your ability. Remember, you can always use Planner 5D to design your perfect office space, no matter your budget.