Simple steps for a stylish work space at home
A work station that suits your taste and needs will surely help bolster motivation and focus. Time to show who’s boss, says
WORKING from home can be the ultimate dream ticket – no more commuting or having to dress formally, or worry about office politics – and even better, you get to escape all that dreary corporate decor. “Cutting down on wasteful travelling time, enabling you to spend more time with the family, is just some of the many benefits to home-working, and it can be particularly beneficial from a health and wellbeing perspective,” enthuses Susan White, marketing director at blinds and curtains specialists, Hillarys.
If you’re set to join the millions who work from home, look on it as the perfect chance to tailor a space to suit your taste and needs.
We’ve done the homework for you and devised seven simple but stylish steps, so you can make light work of creating the perfect home office...
1 MAKE IT PERSONAL
AT home, you’re the boss, and you can truly indulge your taste and have the freedom to express your personality in the decoration of your ‘office’.
In an open-plan space, zone an area with a stunning wall mural, or cork tile an expanse of wall so you can pin up inspiring photos or to-do lists.
Alternatively, paint a wall with black chalkboard paint, to transform it into a wipeable surface for scribbling ideas, plans, or simply expressing yourself. (Rust-Oleum black magnetic matt chalkboard paint, £14 for 750ml, B&Q, is ideal for the job.)
■ TIP: If you fancy it, don’t be afraid to incorporate pattern and colour into your office scheme. Research has found that both can actually help keep you creative and stimulated at work. For a perfect balance, keep energetic colours in your periphery, while sticking to a more subdued look for the desk.
2 PRETTY UP WITH PINK
IF you’re after a softer scheme, reduce the risk of workplace stress by choosing a calming colour for a work area. Pink is reputedly a positive colour, inspiring warm, comforting feelings and imparting a sense that everything will be all right – and who doesn’t like the sound of that? Wild & Wolf retro 746 push button phone, dusky pink £50, Hurn & Hurn
3 KILL THE CLUTTER
KEEPING a tidy office is crucial to staying on top of things. Organising and filing loose papers means you’ll spend less time searching for them – coping with clutter is a big time-waster.
Filing cabinets, desks with compartments, and accessible floating shelves for file boxes are a good investment. Don’t let a notice board be all to-do lists and bills though, or you won’t ever want to look at it.
■ TIP: Keep everyday essentials close to hand, so there’ll be less temptation to get up and wander. If you know you’ll need frequent caffeine top-ups, you could even keep a little coffeemaker or kettle near the desk, and a mini-fridge stocked with cold drinks. Curve home office grey ash three-drawer pedestal, currently reduced from £311 to £249, wooden-furniture.co.uk
4 CARVE OUT A CREATIVE CORNER
“NOT everyone has an entire room, or even an entire wall, to dedicate to an office. But that doesn’t mean you can’t carve out a space somewhere to let your creative juices flow,” says Susan.
“Whatever you use your home office for, an effective work area demands plenty of light. Equally, you don’t want glare on your screen, so choose your window dressings wisely. Shutters and Venetian blinds have adjustable louvres and slats, so you can control the amount of light and are also great for privacy and security,” adds Susan. “If you’re easily distracted, opt for a sheer roller blind. It’ll still let in plenty of light, but you can pull it down too.”
■ TIP: Set clear ground rules for your work space, such as asking family to knock before coming into your office, or respecting quiet time between certain hours. Make this easy, and visual, for young children by using a traffic light system (a green circle on the door means ‘come in’; yellow means ‘ask first’, and red means ‘do not disturb’).
Brindle spice roller blinds £73,
61cm w x 76cm, Hillarys.co.uk