San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
An office space for home work
Why you need a permanent home office and how to create one
We’ve learned a lot over the past several months. We’ve been reminded of the impor tance of washing our hands frequently. We’ve learned to go without bars, clubs, theaters, dining at restaurants and visits to the mall. And many of us also learned that a home office is indispensable.
But home sequestering rules won’t last forever (as of this writing, they’re still in place in my state). Eventually, many of us will abandon our home workstations and head back to our employer’s base of operations.
Or not. Many exper ts believe this telecommuting trend is here to stay, at least for some of the workweek. And even for those whose job won’t let them work remotely, a prevailing truth has emerged in 2020: Virtually ever yone can benefit from a designated and properly equipped home of fice.
“The stay-at-home orders that came from the coronavirus have highlighted the impor tance of having a proper home office that really fits your needs,” said Tamara Harris, the Atlanta-based owner and founder of Design Your Way Home. “You can’t assume you can be comfor table working or being productive for several hours in the same spot where you set up a makeshift of fice. Sitting at the kitchen counter or on the living room sofa might have worked before for a while, but they won’t cut it when you’re regularly spending
long hours and days working from home.”
Interior designer Charmaine Wynter, of Southlake, Texas, agreed.
“People increasingly realize the need to have a real home of fice that is functional — a place conducive to completing focused work,” Wynter said.
Tracy Morris, owner and principal of Tracy Morris Design, with locations in Washington, D.C., Dallas and San Diego, insists that it’s never too late — or too early — to set up a bona fide and properly outfitted home office.
“It’s a smar t thing to do for today and the future. Even after COVID-19, many people will bring home work to do. But it can be hard to set boundaries at home with family members and yourself unless you set up a home of fice in the right space,” said Morris, who believes that many employers will continue to allow their staff to work remotely post-pandemic.
“Or say you have a future injury that makes it hard to get around. With a good home office in place, you could still be productive and work from home,” said Kammi Reiss, an interior designer in New York City. A spare bedroom is ideal. “This means the space will have a window for natural lighting, a door for privacy and a closet for storage, which is ever ything you’d want in an of fice,” Morris said.
Don’t have an extra bedroom? Set up shop in the basement, attic or other spare space free from most distractions.
“Place a desk in the corner of your family room, dining room, or living room — preferably a low-traffic area that doesn’t get a lot of noise,” Harris recommended.
If you’re short on interior space, you may need to get creative.
“For one client, I put a hidden door along one wall of her dining room; when she slides the door back, her home of fice, complete with computer, printer, shelves and bulletin board, are revealed,” Reiss said. “For a client in an apar tment, I put pocket doors on the previously doorless opening to his den, allowing him to conduct work privately in there.”
At a minimum, a home of fice space should include a desk with ample work surface; an ergonomic chair to reduce back strain; suf ficient storage to secure documents and files; a desktop or laptop computer; highspeed internet signal via Ethernet or Wi-fi; printer; office supply staples like pens, clips, sticky notes and printer paper and ample artificial lighting (overhead can lights and/or lamps).
If you’re starting from scratch and lack most of these items, “expect to pay at least $600 for a basic desk, chair and laptop to $3,500 or more for a more complete home office setup,” Harris said.