Small Home Office Designs

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Romantico metropolitano, Patrizia Massetti Patrizia Massetti Study/office
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In today’s economic climate, there are more and more people working from home. A home office is becoming a necessity in many homes. Working from home can be an exciting proposition initially, it seems so comfortable and efficient with the bonus of not having to commute.  Although is this such an effective way of working? Is it that easy to remove yourself from the goings on in the house to be able to fully concentrate on work. To create a functional and effective home/work space there are a number of things to consider. What work will be done? What sort of equipment will be required? Will clients or work mates be visiting? Or will this be done electronically? Once these practical considerations have been made, the fun of designing a home office can begin. Whether the chosen space is an entire room in a large house, or a small nook in an apartment, there are clever, creative ways to make any space a fully functional, effective home office.

A Small Nook

No matter how small a space is, there is always the potential to convert it into a home office. This small nook office is a great example. This office is squeezed into a small space along the window. There is just enough space for a desk and a set of shelves above it. It may seem like there is not enough room for an office, but this can be deceiving. With careful planning, and some clever tricks a small office like this can be a functional and efficient work space. One of the most important elements of an office is organisation. To ensure an organised office it is important that there is space for everything. Including shelves in small spaces is a great idea, but why not go one step further and include baskets in those shelves to put smaller items like tape, paperclips, erasers, pens and stamps? This keeps them off the desk and create a clear and free workspace.

Compact Home Office

One of the most important aspects of a successful home office is organisation. This becomes even more important when space is at a premium. Everything must have a home, and everything must live in its home when it is not being used. When working in a small space disorganisation leads to frustration, wasted time and ineffective work.  An organised office creates an organised mind and effective work time. This office illustrates this well. Although this home office is small, it is organised. The inclusion of three shelves above the desk provides plenty of space for books, files and stationery. The shelf next to the desk provides a surface for equipment such as printers, scanners and faxes when they are required. Be sure to have a place for everything in a home office to allow for maximum effectiveness. This design is by Patrizia Massetti Architetto.

A Separate Space

When choosing a space to set up a home office it is important to find somewhere that is completely separate from the rest of the house. In this way, the home world can be set apart from the work world. It will create a separate environment and therefore a different mind space. Just as space is separate, so must everything else. Work items, such as papers, folders and files, must stay in the work area. Items from the home such as bills, remote controls and televisions, must stay in the home section. This home office illustrates this well. It is separate from the rest of the house and has only work related items on the desk and on the shelves. This is a great way to create a unique and functional work space to come into at the beginning of a work day and leave at the end of the work day.

A Private Space

One of the main issues with having a home office is the lack of privacy. The constant interruptions of a family house can disrupt a workflow or an important phone call. When a home office is located in a living space, the noisy movements of the rest of the family can be disruptive and distracting. One solution may be to create a divider between the living areas and the office with a dividing wall or bookcase. The best solution however is to establish the office in a totally private area. This office is a great example. This office was established in the unused roof space of a house. It provides an excellent, efficient and private space for a home office. The door can be closed to allow for complete privacy. The large space is sparsely decorated to allow for a higher degree of functionality.

Bright Spaces

Good lighting is an important aspect of an effective home office.  The more natural light in an office area the better. The lack of natural daylight has been linked to depression. Natural blue daylight affects the mood of an individual, creating alertness and assisting concentration. It is therefore beneficial to locate a home office near a natural source of light. This office is a great example. It is only small, but situated in front of this huge window, giving it the impression of being much larger. It is a great way to bring energy and vitality into a space. Although small this office has everything it needs to function as an effective home office. When it comes to a home office, size does not mean functionality.

Office Tones

When designing a home office one of the last planning decisions to make is the choice of a colour scheme. The colour scheme in a home office plays an important part in establishing the atmosphere and mood of the space. Certain colours create different emotions in people and can therefore create a more positive or negative energy. Blue is a great colour to create a cool and calm atmosphere, but it can often create too much calm. Red and yellow are bright colours, but can sometimes be distracting. White is a fantastic colour for a home office. White is a neutral shade that is does not distract, but creates an alert awareness. This incredible home office shows how a white home office can create a great working atmosphere. This amazing home office occupies the second level balcony of a home. It has a clear glass floor, allowing you to see to the floor below. The entire adjoining wall is made from glass allowing a huge amount of natural light into the space. This house was designed by Memo Arquitectas of Argentina.

The Perfect Space

A home office is an area in the home in which work related to a specific profession is carried out. It is work that requires concentration and organisation. To create the best climate for this to happen there must be privacy, separation, natural light, organisation, a positive colour scheme and a clear working space. This office has all of those things. This office is separate from the rest of the home, it faces this huge window allowing natural light to flood in, and has the beautiful natural palate that creates a calm atmosphere. One of the most important elements of this home office has been the clear, organised desk space. All but the most important papers have been removed and put always, allowing for a calm and considered work approach.

To work from home is wonderful but can sometimes be frustrating. The convenience is great, but sometimes the lack of separation and privacy issues can make the situation more challenging than expected. By designing and organising a home office carefully many of these issues can be avoided. When planning for a home office consider how it will be used, and by who? Think about privacy, separation, and organisation. By taking these things into account anyone can create a wonderful and functional home office. For more inspiration see Office Spaces.

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