4 Clever Ideas for Creating Home Office Workspace
Whether you are an old pro or new to working from home, having the perfect home office workspace is essential. Perhaps you want a home office with a view or space to accommodate a large bookshelf — whatever the case, the right home office can help place boundaries between work time and relaxation time.
The only question is: Do you find a new home with the optimum work from home office space already built in or build it yourself in your current home? If you’re having trouble deciding how to designate a home office workspace in your existing home, check out these tips for creating the perfect home office or finding the home office of your dreams with a beautiful, new home at Union Park.
Converting a Bedroom Into an Office
Whether you’re an empty nester or slowly growing your family, there’s likely a good chance that an unused bedroom could be the perfect spot for a home work room. Place a desk beneath a particularly sunny window, build a bookcase for files, and free the closets of clutter to create the optimal space for concentration and productivity.
Once you’ve moved in larger pieces of furniture, you can add smaller details to your bedroom office like a comfortable desk chair, window treatments, a sleek desk lamp, additional monitors, and artwork that ties everything together. Keep in mind that if your bedroom office is in a more secluded part of the house, you’ll want to be conscious of the time so work hours don’t bleed into hours you can spend at home with loved ones.
Using the Dining Room for Home Office Work Space
If you don’t have a bedroom to spare, a dining room table can work just as well as any desk. While working from home in the dining room might present more distractions — especially if multiple people are working from home at once — this spacious alternative to a desk can be perfect for stretching out and getting some work done.
Set up a second monitor, splay your daily planner, keep a water bottle close at hand, and decorate the table with some flowers and the once lonely dining table can quickly become an optimal work from home office space.
Another great thing about creating a home office workspace in the dining room is that the multipurpose use of the table will encourage you to pack up at the end of the night and set strong boundaries between when you’re online and when you’re relaxing.
Converting a Closet Into a Small Home Office
Not every home has extra rooms or even much additional space to designate to a home office. For renters or city dwellers, the only square footage to spare may need to be carved out of a large hallway, foyer, or bedroom closet. While storage space is highly coveted in a home of any size, those looking to create a cozy home office workspace can get savvy with a little closet organization and space-saving purchases.
After clearing out the unnecessary clutter, push hanging items like jackets or clothing to either side of the closet and install a pull down desk in the back of the closet. Pull down desks come in many shapes and sizes. From compact secretary desks, to wall-mounted desks that pull down and fold up, work from home office space is versatile and an opportunity to get creative.
Finding a Home With Work From Home Office Space
If you’re already planning to move and know you will be working from home full- or part-time, consider purchasing a new home with a home office workspace established in the floor plan. By purchasing a home with a home office already built in, there will be no need to sacrifice a bedroom, the dining room table, or even a closet to get your work-from-home needs met.
Separate home office workspace is especially beneficial for those who use more than a laptop and a cellphone during the work day. A spacious home office can accommodate a printer, filing cabinets, your home’s router, as well as additional furniture like an armchair or a standing desk. As you hunt for homes with designated work space, keep in mind everything that you need in a day to be productive. This should help you narrow your home search.
If you work from home regularly, you’ll also want to consider your comfort and need for privacy when making your decision. For parents, in particular, consider buying a new home with a convenient home office workspace off the family room with French doors, providing a quiet space where you can still keep an eye on the kids. If you don’t have kids or someone else will be watching them during work hours, consider a secluded spot such as an open loft area on the second floor. In a new home construction, you have more options to make the office space fit your needs versus simply working in a bedroom office.
Either way, making your home office comfortable and productive is the key. It all depends on your workspace needs and future plans — not only for work but for your family. Take a look at the floor plans at Union Park by Hillwood for some inspiration for your home office.
