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Creating Home Office Space

Creating a Dedicated Home Office Space

Since the start of the current decade, the way Americans think about work and work environments has dramatically changed. According to the latest statistics, Pew Research found 71% of Americans with jobs or responsibilities who can work from home do so. More than half state they plan to continue working remotely even after the ongoing public health situation ends.

If you are among the many tens of millions of teleworking Americans, having access to a dedicated home office space is crucial for productivity and work-life balance. Well-designed spaces can even increase your property’s value. Here’s how to create the perfect home office environment at home.

Why You Need a Dedicated Home Office

Although how and where we work has changed, many essential aspects of work remain the same. The need to establish a healthy work-life balance is more important than ever.

According to a 2021 NBER study, while remote work has made us more flexible, it has also resulted in a significant increase in email communication and average workday lengths, making it more challenging to disconnect and switch off from work.

The primary purpose of a dedicated home office space is to assign a physical location within your home for work. Making a point to work exclusively in the home office helps you focus, cut distractions, and set a boundary between your work and home life.

Where to Create a Home Office

When searching for the best place to create a home office, remember these three principles:

● The more room, the better
● The home office space should be single-purpose (e.g., do not reuse this space for non-work-related activities)
● The desk and chair should be as comfortable as possible

If you have the space to build an addition onto your home (or renovate an existing one) to create an office, this approach is the ideal solution to meet all three principles.

A dedicated home office building offers unparalleled space, is single-purpose by nature, and lets you build a custom work environment that matches all your specifications. It’s also ideal for maintaining privacy relative to the rest of your home and creating a quiet atmosphere for working.

If you don’t have or need this much space, converting an attic into a home office may be the next best thing. Turning an attic into a working space may increase the house’s square footage without building a new floor, making the existing property more valuable and desirable.

Smaller alternatives include unused guest bedrooms or storage rooms, landings, studies, or large walk-in closets. Although the space they offer is more limited, they may still meet your needs with some planning and organization.

Build Around Your Professional Needs

The cornerstone of any home office is the sitting space, consisting of your desk, chair, computer, storage elements, and other essential supplies. Even if you want a minimalist home office, it should be sufficiently functional to avoid discomfort.

Here are guidelines to help you build a good office sitting space:

● Make sufficient space for your equipment.
Consider what equipment you need on your desk to work efficiently. If all you need is a laptop and a phone, a minimalist 50” wide desk may suffice. If you use a desktop computer, multiple monitors, a printer, and other extra peripherals, you may need at least 60” of width.

● Choose the right desk height.
Although the 28-30” height range fits most individuals, you should match your desk’s height with your own. If you are 6’ or taller, you may find a 32-34” desk more comfortable. A 24-26” desk may be more suitable if you are 5’6” or shorter.

● Get an ergonomic chair.
Your chair should be comfortable, intended for office use, durable, and fully adjustable, reducing the risks of neck and back strain.

● Consider your storage needs.
Shelves, drawers, filing cabinets, and other storage units should have sufficient capacity and be easy to reach from your sitting position.

● Ensure you have proper lighting.
Studies show the ideal light temperature for a work or study environment is around 4,000K.

● Plan space for clients and meetings.
If you need to receive clients in person, ensure you have additional space for extra chairs and the proper desk orientation for face-to-face conversations.

Give it a Personal Touch

Although your home office should be as practical as possible, customize its form and appearance to fit your taste and personality. A standard, impersonal, office-like home office design can even harm productivity and make your work environment more stressful.

The desk should serve as the cornerstone of your home office’s interior decor; other furniture (shelves, chairs, other fixtures) should match the desk’s look and feel. For example, a dark oak desk pairs well with dark oak shelving and dark brown leather seating.

Complement your furniture with additional decorative elements, such as visually appealing wallpaper, comfortable rugs, and other details such as houseplants, bookcases, framed pictures, organizers, and more.

Create the Ideal Work From Home Space With Big State Construction

Big State Construction was founded by veterans of the home construction and renovation industry. With over 15 years of experience providing housing and commercial buildings in Houston and the Gulf Coast Region, we can help you create the ideal home office space in your home. Contact us today for more information.

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