Although working from home has several benefits, it also comes with a few challenges. These include the inability to focus, stay organized, be creative, and find inspiration.
Sprucing up your home office can make a difference in your productivity and performance. By going beyond the usual table, computer, and chair setup, you can eliminate difficulties in letting out your creativity. Moreover, you will be more inspired and you can stay focused on completing your tasks or project for the day.
Below are some ways you can elevate your home office and turn it into an inspiring and productive workspace:
1. Invest in carpet flooring
Quality carpet flooring can make a huge difference in transforming your home office from drab to fab.
The right carpet can make your home workspace look more sophisticated and modern. Moreover, it is soft and warm to the feet, thereby allowing you to walk comfortably around your office, whether you are barefoot or wearing your bedroom slippers or office shoes.
By opting for carpets, you will have a floor covering that can last for decades. When you clean and maintain it properly, you can keep it looking like new for years.
Cleaning the carpet is easy as well. You simply need to vacuum it regularly. If you install this flooring only in your home office, you won’t find shampooing or deep cleaning it difficult since you will only deal with a small area.
2. Go for glamour
If you want a more stylish workspace that screams sophistication, decorate your home office with trendy and glamorous pieces.
Start by adding table decor that conveys glitz and glamour. These can include a vintage desk clock, geometric pen holders, porcelain vases, and a metal desk organizer.
Another simple way of glamming up your home office is by changing your lighting fixtures. Installing a pendant lamp or semi-flush mount with intricate detailing will give your space an elegant yet professional feel.
3. Invest in better lighting
Lighting can do more than improve the look of your home office. The right fixtures will brighten up your workspace which, in turn, can boost your mood and energy and make the room look more inviting.
Also, keep in mind that the right lights can keep you alert and focused, while the wrong ones can cause eye strain or headaches. As such, lighting is an important element to focus on in your home office.
The best practice for lighting a home office is using the layering technique. Start with ambient lights, such as ceiling and wall fixtures over or near your desk. Next, add another light source to this area, like a table lamp. Major lighting sites like Stylish Direct will have plenty of all these to choose from.
Lastly, incorporate accent lighting to emphasize the area’s interesting architectural details, such as the natural wooden beams or domed ceiling.
Combining these lighting types will brighten up your home office.
When buying bulbs, avoid cool and bright white fluorescent ones since they are damaging to the eyes. Avoid incandescent lamps as well since they emit large amounts of UV radiation.
Lastly, don’t forget to make use of natural lighting. Sunlight is a natural mood booster and it makes your space feel and look bigger than it actually is.
4. Spruce up the walls
The right wall and window treatments can change the look and feel of your home office dramatically.
Creating an accent wall can elevate the design of your work area quickly. Painting an area in black adds a bit of glitz to the room.
Another option you could go for when creating an accent wall is to look for wallpaper with an elegant design that emulates your style and works with the décor of the room.
Hanging a vision board is another way of sprucing up your walls and having another functional feature in your home office. With a whiteboard, which you can also decorate with photos or sketches, you will have somewhere you can write your tasks for the day or ideas that you can use later.
In addition, using a vision board allows you to think of your goals and dreams as if they are already true. It is one way of applying the law of attraction and getting inspired to work harder to achieve them.
5. Opt for comfortable seating
There is one significant similarity between working at home and in the office: You have to stay seated for hours. As such, getting a kitchen chair and placing it in your work area is a big mistake.
Sitting on a hard chair for several hours straight can lead to back pain caused by bad working posture. Moreover, it can lead to a repetitive strain injury.
If you want to become more comfortable in your home workspace and avoid hurting yourself, invest in an ergonomic office chair. Choose one that comfortably supports your body, allows you to rest your arms, and can be adjusted to your height.
To ensure you get a chair that elevates your home office, pick one with a patterned or colored fabric and smart design.
6. Decorate with plants
Plants are inexpensive natural decorative items to add to your work office. They make any room more attractive and interesting.
Moreover, the additional greenery can help reduce your stress levels, keep you calm, boost your mood and productivity, and clean the air inside the room.
It is best to choose low-maintenance, hardy plants that thrive in low light so that you won’t have to spend plenty of time taking care of them. Cacti, jade plants, snake plants, and pothos are the best examples of this type of flora.
7. Personalize your home office
Lastly, adding your personal touches and showcasing your style and preference ensures you have a workspace that you will love spending hours and can be productive in.
Start by placing one or two framed photos of you and your loved ones or still-life images on your desk. Display or use only your favorite coffee mug with an inspiring quote or caption that you find funny.
You can also order a customized mouse pad and be creative with your desktop background to show off your personal style.
Lastly, choose office supplies and other decorative items in your favorite colors and designs or patterns.
When you see all these items, you will be happy to enter and work in your home office all day.
A well-designed home office can inspire you to work and perform better. With these tips, you can elevate your workspace and be motivated and productive whenever you are here.
AUTHOR BIO
James Prathap is the General Manager at NGC Nafees, one of the leading distributors of wallpapers, floorings, and fabrics in the Middle East and South Asia. Formed three decades ago, the business also offers high-quality panoramics, coordinated fabrics, and creative stickers for residential and commercial projects.