The world is changing and so are our offices. To evade Covid-19, working from home has become the standard.
For those used to working in offices however, our homes aren’t suitably kitted out to meet the needs of a working environment.
Aesthetics can easily be overlooked but a beautiful workspace makes all the difference to your mood and productivity. Luckily now is your chance to build a beautiful workspace to suit your taste.
You’ll need office furniture to start, which is why Ukhuni has taken up the mantle of easing the transition with their new Home Habitat office furniture range.
Of course, more than investing in a few designer pieces of home office furniture, there are a bunch of other things you just have to do to ensure you have just the right home office.
Director of Ukhuni Michael Stein said, “As remote working becomes more and more prevalent, the need to create a dedicated and well considered work zone in the home has increased.”
Location Scouting
The perfect work from home spot isn’t always easy to find. Separate rooms are a luxury many don’t have. If you do have a study or spare room, you’re more likely to get the distraction-free isolation required for maximum productivity. There are some great alternatives though. Some rooms have a less than useful corner, nook or storage area. These spots will require some stealthy rearrangement but it can be done.
Stein adds, “when your little work spot is aesthetically pleasing it has a psychological impact on your wellbeing.”
Image: Supplied
Space
The ideal amount of space is enough to accommodate your desk, chair and computer equipment so that you don’t need to stretch, bend or squeeze.
The ability to move around easily to adjust your posture as well as stand up and move away from your desk will go a long way to getting you excited to sit down and work.
When we are uncomfortable it’s impossible to be productive. If you’re pressed for space, keep your houseplants, knick-knacks and stationery to the minimum – but only if worst comes to worst.
Light
You have to make sure you have the perfect balance of natural and artificial light to allow for work during the day, night or early morning. Remember that any glare on your computer screen will cause eyestrain.
Privacy
If you’re lucky enough to not be interrupted by your fellow home workers or children during the day, privacy is unlikely to be an issue. For everyone else however, you will want to choose a spot which isn’t central to the usual home activities. This can be further aided by popping on a set of headphones or closing a door of your choice.
Comfort
Before you get too excited, the comfort of working on the couch loses its novelty quickly when your back hurts. In this instance, by comfort, we mean a spot which is warm and cool enough and furniture which supports good posture to avoid any injuries. Your comfort levels are also very importantly affected by sound levels. If you work on a busy street, you want to avoid setting up right next to the street.
Video Calls
This one can get tricky especially when we are improvising. But it’s not a gigantic task so there’s no need to get flustered over it. Remember the size of the area your webcam will cover, it’s not very big so that removes a lot of pressure.
The ideal set up for a video call is one which allows enough natural light into the room without causing glare and provides a backdrop which is pleasing to the eye.
A professional-looking background can be achieved with the help of a great bookcase filled with books, a work of art, a colourful wall, wallpaper or if all else fails, a set of drawn curtains. Bare white walls and piles of laundry behind you will do nothing for you out of the office credibility. Make it pretty.
Your equipment
It’s no secret, messy desks and cables become an eyesore very quickly. A simple motivator and psychological trick are making sure your desk is always tidy – the visual weight of empty cups, open books and stationery scattered across your desk just weighs you down and hinders your productivity. It’s also 100% worth the effort needed to manage your cables. Messy cables get in the way and they are also a hazard, tripping over cables is never fun.
Storage Cupboard, Image:Supplied
Your Personal Style
Working from home is lame if you don’t take advantage of the perks – by that we mean painting a wall luminous pink, not giving in to distraction. Few people will opt for the lumo’ pink for obvious reasons though, but the simple fact is that a well put together workspace which is pleasing to the eye will put you at ease. That said, the exact style of your bedroom or lounge may not lend itself to a productive work environment. Scatter cushions, candles and vases will just get in the way.
Table, Image:Supplied
Interior designer Young Huh says, “the biggest change you can make is to paint your room. Paint the office a beautiful, rich colour that you may not have considered before such as oxblood or a bright sweet colour that brightens the room like a Marie Antoinette blue.”
To begin with, keep it simple and slowly layer on items while remembering to avoid sensory overload with too much stuff. Add detail and pops of colour to things like walls, lighting, furniture and maybe a carpet. These are areas were texture, colour and design will really make the space.
Furniture
While office furniture is available from many of the same places you might buy your regular home furniture from, you want to pay attention to things such as ergonomics, sturdiness and hard-wearing surfaces.
Chairs: Image: Supplied
It’s easy to get swept up by the hype which might come from shop lighting, magazines and other people’s offices but it’s essential to take a step back and think about longevity. Specialist office furniture designers pay attention to more than presentation. Style and design, as well as durability and ergonomics which will amount to higher productivity or back pain and money wasted in the long term.
What Furniture do You Need?
While furniture is undoubtedly the backbone of a productive and comfortable workspace, it’s best to keep your wits about you, consider the space you have available and what it is you most need.
Table, Image:Supplied
For ergonomic purposes, your desk and chair are step one. If you have space, the golden trio are the desk, chair and a cupboard, but opting for a desk with drawers could be the space saving ticket you need. If you don’t have too much equipment or stationery, however, the added storage space may well be unnecessary.
How to Choose
With a clear idea of your space requirements, the next step is choosing pieces which are stylish and match the look and feel you’re going for.
Ukhuni’s new range of Home Habitat furniture offers a softer option to the typical office furniture options. You can choose from sleek, minimalist and warm styles in a range of colours without losing the personal touch you have already worked so hard to achieve.
Storage Cupboard, Image:Supplied
Making the switch to working from home and setting up your home office needn’t be daunting. Remember to have fun setting up your new home office, if you have fun it’s likely to be a productive and inspiring space which you use every day. With loads of great office furniture, along with design inspiration all across the internet, this is a project you’re bound to adore.
