How to plan your perfect home office

The very best bespoke home offices will build in efficiency and organisation, making work a pleasure. If you’re in the process of planning a home office then our guide will help you design one that meets all your needs and looks amazing too.

If you’re planning on working from home, then a good office space is a must. Perhaps your employer wants you to start working away from the office, or you’re starting out on your own.
Designing your own office space is a great way to make sure your productivity and organisation head in the right direction from day one.

Here are some tips to get you started.

When planning your office, the first thing you need to do is decide which room you’re going to use. If you have a spare bedroom that’s not being used, this would be a great option as it can be easily sectioned off from the rest of the house. If you don’t have an unused room, then a corner of the living room or kitchen might be your best bet. When weighing up your options you’ll need to think about a few ideas to make sure you don’t run into any issues in the near future:

Power, are you going to run out of power points? Remember you might be adding things like routers and printers.
Lighting, is the space well lit? You might want to consider adding an extra light or two. Don’t forget to factor in colour temperature, it can make a world of difference.
Heating and cooling, will you be comfortable in the space? If not, can you make some adjustments like adding a fan or increasing the temperature?
General space. If you need to grow, add some desk space or add shelves, are things going to get tight?

Once you’ve decided on the location, it’s time to start planning the layout.

A home office that gets you off to the perfect start

Layout and worktop.

Think about what type of work you’ll be doing in your office and what type of furniture you’ll need. If you’re going to be doing a lot of computer work, then you’ll need a desk and a comfortable chair. If you’re going to be doing more paperwork, then you might want to consider a filing cabinet and some shelving. If your work is practical then you might need some extra working space for cutting, drafting or assemblage (depending on the exact tasks).

An "L" shaped home office
An “L” shaped home office

All of this hinges on the right worktop; the shape of this main working area is going to unpin nearly everything else because it’s going to dictate how the space can be used. A great first step is to take some measurements and draw a plan. You can keep this simple with just a piece of paper and a pencil, or go digital with software. There are some great free online room designers, our favourites are :

Planner 5D (https://planner5d.com/)
Sweet Home Three D (https://www.sweethome3d.com/)
Roomstyler (https://roomstyler.com/)
Floor planner (https://floorplanner.com/)

Of course, it might not just be you. If a second or even third person who needs space then a bespoke home office can find a way to use the space to accommodate everyone. Desks can be made in specific shapes, like a U or even a W. There is also the possibility of desks with pedestals which can be moved so the office layout can be reconfigured on the fly.

Once you have the basic layout down, it’s time to start thinking about storage and organisation. This is key to keeping your office tidy and making sure you can find everything when you need it.

A good home office will have plenty of storage for all your files, paperwork and office supplies. If you don’t have enough storage, then your office will quickly become cluttered and unorganized. There are a few different ways to add storage, the most common being cabinets or wall shelves. There is good news here too, a bespoke home office will let you place the storage anywhere you want. Underdesk, wall-based, fitted cabinets, the sky is the limit. Your storage requirements will also be based on what you intend to store. If you have a lot of paperwork, then you’ll need filing cabinets and/or shelving. If you have a lot of office supplies, then you might want to consider some desk drawers or even a cupboard. If you have a specific product you need to store, the internals of the storage can be customised precisely to specification.

Finally, it’s time to think about the finishing touches. This is your chance to make your office space uniquely yours. Add some personal photos, artwork or plants to make the space feel like home.

While there is nothing to say you can’t get your perfect home office from an off-the-shelf desk from your local office store, it’s not likely to be an exact fit. A bespoke home office will take into account everything you need and want, and craft a space that is perfect for you and your work.

Only you know how you work and, in turn, the type of space you need. Homeworking can be a joy but it’s important to tip the odds in your favour. A bespoke home office will do just that.

Do you have any tips on planning the perfect home office? Let us know in the comments below! If you’d like more information then please do.Contact us today to find out more.

An attic home office

Home office in Walnut

Home working from a flat