Nowadays, we increasingly work from home, whether it is performing occasional business tasks or working full-time in the comfort of our own home – a well-designed home office that enables easier and more comfortable work, which leads to increased productivity. In this article, I bring you some design tips on how to create a functional and attractive work corner in a house or apartment. To begin with, here is a brief overview of the changes of the place and way of working that have been present globally for years, and especially in recent times – as an adaptation to the current situation in the world.
Work from Home, Remote Work, and Digital Nomad Lifestyle
As an adaptation to the current global situation, and in accordance with the development of information technologies, and especially digital tools for business that facilitate remote work, there are numerous changes in ways of doing business, as well as in lifestyles. Among these changes, we should certainly point out the greater mobility in work, and thus the increasing occurrence of working remotely – from home or from other locations, such as the digital nomads who can move their workplace as they wish or need, thanks to the aforementioned digital tools and easily portable work equipment and pieces of furniture.
How to Design a Work Corner in a House or Apartment That Facilitates Work and Increases Productivity – Online Training/Workshop in Cooperation with JYSK Croatia
Increasingly frequent work from home also creates an increasing need to design a functional and attractive home office, ie a work area in the house or apartment that will make our work easier and increase productivity. Since I have been creating and hosting workshops in designing and decorating residential and commercial interiors for years, I recently, in cooperation with JYSK Croatia, created and hosted a workshop on the topic of “Designing Small and Large Interior Spaces / Creating a Work Area in the Home.” We adapted the previously mentioned training to the current global situation and held the workshop online. Thanks to the flexibility and cooperation of my associates from JYSK and digital tools that facilitate remote work, I hosted an online workshop on home office design from my summer home office in Hvar. My associates and participants of the workshop, to whom I thank once again on this occasion, were in Zagreb and throughout Croatia. So, as I stated at the beginning of the article – working from home, working remotely and the lifestyle of digital nomads are the present scenario of business and greatly affect, among other things, the design of our home and workspace.
In Which Part of the Apartment or House to Place the Home Office? Here Are Some Design Tips.
The work area in the home can take up more or less of the living space, depending on the planned business activities, as well as the square footage of the interior. When choosing the position of the work corner, the following design elements should also be taken into account:
The entrance to the home office should be located near the main entrance to the apartment or house so that the passage to the business part of the interior is independent of the residential part.
Also, it is desirable that the work corner is located near windows or balcony doors, as natural light is an important ingredient in improving mood and increasing productivity.
The residential and work part of the interior space should be structurally separated by a partition wall, opaque or semi-transparent sliding glass partition walls/doors, open shelves, curtains, dividing screens. In case the home office does not have its own source of natural light, it is recommended to choose a semi-transparent glass partition or open shelves. Such a barrier allows privacy when working, while at the same time, at least partially, lets the rays of light into the interior. For example, if you want to partition the work area from the relaxation area in the living room or bedroom, high furniture elements, consisting of open shelves or a combination of open shelves / closed cabinets, can also help.
Lighting and Furniture for a More Comfortable and Productive Workspace
Lighting is essential and is optimal if it comes from three sources: ambient lighting on the ceiling, a work lamp on the desk, and natural lighting.
Office furniture, especially a desk and work chair, should be tailored to body dimensions and flexible so that each person can adapt their work environment to the different body movements and tasks they perform on a daily basis. It is recommended that the eyes are at least 60-100 cm away from the computer screen, and the top of the screen should be positioned slightly below eye level or at eye level.
Above and next to the work desk, there are shelves, cabinets, cupboards, baskets, and boxes for books and business documents, and work lighting can be placed on the upper shelves.
Colors and Scents to Improve Concentration, Creativity, and Communication, as well as Relaxation and Stress Reduction
In arranging the corner for work and study, purple or yellow color for memory and creativity, blue or green color for communication and stress reduction, red color for energy and creativity are recommended.
In terms of fragrance, the essential oils of lemon and orange improve mood and concentration and thus make it easier to work in a refreshingly scented home office. The essential oils of mint, eucalyptus, and basil have a similar effect, while lemon balm, bergamot, and lavender have a relaxing effect.
To conclude, ergonomic furniture, a combination of natural and artificial lighting, the right choice of colors, and scents – all of the above will make staying and working in the home office more comfortable and productive.
If you wish to read this article in the Croatian language, find it here.
In my next article about creating the home office, I will list design tips on designing small and large workspaces.
Photos – JYSK Croatia
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