While working out of your home can be a great convenience, it
can also be a colossal pain if the space in which you work isn’t
properly planned.
While working out of your home can be a great convenience, it can also be a colossal pain if the space in which you work isn’t properly planned.
When one of my clients started her home-based business, she tried to work out of her kitchen/family room area and quickly discovered that without a properly designated space, inefficiency and frustration were at the top of the inbox every morning.
Once she decided she could give up her spare bedroom to dedicate to an office, I was presented with a real challenge. With this room’s kiddie-print wallpaper, not only was it aesthetically unprofessional, it didn’t function well from a storage and workspace point of view.
So the first thing I did was map out what my client wanted to be able to do in her home office. She told me that she needed an efficient spot to work at her desk, on a computer and phone, and also be able to meet clients. This dictated that the space had to have a certain level of aesthetic professionalism. Armed with this info, I got down to business.
Out went the old wallpaper. We painted the room a rich mushroom color; soothing and calming to work in while stylish enough to impress clients. The cream-colored carpet was in excellent shape, so we didn’t touch it. The small desk she’d been using was tossed, and in its place I had a birch desk custom-built. This was the biggest investment we made in this space, but was well worth it because it served her needs exactly and was to be the most important piece of furniture in the room.
Considering that people spend eight hours a day or more in their home offices, I’m always surprised by the lack of attention that is paid to lighting. We put in recessed lights around the perimeter of the room to provide a soft overhead glow and to focus on awards and art on the walls. Over the desk we hung a contemporary three-spot pendant fixture that was strategically focused on her main work area.
I brought in varying types of storage units to suit all my client’s needs. Some open storage was put up to display files and allow for easy access. Closed cabinets were also provided. Since space was at a premium, I hung folders on the available wall space.
After we’d set up my client’s computer, fax machine, phone and Internet connection, we made sure to hide all the unsightly cords – a quick trick to help give a room a clean, professional appearance.
With the addition of some gorgeous hangings on the wall and a chocolate-colored ultrasuede sofa, this home office was open for business.
