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INTERIORS INSIDER
Work it out
Need a space to WFH? We look at all the options to help you create a dedicated
office space, however much room you have to spare.
ive years ago, a home office was
mostly reserved for freelancers
F with room to spare rather than
a necessity for a huge component of
the workforce. But in the years post- have an unused alcove, you
pandemic, the hybrid model of working
continues to be the new normal, with
more of us working from home for at least
part of the week.
Of course, while you lose a commute
and enjoy more flexibility, you must also
sacrifice some of your personal space
to create a dedicated home office area
– whether that’s a whole room devoted
to your workspace, or a spare corner, it’s
certainly not a good idea to work from your
sofa in the long term.
So, whether you’ve got a whole room to
turn into a home office, or if you need
to be more inventive with your available
space, we’ve got options to suit every
requirement.
No space?
If you think you’ve got nowhere to house
a home office, it’s time to get creative. This
might mean that you need to work from a
room that already has a dedicated purpose
– such as your kitchen, dining room or even
a bedroom - but this doesn’t mean you
Earth wall desk, £699, furniturevillage.co.uk
can’t create a stylish, practical space.
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If you need to work from your dining table, A desk with storage is a great find; think about
kitchen island or even your dressing table,
how many screens you use or how much
make sure that you have an ergonomic chair,
equipment you need, as this will determine
cushioned to fit the aesthetic of the room while
the size of desk. It’s also a good idea to invest
ensuring you can sit comfortably for prolonged
reports, or even a printer.
periods. Add a lamp – try a battery-operated
one if you’re short on sockets – and make sure in storage cabinets to house things like files,
there’s a dedicated space to stash your laptop, Paint the room in a calm shade that suits the
stationery and notes, to help return your available light – a soft, off-white paired
space to its primary purpose at the with a soothing green or blue is a
end of the day. nice choice for an office and a
bedroom. Add in some art and
A little spare space personal touches, and a few
If you want to create a plants too – just don’t forget to
dedicated office area, but water them when you close the
have a small space to play door for the weekend!
with, it can be done! If you
Investing in a sofa bed is a
could add a couple of shelves, great idea too – of course it
and build a floating desk shelf provides a place for guests to
to create a cosy office area sleep, but it’s also very nice to
that provides everything you have somewhere other than
need to work in peace and your desk to brainstorm, take
comfort. Just make sure you a phone call or just enjoy some
have a socket close by! screen-free time.
Foldaway desks are also a great A garden office
find, with options including Dedicated garden studios are
drop-leaf desks that can be a real investment, but with the
pushed back to the wall when increase in homeworking, it’s
not in use, as well as cabinet something we’re seeing more
desks that you can literally and more of when properties
close the door on at the end come onto the market. If you
of the day, so you could place simply don’t have the space
them in any room that you inside your home, but you have a
have space in. big garden and enough budget in the pot, then a
garden studio makes a fantastic home office.
A dedicated spare room
If you’re lucky enough to have an empty Prices vary depending on the spec, but you
bedroom, you can create a stylish and should budget around £10,000-£15,000 for
practical space that feels like a joy to spend a standard garden studio, plus an additional
eight hours in. Most of us need rooms to be budget for furnishing. While it’s a hefty
multifunctional, so if your home office is going outlay, it can add value to your property in
to double as a guest room or storage space, the long term, and it also means you can
think about what you can do to accommodate separate your workspace from your home life
all its requirements. in a tangible way.
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