Home offices tend to prioritise function over form. They are a place for work, not necessarily decoration, so efficiency tends to reign supreme. In fact, some theories state that decoration is actually a bad thing potentially, as it can distract from the work at hand.
We say differently. Just because your home office has to prioritise different things to pretty much every other room in your house, that doesn’t mean that it has to be devoid of artistic touches. Nor does it have to be a barren wasteland - there are easy steps you can take to strike the balance between “nicely designed” and “distracting”.
Colour scheme
Just as there are colours that can evoke feelings of happiness, passion and melancholy, there are colours that can help create a focussed mood. Generally talking, these colours are going to be on the light, faded side, as anything too bright will obviously draw the eye away from work. So we’re talking creams, browns, greys, and some specific tones of blues and greens.
Just because these colours aren’t vibrant, doesn’t mean they can’t be beautiful. You should approach the room like any other, only with a narrowed colour pallette. Find a way to put contrasting colours next to each other, and you’ll find that you have create a room that isn’t loud, but is still a lovely place to be during your hours spent sat at the desk.
Hard wearing materials
Speaking of desks, you’ll want a sturdy one for the room. It has to be proportional to the room. One too big, or one too small, will be distracting when you enter the room, and during the day. A small desk can make you feel cramped, urging you to walk around the room to stretch your legs. A big desk will compel you to fill it with non-essential equipment. Both are highways to distraction.
A nice way to add some design flair with materials is to focus on the work surfaces. To give your office a classy, real world feel, you could choose to utilise some quartz worktops. These help set the tone, as they echo similar surfaces often found in offices. That isn’t to say they are boring though, as quartz and granite work surfaces are not only durable, but available in a wide range of stunning patterns.
Minimalist
Unfortunately, there is a limit to the amount of items you can place in the room. Eventually, the sheer amount of items will become distracting, which is the very thing we are trying to avoid. Excessive art works, electronic equipment, or even patterns all have negative impacts. Instead, you need to find a minimalist plan.
That isn’t to say that you can’t place some less-than-essential items in the room A comfy chair is a must, but a window box can be an equally nice addition, giving a little area for rest when you are on your break. While TVs aren’t ideal, a bookshelf is not only a classy addition, but it can hold a few books for your to enjoy when you can afford to. Restraint on the part of the office user will play a big part in these nice additions not becoming distractions, but if you can exercise some will power, you’ll find you have built a home office that can address your every work day need - including the all important end of day relaxation.
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