It's June 2022, meaning the Covid-19 lockdowns and years of madness are behind us (touch wood). For the past 6 months or so the world has started to get back to 'normal', especially when it comes to the working world.
What's clear is the trend of working from home is no longer a trend and it's here to stay. Over 60% of employers are offering employees the option to work partly at home and partly in the workplace. This 'hybrid' way of working has meant the days of working from a popular Swedish firm's desk or the dining table are going to continue for the long term. In fact, 70% of all UK workers said they prefer the balance and cost-saving of working from home.
Since 2020, we have seen a massive influx of bespoke fitted home studies and offices throughout Yorkshire, so we thought we'd give you some ideas on how to create your perfect home office.
Similar to wardrobes, home offices offer a vast amount of options and features, from style to colour, to accessories, but we are going to concentrate on our top 5 add-ons to think about in your home office.
We asked our very own Director, Rhys Boven, about his top tips as well. Rhys not only runs Wharfedale Interiors but also has other businesses and offices, so who is better to ask about home offices and working offices.
So, let's get stuck in, here are our top 5 home office additions.
This is a massive part of creating the perfect home office and is often overlooked. If you look at any online, 'off the shelf' retailers, you will see the desks are rarely deeper than 60cm. Back 10 years ago the desk would typically be cluttered with papers and ring binders. Now in 2022, most are digital but still, that creates a problem with having multiple screens which take up precious worktop space.
The most annoying thing about a desk is not having enough room for your forearms or mouse. No one wants the pain of resting on the edge and after an hour of working, not being able to feel anything in your arms. I'd recommend a depth of at least 70cm for your desk worktop if you have the space. If you don't, think about pull-out trays for keyboards to create additional space. At Wharfedale Interiors, we can do any size of desk to suit your requirements.
Although this isn't furniture, electrics are still a massive part of any room, especially the home office. Most devices are run by sockets or require charging throughout the day so having more than enough sockets is important. As well as this, I'd recommend having these underneath the desk worktop, so they are out of the way and not getting caught or taking up space on the worktop. Having a cable port built into the worktop will allow you to feed the wires and ports through neatly and still have it looking great.
While planning your home office, count your electrical devices and plan accordingly. Think phone chargers, screens, power cables, power banks, TVs, printers, scanners, shredders etc...
Often we find at Wharfedale that our customers don't have a separate room they can dedicate to a home office. This means often, the desk is going in a lounge, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, or even under the stairs. This means from the time you 'clock out' you want the space to feel like a living space and not an office. The ugliest aspect of the office is the printer as this is a giveaway that it's a working space instead of living when you're trying to relax. Seeing the printer is a reminder of all the things you didn't do or still need to do and you won't be able to 'close the door' and switch off.
A great solution to this is a pull-out printer shelf. This works perfectly for a printer and scanner. It's usually within a base cupboard and allows you to close the door at the end of the day and the office part of your living space is hidden away. The pull-out aspect is great for easy access, scanning and changing cartridges etc...
Similar to the first point, drawers in offices are often overlooked and not thought about. Think about things like paper, sleeves, staplers, and the vast amount of pens you've collected over the years. These items can do in a shelving cabinet but are great for drawers. You can even have a drawer with filing rails for your papers and important files.
I'd recommend adding a stationary tray for one of the drawers. This keeps all your items neat and tidy, similar to a cutlery tray in a kitchen.
If you're lucky enough to have a separate and dedicated home office room when this is for you. It's a fact you work better if your environment is nicer and suits your personality. The home office is the place you can go a bit more wild and funky without it being such an important room or busy room for your whole family. When renovating most people will opt for a neutral or conservative choice for the kitchen or living room because they need to suit everyone in the household. The office however is your chance to create something a little more daring and show your personality.
At Wharfedale, we have over 70 different door styles, colours options and finish choices. Your designer will help you create your dream space and get to know you and how you work.
Get in touch today, to start designing your dream home office. Our designers will help you every step of the way to create your perfect working environment.
Tel 01943 817477
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