Hybrid working is here to stay, so it’s no surprise that a dedicated workspace has become a staple of houses’ layouts. But where do you start when planning a home office? Steve Hird of Edward Thomas Interiors gets down to business
When looking at how to shape your home workspace, begin by thinking about what space you need and how it will be used. Will you be working full-time or part-time? Does your work require good natural light or room to be creative? Do you need access to a separate storage area for products or equipment? Will it be used solely as an office, or does it need to double as somewhere for children to do homework or study too? Self-builders have a unique opportunity to design and customise rooms to their bespoke requirements, rather than following the generic badging of a room as dictated by a housebuilder or estate agent.
Once you’ve established these parameters, you can think about location, and remember there’s no right or wrong answer! Our preference is always for a dedicated room (or rooms) as it allows you to close the door and switch off at the end of the working day. If you’re desk-based, you’ll need to avoid distractions and want to create a peaceful environment – perhaps opt for the first floor to be inspired by any surrounding views. If you’ll have clients visiting regularly, choose a ground floor space with separate access. If you’re crafty or artistic and are likely to have piles of stock, consider connecting rooms so you don’t have to work amidst the boxes. And if space within the home is already allocated, why not add a garden pod? These structures have become extremely popular recently and can really help to create the distinction between work and home life.
Of course if the floorplan allows, it’s also advisable to plan multiple spaces, particularly if you have more than one adult working from home. As well as a permanent office away from the hustle and bustle of the main living areas, you might add ‘breakout’ spaces where other members of the family can work/study temporarily, or for you to use as a change of scene for phone calls or to read a document. Similarly, a homework space is a good idea – somewhere for teenagers to revise, or younger children to learn. Both these can be in shared areas of the home, for instance a partitioned zone within an open plan kitchen/diner, or somewhere more inventive like under the stairs, on a landing or among the eaves.
Once locations and rooms have been decided, it’s time to think about furniture. What do you need to function effectively? One desk or two? A separate seating area? Shelving? Bookcases? A large table accessible from all sides? To help with your planning, draw or sketch out the footprint and then separately draw furniture so you can move pieces around to see how they might fit best. Don’t forget about power sources too, for instance you might need floor boxes if working in the centre of a room.
Bespoke items such as floor to ceiling cabinetry, floating or L-shape desks and vertical hidden storage (for printers, cables, files, etc) can all add impact and ensure a clean, tidy and productive environment. We also recommend not overlooking your lighting. Maximise daylight by positioning your desk at a right angle to the window. Then layer table lamps, floor lamps and task lights to brighten or dim as required.
Individual styling should be the finishing touch and certainly for office décor there are some colours and materials that will never be out of style – think forest green, slate grey, burgundy and a timeless black along with wood and leather for that traditional, serene appearance. If you want something more country chic, switch out the leather for check fabrics and add accessories in ochre, soft blues or pinks. Throughout 2023, we’re expecting to see more Miami pastels, natural materials and textures, and plenty of personalisation, whether that’s a bold wallpaper, artwork that tells a story, or objects collected from your travels – your Zoom background will have never looked so good!
Steve Hird is the co-owner of Edward Thomas Interiors