Thousands of people are likely to be working from home for the first time this week due to the COVID-19 outbreak. For others, the home office seems just like any other week.
Working from home requires a furnished space dedicated to that purpose only and, there is no need to skimp on style! Whether it’s your first time working from home or you already do it regularly, we have a piece of advice to help you furnish the perfect home office.
Furnish a small workspace
We are aware that very rarely we have a dedicated room that’s free to suddenly turn into an office. The good news is any space can be turned into a great and smart home office. More than ever, social and work lives are entwined so, bringing your office into your home doesn’t sound too offtopic.
Having a desk doesn’t require a lot of space. If you have a lack of space, we recommend using the vertical space available in a room to build a desk with shelving units.
String offers a smart system with storage solutions. You can personalise your own system with their configurator online and choose your preferred material and colours. It’s the moment to be creative and find endless opportunities for both storage and display! If you want to create your own combination, use the Build Your Own application on their website, use the "open as pdf" function and send it to us on email: info@couchpotatocompany.com.
Metis desk from Wewood could also be a great option. The small desk proposes a lot of smart storages and includes a cable management system that would be perfect to keep your workspace tidy and organised while looking stunning.
At first, choosing a task chair might not seem as important as it should. But, it has a major impact on your health and wellbeing. Bear in mind that you’re going to be sat down for 8 hours a day and, even if the cheapest option is tempting, a well-designed ergonomic chair is a long-term investment. For a small space, we would suggest having a look at About A Chair Series AAC52 from Hay. Elegant and light to move around, this designed chair will bring style to the room.
Don’t underestimate the lighting! We have a wide selection of task lighting that would look stunning in-home office spaces.
If you’re looking for an elegant table lamp, we encourage you to have a look at Caravaggio Read Table lamp from Fritz Hansen Lighting or AJ Table Lamp from Louis Poulsen. They both have an asymmetrical shape and are eye-catching design icons where “less is more” take on its full meaning. On the other hand, we also suggest the Light-Air table Lamp from Kartell. Unusual shape creating a floating illusion, it will appear as a feel of luxury into any interior space. If you’re looking for a timeless and sculptural design, have a look at Wrong London Cloche Lamp from HAY.
Furnish a home office in a dedicated room
It’s not because you have more space that it’s easier to choose furniture for your home office. In term of desks, we would highly recommend choosing a height-adjustable desk. Being sat down for a prolonged period of time can lead to health problems such as obesity, back pain and increase blood pressure levels. Alternating between sitting and standing positions throughout the day have a huge impact on your health. Easy Sit Stand Desk by Narabuta would be the perfect option to combine style and wellbeing. Desks from Ercol and Wewood would be a great option to bring wooden material and soften the room. We really love Treviso Desk from Ercol. Its timeless design and architectural character will make it the centrepiece of the room.
Regarding the task chair, the more space you have, the more choices you have. Indeed, it’s the perfect moment to invest into a task chair that will provide style and wellbeing aspects you’ve always been looking for. Vitra ID chairs’ collection satisfies a number of requirements as aesthetics, materials, price and ergonomics. Knoll Generation Chair is a comfortable option with a more sophisticate design that encourages airflow.
Have a look at our previous blog post to find additional inspiration: How to choose a task chair.
Don’t compromise on interior style!
If you’re having trouble choosing the most suitable furniture for your space, our team will be more than happy to help!
For a home office, we would recommend calming colours, soft textures and natural materials but, obviously, it can vary from project to project. Incorporating accessories will make the space more welcoming and cosier to work in every day. We have a range of accessories from various brands that could upgrade your space. Make sure you have a look at our selection of accessories.
Wellbeing at work
In addition to the previous advice, we would like to insist on wellbeing at work and how important a few little details can be in the long term:
-Ergonomics: In a chair, we all tend to get a bad posture by leaning into the screen to get closer focus. Consequently, it’s also really easy to have back pain, and many other physical problems. Remember that a good task chair and desk are required to stay healthy.
-Light: it might sound obvious but working facing a window is much healthier than turning our back to it. Natural light has a strong link to wellbeing and significantly impacts our circadian cycle. Don’t underestimate natural light, mostly in your workspace!
-Biophilic Design: Green designs have never hurt anyone. Helping creativity and productivity, plants bring a bit of nature indoors that would gladly fit in any environment. Our sister brand, Welltek an Office Blueprint brand, offers smart green walls to help you purify your indoor air and bring biophilic design to your environment. Get in touch for more info.
-Noise: Home Office doesn’t mean you can avoid distraction and background noise more than being in an office. Have you ever tried to make an important business call while working from home, and found yourself trying to outshout the kids and the dog? Or participated in a video conference from your living room and felt embarrassed about the clutter in the background. We have a range of acoustic privacy booth available from Welltek an Office Blueprint brand. Have a look at our products and find more about privacy at work in one of our previous blog posts.
Feel free to get in touch if you need more ideas on how to design your workspace. Make sure to check out our offices series of blog posts, How to choose a desk, How to choose a task chair & How to deal with the noise in a Home Office.
