Creating a Flexible Home Office

You may have started working from home recently but are not sure how long it will continue. You know that having a dedicated home office is crucial to balancing work and home life, but you may be reluctant to permanently change a room into an office. A smart approach is to transform a room into an office, but keep the design flexible so that the room can serve other purposes as well.

Flooring

Old spare bedrooms often have worn, stained carpet. That should be the first thing to go. Replace the carpet with durable hard surface flooring. Hardwood is perfect, well-suited to homes and offices. The Monarch Plank Windsor collection is a wide-plank, quality choice with various colors and finishes available. The timeless look is professional and sophisticated, while still warm and inviting. Its durability means it will stand up to years and years of daily use.

Lighting

You already know that proper lighting makes the difference between a pleasant workday and a constant headache. Research has recently shown the importance of lighting to a happy, healthy, productive workplace. This is true whether the workplace is a huge high-rise office building or a shed in your backyard. Natural light is best, so if you have a choice of rooms, pick the one with the biggest windows. When natural light isn’t available, be sure you have proper levels of ambient lighting. Overhead lights on a ceiling fan or recessed lighting in the ceiling often illuminate the room just fine. If they do not, augment overhead lighting with floor lamps; install bright daylight bulbs to create a warm, cheerful tone. Once the office furniture is placed, fill in any shadows with task lighting. For an office, a desk lamp may be all you need. It is more healthier if you partner your good lighting with standing desks that you can use at work while standing.

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Furniture

With furniture, flexibility is key. If you are taking over a guest room, you may still want a bed available for the occasional guest, but traditional beds take up too much space. Wall beds are ideal. They come in almost endless styles, colors, and finishes, so you are sure to find one appropriate for your décor. Many beds are flanked by cabinets or shelves and look similar to conventional bookcases. Some even come with a built-in desk. You should look around for the best desk for your office. With one piece of furniture, you can have a workspace, extra storage, and a bed. If you need a home office by day but a more relaxing space in the evening, use a portable screen to hide the office furniture. Or install a ceiling track, and the office can become the family room with the simple pull of a curtain.