Create a Home Study

Home office loft
By
Kitchen and Bathroom Designer

The key elements of function and storage should be considered when you create a home study. Having a home office space that meets your daily needs and supports being organized is worth its weight in gold.

Setting Up Your Home Office

With more people working from home, the home study or home office has become a much more crucial part of today's home than ever before. Make sure you create the best space for your needs. These resources will offer some design inspiration:

Looking for the perfect office furniture? These retailers are good places to start shopping:

Workplace in the Home

With the rise of the personal computer, there has been a corresponding surge in the need for comfortable home office spaces. Much of this increase is the result of the growing number of telecommuters and home based businesses. Whether work is done in a den, spare room, loft or the corner of a living room, it's important to reserve a dedicated space for a home study.

Two important factors to keep in mind when you create a home study are ergonomics and lighting. To keep your family healthy as they spend hours sitting at a desk or using a computer, make a few changes to reduce eye strain and repetitive strain injuries.

Tips for proper ergonomics and lighting:

  • While seated, feet should rest flat on the floor or on a foot rest.
  • The arch of your lower back should be supported by the chair backrest.
  • Arms should stay close to your sides, with shoulders relaxed.
  • Monitors should be at eye level or just below that.
  • Adjust monitor angle, close curtains, or move lamps to reduce glare on the monitor.
  • If reading will be done in the study, place suitable reading lamps near reading chairs.

Organization will also play an important role in creating a comfortable, inviting home office. Along with managing the flow of files and paper, there should be two working zones in your space. One zone is for convenience and includes all the items you often use within arm's length. The other zone is longer range and includes items used infrequently at a full arm's length or more.

Office Designs for the Home

When you set out to create a home study, there will be requirements based on who will be using the space and what type of activities need to be accommodated.

  • If the study will be used mostly for bill paying and surfing the internet, then you can focus on the desk and computer setup.
  • If you will be running a business from home or telecommuting for a company, then attention should also be given to storage and communication needs, like a filing cabinet or fax machine. If this scenario will also involve meeting clients in the home, be sure to include comfy guest chairs or a small conference table.
  • Home studies are also perfect for displaying a book collection. To get that traditional library feel, use wall to wall bookcases featuring a rich wood finish and crown molding details. A home office with a library should include a relaxed reading nook with a leather armchair or wingback chair and ample reading light.
  • Many home studies must be designed for general family use. This might involve children's schoolwork, crafts, sewing, or scrapbooking. Optimizing work areas will be crucial if more than one person will be using the home office. Create multiple desk spaces with built-in stations along the walls and L-shape or U-shape desks filling the middle of the room. Desk and chair heights should be flexible or adjustable for use by all family members.
  • For the space challenged, create a home study that also functions as a guest room or exercise space. As a nifty alternative to the old sofa bed, try a modern Murphy Bed or a space-saving design from Inova. If you need a compact home study, consider a hideaway office inside an armoire or convert a closet into a clever office space.

Create the Space That's Right for You

Remember that you are setting up your home office to enable you to get things done. This means that your new office set up should be centered around what helps you work best. Keep this function in mind as you choose your decor, and your new home office will have you productive in no time.

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