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How to create an effective home office setup

Loft home office with VELUX window, plants, and wooden furniture.
The pandemic accelerated the trend towards remote work as many discovered the freedom and flexibility of working from home. If you're one of the many who've embraced the home office, you may by now have found that your home office isn't working as well as it could. Being productive at the home office is all about having a good setup. Fortunately, even small adjustments will go a long way to improving your work environment.
Key takeaways
  • Every aspect of your working environment affects your home office productivity, from lighting, noise levels, layout, furniture, and proximity to nature.
  • Natural light and good ventilation are critical for a pleasant and efficient home office.
  • Roof windows are a simple way to add more daylight and easy ventilation to a home workspace.

Don't let your home office setup limit you

Every aspect of your working environment makes your office more or less suited to the way you work and affects your productivity.

If your home office is going to work for you and not against you, its design must be conducive to productivity. Here are some ideas to help you make the most of your home office setup:

Create a good home office environment

A good working environment can make you more productive, healthy, and happy. Unfortunately, there's no one-size-fits-all solution for good office design. What makes an ideal working environment depends on the task you're doing and personal preferences. That said, some key factors have a major effect on our working environment:
  • Indoor air quality & ventilation
  • Lighting & daylight
  • Thermal comfort (how different temperatures feel to different people)
  • Noise and acoustics
  • Layout
  • Proximity to nature and views/greenery

Taking these key factors into account when designing your home office will help you create your ideal working environment.

Location matters

If you're renovating your house or just need a change, you must decide where your home office should be. Some home office locations that have both advantages and disadvantages include:

  • A dedicated room: It's always a good idea to dedicate a space to your home office. This allows you to set your home office up exactly how you want it. Think about furnishing the office with enough light and, if possible, a natural view - this will have positive effects on your mental health and creativity.
  • A small corner of your home: there are many advantages to choosing a small corner for your home office. It's relatively self-contained, usually quiet, and perfect if you like working alone. On the downside, small rooms can quickly become stuffy as the ventilation in small rooms usually isn't great.
  • A multifunctional space: It can be a good idea to set up your home office in a multifunctional area such as the living room. The living room is often an open and bright space with lots of life and can be a great place to work. On the negative side, a multifunctional space can also mean a lot of disruption and be bad for your concentration.
  • The guest room: If you have a guest room in your house, it's worth considering making it your home office. Many guest rooms are rarely used, so if your house has a nice, big guest room, you might be able to make better use of it if you set up your home office.

Setting up your home office

Now comes the fun part: improving your home office setup! Upgrading your home office interior can work wonders for your productivity and well-being. There are many ways to create the ideal home office, including:

  • Desk layout
  • Plants and greenery
  • Storage solutions to prevent clutter
  • The use of natural and sustainable materials and furniture
  • Colours & art

Design the perfect work-from-home setup with daylight

Daylight has many benefits, the most important being increased productivity. A roof window can transform your home office into a beautiful working space that helps you focus and be creative.

Remember natural light in your work-from-home office setup

When planning your home office setup, you should think about how you can incorporate daylight. Could you add more daylight from above close to your desk? Can the room be connected to the outdoors? Good lighting is critical for any good home office setup. Daylight brings out the true colours of your walls and decor, gives a room new energy, and turns it into a more pleasant space. Adding natural light from above or next to your workspace also offers many great health benefits.

When you add a roof window to the space, the natural light and ventilation will make the environment more comfortable and help productivity. Explore different solutions in our inspiration gallery, or book a consultation with our VELUX Advisory Service today.

If your home office is going to work for you and not against you, its design must be conducive to productivity.

Author

VELUX Editorial team

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