HOME OFFICE SPECIAL...How to Home in on an Office

How to Home in on an Office 

Working from home is a luxury only few of us can afford, but it’s also a challenge to set up an office without spoiling the design aesthetics of the house, especially when space is at a premium

    Many a home these days is found doing double duty — that of an office as well. Professionals of all hues, from lawyers to graphic designers to freelancers, are increasingly working out of homes. But a home with its infinite distractions is not the easiest place to ‘work’. Keeping it professional is simpler if you are a lawyer or a doctor with the luxury of a separate chamber. But if you are a freelance writer who needs just a laptop, the temptation of turning the bed or dining table into a work station is difficult to resist. Here are some useful tips to get a home-office up and running:
Create your Space
It is important to mark out a formal workspace even within the house, says Delhi-based designer Anica Kochhar, who runs Phenotype Architectural Design Studio. If you have an entire room to spare, set it up just like a regu-. a space secluded and not used regularly by others in the home, preferably close to a source of natural light. If your work involves meeting other people, you will have to make some seating arrangements for your guests and may, therefore, need a larger space. But if it’s just a nook, paint the walls in a different colour to set it apart from the rest of the house.
List Out your Needs
A video editor will need space for multiple screens; an architect will have to factor in a table for drawing plans; while a real estate agent will need a fixed-line phone and desktop. So, to start with, list out your requirements — it could be a desktop or just a laptop, printer, fixed-line phone, fax and storage space. Draw up a plan to neatly set up all these items in the available space. You should always leave some scope to add storage units or furniture if the need arises.
Use Simple Furniture
For most of us, the desk is the centre of our work universe, so start from here. You can choose a practical desk with lots of drawers; or go for some old-world charm with a colonial-style writing table; or get funky with a moulded fibreglass and plastic table in bright colours. But while choosing a desk, make sure it can hold everything you need at hand. You may also want to set up a side table for peripherals like the printer, fax and phone. If you expect visitors, your desk should face the door. While choosing a chair, err on the side of comfort and get an ergonomic swivel chair. For guests, depending on the space and theme, get a lounge chair or leather sofa or even a purple plush fabric couch complete with velveteen bolsters. Smart storage also adds character to a room. You can get an open-frame bookshelf and use covered boxes of different colours to store files, papers and stationery.
Personalise the Space
Since there is no organisation rulebook here, you can decorate it as you like. Create themes and moods to make your home-office interesting. Use colours to highlight sections. Paint the wall behind your desk a shade darker to add depth, and put up framed photographs and inspirational quotes all over the wall. Or, you could paint the walls pristine white and keep all the furniture and fixtures black. Get functional fixtures, like an arched stainless steel floor lamp, for that element of surprise. Personalise the space: if you are an artist, draw pencil sketches across the walls or put up your certificates and awards.
Dos & Don’ts
Don’t ever clutter your workspace. While you have the freedom to do up the space according to your taste, keep the look professional at all times, especially if you need to entertain work guests. Follow trends only to an extent since you cannot change the primary elements of your home office too often. Do not put in distracting elements like television or music system. If you need regular fixes of coffee or tea, set up a coffee machine or an electric kettle in your work corner. Make the space comfortable, but not drab. And most of all, let it reflect your personality and work.

Radhika P Nair ET120804