When does the home and the office start and begin? The idea of a home office appears to be a paradox and indeed during 2020 the boundaries of these two spaces have become distinctly blurred and it’s sometimes difficult to maintain the borders. Going forward one imagines the demand and requirement for home working in the sense of a job will probably happen a lot more. The trouble is home is already a place of work as there are lots of tasks to be done during the day directly related to life, living and family that run concurrently with doing your job when the job is outside of the home.

Carving out a designated area for paid work is worth doing especially if you have children who are never easy to corral and keep away from interesting gadgets and stationery.

The simplest of desks that can be squeezed against a wall will be enough to set a laptop. Ideally some shelves above this would be useful to put paperwork and any books you may need for your work. The laptop itself could be stored on one of the shelves when not in use to avoid the prospect of anyone disturbing what you are working on.

If you are planning on being a long term home worker then it is worth investing in more elaborate design to suit your day as this will be a space to be in for some time. Ideally it is nice to use natural light during the day so placing your desk towards a window is great especially if you have a view. Cabinets that hide printers shredders and rubbish bins are useful to keep a clutter free space. Keeping the desk simple as well as the filing cabinets mean you can add texture with a nice patterned rug. Hanging bright art work on the walls will inspire and relax you all day. If you have space, plants are another way to bring the outside world in.

Good lighting is a must and there are lots of funky task lights on the market. My favourite is the traditional Anglepoise which is both attractive and effective.

All these ideas can be realised fairly reasonably and are quick to be created. Make it an individual space that reflects your personality so you can feel motivated and productive all day.