An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Building a Luxury Home Office
When you’re starting a new business, you have to spend a lot of hours in the office and on the road and if you’re like most people, the work doesn’t stop when you get home.
You probably spend hours at a desk slaving away, trying to find more ways to improve your business. But with a spouse and children running around, it can be difficult to find the space for peace and quiet that you need to get your business done.
That’s why it’s time for you to create your dream luxury home office. You’ve been working hard for years, it’s time to manifest the space you deserve.
Whether you empty a spare bedroom or shift some items around in your home, having a dedicated space will ensure you get more done.
Making Space for a Luxury Home Office
Unless you’re building your own home or planning to move, adding an office space to your house is going to require you to move some things around.
While some people find that a desk in a spare bedroom is enough for their business, needs, other entrepreneurs’ needs are much more in-depth.
Regardless of placement, your office should be a place you go to have your best thoughts and make breakthroughs, not a replica of the nine to five office you’re accustomed to.
Defining Your Space
Since you aren’t in a corporate setting, your home office should be a productive and creative space that you look forward to being in every day. Fill it with things that interest you.
Many people like to include memorabilia from their college years, awards from previous employers, sports memorabilia, priceless artwork, a book collection, or even a bearskin rug.
The goal is just to have a space that makes you feel completely zen. Of course, all of these suggestions are for if your home office has its own dedicated space. We’ll cover integrated home offices later in the article.
Define Your Needs
Depending on what industry you are in, you may need different workstations and supplies to complete your tasks. Some people need to store printer paper conveniently because they are printing off and mailing documents all day.
While others need to maintain a cleared workspace where they can build manual projects and complete tasks.
Considerations
The first thing you should consider is what percentage of your time you will be spending at your computer. If you are looking at it for many hours, then it should be positioned at the right height so that you don’t have to crane your neck.
By having your computer at the wrong angle, you can not only affect your eyesight, but it will also cause neck and back strain and over time can become a serious problem.
If you plan to have clients over to your house to meet in your home office, then you don’t want your computer to be a huge focal point in the room. You need to make sure you have a place where you can sit face to face and discuss business.
Try getting an L-shaped desk and putting the computer on the side that is against the wall. That way, you can still have meetings.
Alternatively, you could get a small table and set of chairs for your office that you sit at for meetings. If you won’t need to reference anything on your computer, then this is a great option.
Other things you should consider are how many files you may need to store near your desk and what supplies you will need access to on a regular basis.
All of these items will need their own defined space. If you have to keep getting up to get things, then you won’t be able to get very much work done.
Choose Your Space
While some people choose to turn a spare bedroom into an office, others try to blend their dedicated office space into existing parts of their home.
Some popular areas include the kitchen, living room, and dining room. But which one should you choose?
As an entrepreneur, you will need space all to yourself where you can make phone calls and handle interactions with clients. That makes the dining room the best option for a home office since it is a lower-traffic area of the home.
Merge the Space
When you are creating a space in the main living area, you need to make sure that it looks cohesive with the rest of the room.
A great way to accomplish this is by including tall plants. These can act as a sort of organic divider for your space allowing the living area to stay separate from your workspace.
Another suggestion is to place desks near a window. The natural light can help make it appear less harsh in the room and blend more seamlessly.
By putting an intricately patterned rug beneath the desk, you can complete your camouflage effect, especially if you use a glass top desk.
Use Creative Storage Solutions
Regardless of what industry you are in, you are probably going to have a lot of items that you need to store near your workstation.
One great option is to use existing pieces of furniture in your home as storage. For example, if you have a sideboard or antique dresser that you aren’t using, then fill the drawers with your office supplies.
When you have guests over, they won’t have any idea that those pieces aren’t storing dishes, and instead, are housing your work items.
Mind Your Feng Shui
While not everyone believes in the presence of spiritual energy and chi, most people agree that feng shui spaces are relaxing places to hang out.
Feng shui is a great way to design a room and your home office is no exception.
Since your desk is the largest part of your home office, its placement plays an important role in shaping the room.
Try to place it in a position where it has a commanding view of the room. Many people are tempted to put desks against walls since built-in desks were popular for many years, but why would you want to sit facing a wall?
That’s not something you want to do for eight to twelve hours a day.
If you have no choice but to put your desk against a wall, try investing in a mirror. This can help make the desk camouflage better, make your room seem larger, and allow you to see behind you while you are working.
Choosing Your Luxury Home Office Design Style
Now that you have considered some of the logistics of your home office, it’s time to take on the style decisions.
A good office tells the journey of a person. It should reflect the colors, materials, and lighting that make you feel best.
If you are a techie and like to keep things tidy, then a small glass writing desk can be a great option.
While if you’re a more traditional entrepreneur and plan to have many in-home meetings, then a large wooden desk would be more appropriate. It will set the tone for a business discussion.
Lighting Considerations
Many people give very little thought to the lighting in their home. The same can lights and ceiling fans that were installed by the builder often remain in most homes for many years.
But lighting has a major impact on the way a space feels and having a comfortable home office is key to your success as an entrepreneur.
Make sure that you have adequate lighting so that your eyes don’t have to strain to see. This can lead to headaches, especially if you are just working with the glow of your computer monitor at night.
You can also try to place your desk near a source of sunlight for a natural mood boost.
In a home office, floor lamps are superior to overhead lights. Their ambient tone allows your eyes to strain less so that you can work longer.
Ergonomics
While some people choose to invest lots of money on expensive ergonomic chairs, that isn’t always necessary.
Many people can benefit from just buying a chair that has a height-adjustment and using a couple pointers on how to sit properly.
Great Sound
If you’re like many people, then you love to listen to music while you are working. Unfortunately, the speakers on a computer aren’t the highest quality.
But luckily, there are many different options when it comes to upgrading your sound system. One option is to go wireless.
Try connecting your computer through Bluetooth to a sound system. That way you can hide your speakers out of sight and still have crystal clear sound to work to.
More Tips for Success
While creating a luxury home office is a great step on the road to success, there are many other factors that go into running a business.
Check out some more of our articles and blogs for tips to help your company grow and flourish today.
