Creating a home office requires great care. Several facts have to be considered for that our health and private sphere don’t get injured.
If we need a place only for a short time of surfing on the internet, writing letters or reviewing bills – which takes about 1-2 hours per day from our free time – then a working corner is perfectly enough for that. This can be created as a part of another room (living room, kitchen, corridor etc.) or hiding for example in a wardrobe.
A home office is needed for those who work at home, so would spend most of the day (or every weekends) there. In this case, it is reasonable to create an individual room – of course, only if there is enough space and possibility for it.
If we have a job which requires receiving clients, it’s worth to place the office near the entrance door, with a small lavatory not far from it. This way, clients won’t go through the private rooms. In an ideal case, the office can be created in an outbuilding (garage, shed etc.) but this is possible only for few people.
Desk is one of the most important furniture. Its size has to be chosen to get enough space on its top even if all the needed equipments are set out. The ideal height is 70-73 cm, its depth has to be at least 60 cm (in the case of types with superstructure, this grows with the size of the superstructure). Don’t sit back to the window because the light reflects in the screen and we drop shadow to the working area from the natural light before ourselves.
The ergonomics of the office chair is very important for our health. Anyhow, it has to be comfortable, possibly with adjustable height, adjustable backrest, arms and rolls. It’s worth to pay more for these. Take care for choosing the one that properly rolls on the cover, so a sagging carpet is probably not the best choice. Never use a spare dinner chair for this purpose!
The computer is an average working tool. A different space is required by a laptop and by a PC with monitor. Think it over which kind of accessories will be needed for it: keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner etc. These all need space, so this has to be considered when planning the furniture, not only for the amounts of files and papers have to be stored. Keep the storage areas within reach of frequently used items.
The proper lighting is essential for efficient work. It is good to have natural light, this means a window. A desk light is also required beside the central, diffused lighting. These have to be chosen that way the light doesn’t hurt our eyes, don’t be reflected in the monitor and there has to be a proper lighting in every seasons/time of the day. For those who write/draw a lot by hand, it is important to get the light from the opposite side of the dominant hand.
Outlets are never enough. Count it how many devices need electrical power and don’t forget those which has to be connected in the socket only occasionally (charging mobile tools). If there will be a landline phone or TV, their connections have to be built also.
The job defines the needed fixtures and stationeries for working, since there are different requirements of an accountant, a programmer or a sewer. Ask for help of an interior designer for planning your home office.