Designing a home office space that is professional and attractive requires careful consideration of how the office will blend in with family activities and spaces.
Choosing a Space
The first step in home office design is choosing a space for the office. Ideally, a spare bedroom or den is available where the door can be closed when meeting with clients, taking confidential calls or avoiding noise or distractions from others within the home.
If a separate room in the house is not available, choose a location that is far enough away from distractions such as laundry and kitchen chores. If possible, pick an office spot under the stairs or in a corner so that the office is hidden from site to some extent.
Remember when choosing a location to ensure that enough electrical outlets and internet jacks are available for all of your office equipment.
Lighting and air quality is also a consideration. Natural light and the ability to open a window for circulation can make a big difference on comfort and the environmental feel of the space.
Choosing a Desk and Filing Cabinet
When choosing a desk for a home offices consider a desk that has drawers to help keep the visual clutter down. A drawer with a lock for confidential documents is also a good idea depending on the type of work you do.
Low filing cabinets on wheels can double as extra surface area when sorting documents or files. Filing cabinets that lock can also provide extra security for client files and sensitive documents.
Home Office Technology
To truly be professional, a home office requires a strong web presence, a high speed internet connection, fax machine, phone with conferencing and speaker capability, and adequate technical support to ensure that there everything remains up and running. A cordless phone can be helpful if the office set-up requires going to a separate floor to get a cup of coffee or tea.
Client Visitation Area
If you receive clients in your home, it is important to set-up a home office reception area that is professional. If possible, create both a waiting area and a separate entrance to the space to prevent clients from having to walk through your house to the office. Decorating a home office waiting area can be as simple as a couple of chairs and a coffee table in a hall way to as deluxe as a coffee/tea bar and stools.
A home office can be a very professional space if it is designed to support business processes and client reception. Careful planning and a unique home office space can brand your business as professional.
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