Home Office In A Studio Apartment
There has been a change in the way people work and many are now choosing to work from home. There are many benefits, such as greater time flexibility or avoiding a long commute. However, working from home also means creating a home office. It’s like suddenly having to add a whole other room. Not a problem for some, although there are those who want to join in with working from home and already live with limited space. Fortunately, with just a little effort, it can be done. If you are looking for home office inspiration here are a few straightforward ways to configure a workspace inside a small apartment.
- If you can, take advantage of a reach-in closet as it’s likely to be about the size of a small desk. Simply add a slab-style shelf as a desktop add chair and you’re ready to go. To make it more than strictly functional, consider adding floating shelves and get rid of the doors for easier access unless you want the space to stay hidden.
- If all you have available is an empty corner, invest in an L-shaped desk. In fact, anything triangular will serve the purpose. Quirky architecture is no barrier and there’s always a way to squeeze in a work area with the variety of furniture and worktops available. Try sourcing kitchen counter offcuts. Many fitters are happy to sell or even give away unusable pieces for just a few dollars.
- If you aren’t able to find an empty corner, use the space under a window. These spaces are rarely used anyway and don’t need any additional sources of lighting during the day.
- Configure a home office in your living room using a suitable coffee table. Modern lift-top coffee tables are perfect for this purpose and many come with handy storage.
- Do you have any empty space available under the stairs? It’s so easy to tuck your little office under there. Even if you have a closed in staircase with a little remodeling you can still utilize the space as a home office.
Making Your Office Space Work
When selecting a space for your home office, you should keep a few important things in mind. For instance, pick your spot and work on making it as practical and comfortable as possible. Having all the necessities within easy reach is important for the perfect home office space. Obviously, this includes a home office desk, a comfortable ergonomic chair, and technical supports, such as reliable Wi-Fi but it’s also important to have multiple power sockets and a way to hide those unsightly wires that come with routers, and modems. Therefore, going for wireless equipment with no leads to get in the way and steal the space is a much better choice.
- Creating more space in your apartment will make it a lot easier to set up your new home office. It could be time to declutter. Be realistic about what you haven’t used in the last few years. You may be keeping that bulky old stereo just for its emotional attachment. Getting rid of space-stealing items can go a long way towards creating enough space to configure your new office. You can squeeze in a small office into a studio apartment if your business revolves around using a laptop, but you’ll need space for the other typical office trappings, such as a laser printer, files, a hole punch and stapler, paperclips, pens for work, sticky notes and paper.
- Investing in portable multifunctional furniture can make your home office work, even in a very small space. For instance, buying a portable and adjustable laptop stand can simplify things. Some stands are fully collapsible and can be tucked away when not in use, as can some chairs and tables. You can find these in outdoor furniture stores and garden centers.
- You can use simple psychology and change the paintwork and decor to help you make a small apartment feel bigger. Play with light neutral colors and you’ll be able to open up a cramped space to a considerable extent. It also creates a sense of calm and tranquility which is ideal for any workspace.
- Try to get as much natural light inside the apartment as possible. The combination of the right paint colors, mirrors and sunshine can easily give your small apartment a rather expansive look. Position the mirrors so they catch, reflect and bounce back the light around the room but not onto your computer screen. You can also uplift the atmosphere of the space using houseplants or by having cushions, rugs or throws in the natural colors you see from the window. It works wonderfully well, especially if you are lucky enough to enjoy a garden view.
- Lighting can always add definition to your workspace, especially when you use spotlights or tucked-away track lighting. You will need good lighting anyway but avoid standard lamps that direct downwards and use tabletop scones and anglepoise desk lamps if you can. They don’t take up precious floor space.
Thankfully, with so many more people opting out of the rat race to work their own hours from home, there has been a move in all things home office and a lot of the new designs are all about making the most of a small space. The ideas some of these home office designers have come up with are amazing although they often come with a price tag to match. Even so, it is still possible to set up a home office on a budget as long as you are able to get comfy and get on with your work, it doesn’t really matter if the table and chair you are using don’t match.
