More and more people are working from home, and not just temporarily for Covid-19. The pandemic gave many employers the push they needed to change their business practices to allow many of their employees to work from home permanently. If you’re in this situation, you may find that your home’s design doesn’t reflect your new lifestyle. There are many design features you can add to an existing home, or include in your custom home, to make working from home more practical and productive. Here are six of them.
1. Big Windows
In our interest in carving out a dedicated office space, we sometimes cut off the home too much, restricting the office from the natural light that dominates most good modern homes. The problem is that a lack of natural light can hurt your productivity in your office space. Adding big windows, or purchasing artificial lights that mimic natural light, is important to keep your office space pleasant.
2. Electrical Upgrades
Running a desktop at home can stress older electrical systems. The problem compounds if you have more than one person working from home in your house. You can upgrade your electrical panel to handle more load from your office space. In a custom-built home, you might also consider if you have an electrical system that can handle your various smart technology features, which can also stress the system. Many smart technology features can also make working from home more comfortable.
3. Ventilation
You will notice poor air quality much more when you’re spending the vast majority of your time in your home. If your office space is near the kitchen or bathroom, the excess humidity and smells may bother you. No matter where your office space is, dust, allergens, and other contaminants in your air may increase your allergies or just make you less comfortable. Homes should be equipped with energy-efficient ventilation options that can keep your air fresh. Heat recovery ventilators and local ventilators are two good options. Your design will determine what is best for your home.
4. Storage
When you work from home, you may find that clutter bothers you more than it used to. And, you may have more equipment and supplies that need out-of-sight storage. Designing your office space to have the storage that you need it essential. You can add built-in cabinets to your space. Or, you can make use of other potential storage spots in your home to declutter your space overall.
5. Additional Outlets
It can be a pain to run an extension cord, have a complicated power strip set-up, or other convoluted solutions to being too far from an outlet. If you’re designing a new home, it’s wise to consider exactly where you’ll need extra outlets to meet your office’s needs. You can also add new outlets to existing homes.
6. Screen and Half Walls
Not everyone has or wants to dedicate a whole bedroom or dining room to their office. If all you need is a desktop and a spot to sit, it may seem like a waste to take up a whole room and reduce your home's functionality. However, placing your office in a multi-function space can reduce your privacy. Features like half walls, screens, or even portable room dividers can help reclaim some privacy and make your home office feel a lot more comfortable.