INSPIRATIONAL DESIGN AS INDIVIDUAL AS YOU ARE |
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STYLE YOUR WINTER HOME OFFICE |
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With many of us still deciding to spend the majority of time working from home, it's mindful to consider how you can create a winter wonderland that will help you feel more productive over the next few months.
In the summer time, it was lovely sitting in the kitchen with a view of the garden, but now I'm hearing that you're cold and suffering from backache. That 'make do' office space needs an update because working from home is no longer a one off dream, it's now your reality.
Here are some of the main problems that you might be experiencing in your work space, with my recommendations for how to create a productive, effective and cosy home office.
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1) IT'S COLD
My design studio is north facing with three external walls, so it's always been cold. I suppose the plus side is that the room is cooling during the hot summer months, but during the winter it's freezing.
When my body is cold, I find it difficult to concentrate and, when my hands are cold, it slows down my typing. There will be an optimum temperature that you need in order to work effectively.
Legally, there's no maximum or minimum working temperature, however, the minimum is around 16ºC (13ºC if doing physical work). At the moment my office is 8ºC and it feels cool.
I do have a radiator in my room, but the central heating is only on when I'm not working in my office, ie: first thing in the morning and in the evening. To keep my space at an even temperature, I have a small fan heater to give my studio a boost.
It's more affordable than having the central heating on for the whole of the house when I'm only using the one room.
To help control my body temperature, I also layer up when I'm working form home. I love a long vest top under a jumper, or I'll grab a cardigan to pop over my dress. What do you wear when working from home?
To create more warmth in your home office, you could also change your window treatment, adding a roman blind or curtains with thermal lining. This is a good solution for the evening, but of course, your room will be dark if they're closed during the daytime.
If you want to check the temperature of your work space, either get a thermometer or use a 'Thermometer' app on your phone. Record the temperature when you feel warm, when you feel cold and when you feel comfortable. You then know what the optimum temperature is for you to work productively, and can then adjust your office space accordingly.
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2) IT'S DARK
As I mentioned, my design studio is north facing, so it's a dark room with little sunshine. I've got used to this and I find the room quite cave like whilst working in the subdued lighting. It feels very soothing and nurturing.
If I'm doing a lot of screen work, like writing this design digest, then I'll pop on a desk lamp to give the space a boost of energy. I prefer the light to be behind me because it feels as if I have the warm sun on my back.
There's also an overhead ceiling pendant light for when I'm designing and I need the room to be full of light. The stronger light helps to invigorate my creativity and enables me to see colour samples correctly.
When choosing lighting for your office, consider how you're using the space and then assess the best type of lighting for that activity. Keep your lighting flexible so that you can make your office space feel light and bright or subdued and cosy.
If you're constantly feeling tired in your office then you might need to increase your lighting. If you're suffering from eye strain then you might be looking at the screen for too long or your lighting could be too bright and harsh.
To check the light levels in your office space, you could use a light metre. The recommended illumination levels for homes is often 150 lux. The living and dining rooms are often designed with lower levels, around 25 to 50 lux, so the lighting might not be strong enough for you to work efficiently. Make sure you add a lamp to help you see sufficiently and work at your best.
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3) IT'S NOISY
Your home can be extremely noisy with other people in your space and disturbances from outside. With my design studio situated at the front of my house, I often feel like the Amazon girl checking in packages. But, I think the worse noise is the yapping dog.
How do you stop these noises from interfering with your concentration? Sometimes you can control the noise but often, with our modern lifestyles, you have to accept the disturbances and alter your own environment.
Do drown out the yapping dog, I play the radio in my studio. By focusing on my own noise, that I enjoy, it helps to keep my concentration in my own room rather than wonder what's wrong with my neighbour's dog. Don't worry, both my neighbour and the dog are fine but she does like to leave it outside for longer than it wants to be there.
If you have young children, then it can be really difficult to get them to be quiet whilst you work. Juggling parenthood and a career is challenging. Over the years, I've found time blocking helps me define my day, with time for myself to exercise, working on my interior design business and focusing on quality family time. To help define the time I have clear work boundaries - I'll see clients during the daytime and on a Monday or Tuesday evening, or a Saturday afternoon. Friday evening, Saturday morning (possibly with a hangover) and Sunday are my time with friends and family. This means that when I'm with my family, all of my attention goes to them. This might sound easy but it's taken me a long time to sort out what works for me, my business and my family. My children are clear that I have work time and play time, so when we're together we do fun stuff.
Different types of noise with either invigorate or annoy you, so be aware of which noises make you more productive. Whilst I'm writing, I listen to music, but when I'm designing a room, I like to have library silence. If any noise is unbearable whilst you work then you could wear noise cancelling headphones.
A daily or weekly limiting value for personal noise exposure is 87dB(A), or a peak sound pressure of 140dB. I use the 'Decibel Meter' app to assess noise levels in my office. I can also check my weekly average headphone audio levels of the 'Health' app that's on my phone. At the moment, with the radio in the background, my studio is a comfortable 45 dB.
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Interior design isn't just creating your stylish and attractive room, it's also focused on ensuring that you have a healthy home.
If you're now working from home on a more permanent basis, it's worth taking the time to set up your home office so that you're settled for winter. Having a cosy and nurturing space where you can think clearly and concentrate will help you be productive and work at your best.
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Why not start next year on a high, ready to achieve your personal goals, with a stylish new office that looks great and feels amazing. Just give me a call and let's have a chat, so I can help plan and organise your home to create your perfect works space.
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Wishing you an amazing week full of happiness
Gwendoline
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Gwendoline Alderton
BIID Interior Designer
House Doctor Consultant
Interior Stylist
Space Planning Expert
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GA Interiors
[www.ga-interiors.co.uk]
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