Is it possible to find a place for a home office in a small apartment? Where and how to organize it? We have prepared many interesting ideas and useful tips for those who work from home.
For owners of small apartments, the issue of organizing space is always acute. Especially when it comes to the workplace, which is not easy to allocate an extra piece of space. And sometimes you can’t do without such a zone - someone takes work home, and some even work without leaving the apartment. So, where to put a computer, and how to equip an impromptu office?
1. In the corner
Corners are often overlooked, even in small spaces. But it is they who are able to help when you need to find a place for a compact workplace. Here you can put a corner table (fortunately, modern furniture manufacturers offer a variety of options) or use a wooden tabletop instead. This option allows you to equip even the most secluded corner in the apartment for a workplace - behind the door, in the hallway or in the kitchen.
2. Outdoors
Fresh air promotes better brain activity. In the summer, you can work on an open balcony, and a properly equipped loggia will allow you to work productively in the cold season. In many apartments, the balcony acts as a closet, unnecessary things are put here, thereby cluttering up the usable space.
If it is assumed that the office will be on the balcony all year round, then you need to insulate it. It is advisable to lay a soft rug on the floor, and equip the place itself with additional open shelves. Furniture for such a space should be compact, and comfortable for a working person. If you don’t need anything other than a computer, then the workplace can be done in a minimalist style.
3. On the windowsill
If you can’t use the balcony, you should pay attention to the window sills. First of all, the workplace will always be filled with natural light. If you need to place several jobs, then you can make some continuation of the window sill and equip the place with an additional plastic or metal worktop.In order to make it convenient to work here at night, it is necessary to hang several lamps adjustable in height and position on the wall. This option looks most advantageous in a Scandinavian interior.
4. In the closet
Fans of extraordinary solutions will surely like the workplace, equipped right in the closet. So a seemingly bulky piece of furniture that was inherited from a grandmother can be a great helper for those who work from home.It is better to re-equip the inside of the cabinet to suit your needs - make convenient organizers, free up space under your feet, make a pull-out shelf for the keyboard. Such a workplace will look relevant in any interior, and the old cabinet will especially effectively fit into a vintage and rustic interior, and will also be appropriate in a Provence-style space.
5. In a niche or pantry
An office can be made even in an awkward niche that seems useless and visually spoils the space. Such a place is best equipped with drywall shelves. They are able to visually give the space depth, and if they are long and occupy most of the wall, they will visually expand the walls.When it comes to saving usable space, you should also pay attention to little-used places in the apartment. For example, in some dwellings where storage systems are properly organized, there is no need for a pantry. She can become an impromptu office. True, here you need to think carefully about lighting. It is advisable to equip such a workplace with built-in lighting, hang several compact sconces on the wall, put a lamp with soft directional light on the table.
6. Economy options
If there is very little space in the apartment, there is no way to apply the above ideas, then folding mini-offices can help. Often they are compact hinged systems, which, if necessary, turn into comfortable tables. They do not take up much space and are suitable for those who work on a laptop.Creating a favorable working environment is the main task of every company owner. It is the key to increasing staff productivity, improving the company's image in the market. All this promises good profits, rapid prosperity. To create a stylish interior of a modern office, it is not necessary to involve designers whose services cost fabulous money. Any person can competently equip an office by approaching this issue responsibly. How to create a stylish office design yourself is described in more detail in this publication.
Each visitor entering the office must understand that he has come to the address
It is necessary to equip a modern office of the company, taking into account the following rules:
- Every workplace should have its own boundaries. Separate employees from each other. Let it be a small office, but their own. If the room is tiny, you can divide it into zones using glass, wooden partitions.
Each employee should have their own workplace
- All space should be divided into separate zones: work, general use, dining.
It is important that the atmosphere in the recreation area is conducive to stress relief.
- The office should have a small kitchen. This will make the staff feel comfortable. Everyone will have the opportunity to eat. On an empty stomach, performance will be zero.
The dining area is calculated in accordance with the number of employees
- Work chairs must not be turned with their backs to visitors.
Visitors must feel comfortable
- The entire interior should be designed in a single style direction. This will make the space more harmonious.
Office interior in loft style
Popular styles
You can decorate a modern office in different styles. However, today there are some of the most popular destinations. They are detailed in the table:
| Popular Office Styles | Character traits |
| American | This is a functional solution. In such a room, every square meter will be practical. Usually the American style is used in large buildings. It is characterized by moving racks, many jobs, modern technology. |
| European | This direction is characterized by transparent glass partitions. The color of the walls is usually white. An abundance of color, a minimum of decor create favorable conditions for daily work. |
| French | This office design makes a lasting impression on visitors. Usually it strikes with an abundance of chic decor. Figurines, framed paintings, small fountains inspire the staff to new labor achievements. |
| Scandinavian | Simple, elegant style. It is suitable for rooms of various sizes. The Scandinavian direction is characterized by: a minimum of details, patterned textiles, furniture made from natural raw materials, through shelving-partitions. |
The essence of the American style of office design is the most efficient use of open space. All employees are located in the same room - no walls and offices
European style glass cabinets
Chic bohemian style french office
Scandinavian version - a minimum of details, light colors
Furniture is an important component of a stylish office
Furniture plays a huge role in the design of the office of any company. It has many requirements. Furniture should be functional, comfortable, safe. The office should not be overcrowded. The number of items, their functionality must be calculated in advance. It is very important that the purchased items are fully consistent with the chosen style direction.
All pieces of office furniture should be combined both with each other and with the environment.
It is important that the employee's workspace is simple, concise and comfortable.
Important. Save on materials is not worth it. Poor-quality raw materials, cheap sofa upholstery will quickly lose their appearance. This will negatively affect the image of the company.
Russians are characterized by solid wooden furniture.
The British are characterized by sophistication, which is transferred to the design of the office and the selection of furniture for it.
You can arrange jobs in different ways. Linear, angular arrangements are very popular. Many do it outside the box - they use furniture as a zoning tool, arranging it in a chaotic manner.
Small office design principles
The small size of the premises is not an obstacle to creating a functional, modern office for a young company. When arranging, you just need to follow some recommendations:
- Complex forms cannot be used. Unusual furniture, complex, large ornaments on the walls are prohibited.
- Mirrors, glass will help to visually enlarge the space. The main thing is not to overdo it. Mirror labyrinths will confuse people who first come to the office.
- Bright colors should be present in a minimum amount. In bright colors, you can decorate only some details, accessories.
- Unused space can be put to good use. The space under the ceiling, window sills can be occupied by shelves, racks.
- Light walls are a good way to visually enlarge the room. Against their background, furniture will look great, and the glass partitions will somehow dissolve.
Small company office interior with loft elements
Comfortable chairs for company employees
Lighting
Properly used light can significantly transform the interior of the office, make it more comfortable, and increase the efficiency of staff. Lack of light leads to rapid fatigue. The lighting of the office space should be designed in the same style. You can not use chandeliers, lamps belonging to different styles at the same time. This is a sign of bad taste. The style of lighting fixtures should be in harmony with the rest of the interior.
The required number and location of fixtures must be taken into account when designing an office
Advice. Before determining the number of fixtures, their location, it is necessary to clearly understand how many employees will work in the building at the same time.
Employees should not experience discomfort caused by low lighting or constant flickering of a blown lamp
Every work area should be well lit. To do this, you can use not only the main light. Work tables can be additionally illuminated with spotlights.
The load on vision will be significantly lower when using different types of light sources - direct and diffused, artificial or daylight
Research shows that bright and spacious offices motivate staff and increase productivity
Also, when choosing a lighting solution, it is important to consider the color palette of the design. If the palette is warm, do not use cold light. This is a big mistake of people who are far from the sphere of design. Cold light will be relevant in factory premises. It will emphasize the industrial interior, give the atmosphere the necessary rigor, because the production process requires discipline. The leader can emphasize the creative atmosphere with the use of warm light. It will encourage staff to create new projects, develop ideas.
Office ship? Why not, if you are a creative person
Another office option for creative employees
One of the most creative office design ideas is the creative zone of Google employees in Switzerland.
Video: modern loft-style office
The modern world is arranged in such a way that many people have the opportunity to earn money without leaving their homes. At first, novice businessmen often equip the office of their company at home so as not to spend money on rent. Many companies encourage the desire of employees to work remotely, and someone just has to finish unfinished reports in the evenings. But for productive work at home, you need to create the right atmosphere without distractions.
Peculiarities
To rationally spend time and improve the efficiency of their employees, company leaders pay a lot of attention to the organization of their workplace. For those who work at home, the ability and desire to equip a comfortable work area is also important.
The working area equipped in your own apartment must meet the following characteristics:
- There should be no unnecessary, distracting objects in the work area. The table must be freed from various figurines and irrelevant documents. This will allow you to direct your thoughts in the right direction, without switching to all sorts of little things. And the rule to clean up the table at the end of each working day will not only allow you to keep your place in order, but will also become a kind of ritual that separates the time of work and rest.
- If the house has a separate office, then you should explain to your family that you should not go into it for nothing during the day. It is also necessary to limit the access of pets to it. When a corner with a computer is located in a common room, you can put on headphones and listen to the sounds of nature, heartbeats, so as not to be distracted by extraneous noises.
- The workplace in the apartment must be designed so that it is functional. A large number of drawers or shelves with everything you need at arm's length will allow you not to get up from the table every time and not be distracted from work. It is important to consider that for right-handers, everything you need to the maximum should be placed on the right side of the table, and for left-handers it is more convenient to reach into the left drawer. You can also put a paper organizer on the work surface so that the documents you need to work do not lie in piles on the table, but neatly stand in the corner.
- Another important detail is the availability of outlets. The most successful will be the close proximity of the table to the source of electricity, but if necessary, you can use an extension cord. Only all the wires need to be carefully twisted and hidden so as not to disturb the order and not take up extra space.
- Good lighting is one of the most important factors for productive activity. The best option would be to locate the working area in the immediate vicinity of the window. This rule can be guided by the arrangement of an individual corner of the student. This area in the house should have intense and at the same time uniform, non-dazzling lighting. A prerequisite is the presence, in addition to the general source of lighting, local, intended only for the working area.
- Good ventilation and the inaccessibility of foreign odors to the room will make any work more productive. During short breaks, you should leave the office and ventilate it so that you can breathe easily and freely when you return.
- The color scheme of the domestic worker's area should consist of neutral light shades such as grey, white, peach or beige. This will not only set you up for a calm and focused pace of work, but will also allow you to complement the interior with small bright details - your favorite paintings or photographs - without compromising the overall picture of the room.
- Motivation and inspiration help you finish the most important things faster and more pleasantly. To place campaign materials, you can select a part of the wall at eye level by placing a magnetic or slate board, a fabric patch there, or simply attach leaflets on buttons directly to the wall. Here you can write down the daily plan and to-do list.
Where to place?
When it became clear what requirements the home workplace should meet, you can proceed to the choice of its location.
The best option among all existing ones is the ability to organize an office in a separate room. Well, if this room is equipped with a door. This will allow you to once again resist the temptation to look into the kitchen or to the TV, and also protect you from extraneous sounds in the apartment. .
Make sure that the office has all the necessary equipment for work. This will save time and will not distract from the process.
Sometimes the workspace needs to be organized in a one-room open-plan apartment. In this case, the area with the table can be placed in the corner and fenced off with a bookcase or shelving, install a screen or hang curtains. Allocation of space with the help of colors will also allow you to distinguish between places for work and leisure, which, in fact, are in the same room. If someone else works remotely at home, or there are children of school age, then it would be more reasonable to divide the space behind the screen into two workplaces. Then everyone can go about their business without distracting each other.
In a small apartment, there is not always a place for a table with a computer and drawers. Salvation in this case will be the presence of a balcony. First you need to put things in order on the balcony and free it from trash. After that, it is necessary to insulate the balcony, in the case of a loggia, this is not necessary. You should also take care of proper lighting and access to outlets. To organize the workspace on the loggia, you will need at least a small table, cabinet or shelves for storing documents.
Another space that is suitable for organizing a mini-study is a pantry. If outerwear or boxes with seasonal shoes are not stored in it, but unnecessary trash accumulates, then you can safely arrange a compact workplace there. Such a space is characterized by a vertical arrangement of functional furniture, since it is unlikely that anything else will fit in the lower part, except for a table with a chair. Since there are no windows nearby, lighting needs to be carefully considered. An excellent option would be to install a wall lamp directly above the table. Light colors of furniture and walls will visually increase the area of the pantry.
In an apartment with wide window sills, you can easily organize a space for doing business by the window. With this option, you do not need to additionally purchase a table, just pick up a comfortable chair and place racks with shelves for documents on the sides of the window. If the window sills are not wide enough, and there are no other options for organizing the working area, then you can extend the window space with the help of a countertop. Working by the window, you can get as much natural light as possible, and admire what is happening on the street during breaks.
Some housewives show imagination and arrange their own study area right in the kitchen. This allows you to save space in the rest of the apartment and cook on the job. But in this case, you need to be able to quickly switch from working moments to household chores. In the kitchen space, you can arrange a full-fledged workplace by choosing furniture to match the color of the kitchen set. It is possible to equip a retractable tabletop and a built-in seat along the wall in a free corner to save space.
And the most economical option is to simply use the dining table as a work table, secluded behind it with a laptop.
Ideas for decoration
After choosing a place for arranging the working area, you can begin to design the space. In this matter, you should rely on your preferences, equip the place for yourself.
If the work area needs to be arranged in another room, then its style should harmoniously fit into the existing interior of the room. Usually a place to work is arranged in the living room, often the bedroom is also used for this. In the option with a place combined with another room, you need to choose only the most necessary furniture - a table, a chair or office chair that is comfortable for work and storage space. To save space as much as possible, you can use a transformer table.
If the apartment has a separate space for important matters - an office or a balcony - then this allows you to show greater freedom in choosing a style. A sufficiently large area must be zoned for a place to work and a relaxation zone.
For interior design, you can choose any of the existing styles.
The most popular are:
- Classic style is universal and is often found in the design of the office. Such an arrangement will appeal to status people, adherents of everything traditional. From furniture in this style, luxurious leather sofas with wide armrests, bulky chairs with wooden inserts, impressive tables made of solid wood of expensive rocks, gilded ornate decorative elements stand out. Such furniture requires a lot of space.
- Modern style unpretentious and accessible, for which we are so loved by many young people. Strict and practical interior items of this style allow you to focus on solving problems as much as possible. Furniture in the style of minimalism in monochrome shades may seem boring, so it is recommended to add details in the modern style to the interior. Among the materials, preference is given to metal, wood and glass. Furniture according to the style should be built-in, and lighting should be maximum.
- Vintage style with its aged furniture, it is suitable for organizing a working corner in a light-colored bedroom. A wicker chair and a small shabby table with high legs can become a full-fledged place to complete business before going to bed.
- Creative individuals will like the design of the office in high-tech style. Transparent plastic and glass are presented in unusual shapes. However, not everyone is close to the metallic cold of this style.
- For rustic style the presence in the interior of cozy armchairs and an abundance of wooden furniture is characteristic. A large amount of homemade decor in the form of pillows, blankets and cute accessories will add coziness to the work area.
To beat the space, you can use stylish designer accessories. For a full-fledged office, you should not choose small details, it is better to choose a floor vase in ethnic style or a large classic clock with a pendulum.
In a limited space, you can put flower pots on the shelves, your favorite photographs or paintings, an expensive and memorable souvenir.
Examples of effective design in the interior
The original and bold design of the workspace reflects the character and sense of taste of its owner. Some successful examples are presented below.
A corner panoramic window is an excellent opportunity for arranging a business space. The noble brown tabletop, which is a logical continuation of the window sill, plays the first violin in the entire interior. Storage space is represented by two spacious drawers under the tabletop, and an ergonomic chair on wheels fits perfectly into the minimalist design of the corner.
The desktop is an important place in a person's life, regardless of whether it is at home or in the office. Productivity, and hence the income of a person, depends on its location and organization. In addition, a person spends most of his life at his desk, so this place should be arranged so as not to tire the eyes, back or mind. The employee will feel comfortable, and if he is surrounded by a relaxed home environment, then it will be much easier for him to work.
In order for the work to be fruitful, you need to know how to decorate your desktop and make it comfortable. The more space and space on the desktop, the better it will work, because a pile of rubbish is sure to distract from business.
Desktop lighting
The ideal solution for a workplace is the presence of a large number of windows through which sunlight will enter. If you are thinking about how to decorate your desktop in the room, then it is best to move it closer to the window. Surely you have noticed that in winter productivity drops, you want to lie in bed and do nothing. All this is due to the fact that the human body receives little sunlight, which should feed us with irreplaceable energy.
If he is in the office, then moving him to a more convenient place will not work. That's what fluorescent lights are for. The modern market is filled with various options for table lamps, so everyone can find their ideal lamp. It is best to place it on a table so that the light falls on the work area for better reading and writing.
Convenient storage boxes
You should not think for a long time about how to decorate your desktop, because the most convenient and functional thing for it will be a box for storing various necessary items. Neatness and cleanliness is the main thing that should be on the desktop, so before starting work, you need to put the workplace in order and put all things in their places.
There are 2 options for storing all things:
- Open shelves.
- Closed drawers or cabinets.
Open shelves are ideal for storing those items that need to be in constant view. In addition, they can be used to store a variety of small trinkets and desktop decorations.
Closed drawers will not tell you how to decorate your desktop. These are more functional items that are suitable for storing items. It is best to divide the boxes into zones and put things in a certain order.
Of course, comfort is the main thing that is needed in the process of work. But for aesthetics, you can add a few details that will make the desktop special and stand out from the rest. For example:
- Next to the desktop, you can hang a poster or a board that motivates you to work, on which you can write smart thoughts or other notes on your own.
- No workplace is complete without a family photo that can be a distraction at a difficult moment.
- On the table, you can put a small glass vase filled with dry petals that emit a faint aroma. Instead of petals, the most daring can get an aquarium fish, for example, a "cockerel", which does not require an air pump and special care.
- Do not leave trinkets or small puzzles on the table, because they distract from work. It is better to choose a bright multi-colored stationery that will brighten up and be a true decoration of the table.
- You can also start a houseplant that will bring home comfort to the working atmosphere.
Working from home should be work!
If you have decided that you do not want to sit in the office and have found a suitable job at home, then you need to be prepared for the fact that working from home is very difficult. In order to be as efficient as possible, you need to think only about the task and not mix it with personal matters. Therefore, it is best to organize the workplace so that it is not used in any other way, except for work. Ideally, you can find a separate room. Then you will not think about how to beautifully decorate your desktop so that it looks harmonious with the rest of the interior design in the house.
Being in a separate room, you can forget about household chores and immerse yourself in what you need to do to make a profit.
Order in the wires
Clutter in the wires can greatly spoil the picture of an attractive place to work and annoy not only strangers, but also yourself. In addition, the main thing in how to decorate a desktop is to clean up, especially to deal with the cords. An easy way to solve the problem is to tie up the wires with tape or wire at the table. You can use other original ideas, such as passing wires through holes in binders or using clothespins.
Ideal room temperature
Temperature is of great importance, because when you are cold or hot, it is difficult to concentrate on the working environment, labor productivity drops. You can use air conditioners and heaters to make the room temperature comfortable. Of course, being in the office, you will also have to listen to the opinions of colleagues.
Desk chair and desk play an important role
Before you think about how you can decorate your desktop, you should worry about the table and chair. The chair must have:
- armrests with a small height at which the arms will be bent 90 degrees;
- a comfortable back, in which posture does not deteriorate and the back does not hurt;
- seat height adjuster;
- height and angle adjuster.
The desktop should be:
- Perfect height or adjustable. The keyboard and mouse should be at the same level and as close to each other as possible.
- The monitor should be positioned so that your gaze rests on its middle. The ideal option is a special monitor shelf. If not, you can use a stack of books.
For better performance, it is best to take short breaks from work. You need to set yourself a schedule and clearly plan what you will do not only during each working hour, but also over the next few days.
If you have a home office or need to fit your belongings into a locker, this article will provide you with helpful tips to make the job easier.
Post sponsor: Finding Bigfoot in China : An amazing story about a massive expedition to China
1. Store small items in the spice rack.
Just be sure to wash them thoroughly, or your eraser will smell like cumin forever.
3. Keep papers and pens in a neat organizer made from old frames.
4. Turn the frame into a list of things to do.
5. Make these colorful can organizers
6. Stack them on top of each other to save space.
7. Coat them with chalkboard paint for easy marking.
8. Lucky to have an extra Slinky spring? Use it to store your writing utensils.
9. Keep your cables organized with this desk-mountable organizer.
It costs only $9.99 and you will no longer be humiliated by crawling on the floor in search of a cable.
10. Attach a small hook under the table to keep the cords out from under your feet.
11. Label cords with bread tags. True, to begin with, you will need to eat a lot of bread, but we all sacrifice something.
12. Use the clips to make a large cord holder.
13. Paste the card file with pieces of wallpaper. Fabric or paper for creativity is also suitable.
14. Create a shelf with space to store paper from a magazine rack.
15. Use your morning coffee wrap to keep your headphones from getting tangled. And your mornings will become kinder.
16. Store papers on the wall by attaching them to clipboards.
17. Use one for the to-do list. This person obviously has no obligations.
18. Upgrade your chair. Now, if someone wants to steal your chair, you will know about it.
19. Make a compact charging station out of a lotion bottle. No one will know what it was before.
20. Never spill liquid with this drink holder. It attaches to the edge of the table and prevents terrible disasters like the soy-latte meeting with the MacBook Pro.
21. Cover the inner panels of the shelves with craft paper to give them some color.
22. Create your own bookshelf using drawers. You can make it bigger or smaller, depending on how limited your space is.
23. This beautiful bookshelf is made from Ikea drawers using clips. You can nail or bolt it to the wall if you are concerned about its stability.
24. Perforated boards save a lot of space. Keep important reminders and photos you like at eye level.
25. Attach baskets to a perforated board to store papers. They are easy to move.