Technology and modern lifestyles have changed our ideas on planning a study or work place in the home. Pens, paper, and Encylopedia Brittanica have been largely replaced by notebooks, pods, pads, and the web.
The modern home office can also become a family environment for multimedia which may involve considerations beyond your work needs. Whatever your requirements there are several fundamentals that will help you to plan your home office design:
Work within your existing architectural footprint where possible.
Home renovation shows on TV can often give the impression that walls can be removed on a whim – but remember, something has to hold up that roof. Check with a structural engineer or builder before taking the sledgehammer out.
Understand your technology.
The myriad of electrical equipment that can find its way into a home office can make the mind boggle. Ensure that you understand the dimensions and operational requirements of your devices during the planning phase. Something as simple as providing good airflow can spare your expensive equipment a slow and painful departure.
Softwire management.
While infrared, wireless, bluetooth etc. allow many devices to communicate with one another, you will still need to manage some plug in cabling – power at least. Sensible planning can ensure that cabling not only spans the distance between devices, but that is largely hidden from view. An important point if a web of cables doesn’t match your design aesthetic.
Selection of materials.
The most commonly used materials in our home office’s are timber veneer, 2-pack polyurethane paint, and laminate. Each material has it’s advantages in certain applications. For instance, 2-pack polyurethane paint is often considered a more attractive material than laminate, but it is not as robust. The key is to match the material to both the application and your requirements.
Benchtops.
The workspace requirements will often govern the overall arrangement of your home office. The depth of a benchtop can be varied to allow positioning of a notebook or monitor to provide comfortable viewing, and the length should consider the lateral space required by each of it’s users. These factors will then influence adjacent items such as overhead or underbench cabinets.
Overhead cabinets and shelves.
Overhead storage is typically used for folders and books. The trend is towards a single overhead cabinet with an easy access lift up flap or single floating shelf. Everything is within arm’s reach.
Pinboards.
Pinboards provide an ideal use of the vertical space between benchtop and overhead cabinet. Pinboards can be composed of coloured cork, or upholstered in a range of fabrics. They can also be used to mount power points and to hide any defects in your existing walls.
Roll out storage.
Drawers provide easier access to your stored items than a standard cabinet, and are ideal for stationary, personal items, and files. A drawer that can fully extend allows you to access any of it’s contents from a seated position.
Ergonomics.
Your home office layout should consider any individual requirements you may have. Custom manufactured home offices offer the flexibility to incorporate specific sitting and reach heights to suit your physical dimensions.
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