As more of us have to get used to working at home, what can we do to make our spaces more suitable for work?
With no end of the coronavirus pandemic in sight, more of us are having to get used to the idea of working from home. Sometimes that’s welcome, as the convenience and the end of commuting are a bonus, but in other cases, where space is cramped or facilities limited, it an be a nightmare.
So we’ve come up with a few ideas to make it easier for you to work from home, from room dividers to storage. See which you think would make your home working experience more manageable.
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Room dividers
We love the idea of these room dividers (image top of page), making it easy to separate a space for work while maintaining some social distancing. According to research, 35% of us are planning to improve our work space at home, either for the short term or long term. B&Q’s Alara range of modular room dividers is designed to allow renters, remote workers and growing families to make better use of their home’s space without the difficulty or cost of building a permanent wall.
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Whether it’s transforming a living room to create an office, adding a partition to a shared bedroom or creating a hallway within an open plan living space, the modular collection is an easy to install and affordable solution. The lightweight, sturdy panels simply click into place and can be painted to match the decor of any room.
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The customisable dividers can also be designed to make a statement feature wall, with windows, corkboards, oak slats and shelving and combined with post extenders to meet the height of any ceiling between 230cm and 282cm.
You can see the modular room dividers in use here.
Storage
Whether you’re a designer, an administrator or a writer, you’ll need storage space for dozens of little office accessories from pens and pencils to paper-clips and folders. Old-fashioned filing cabinets and bureaux are out, instead look for a modern storage bin system.
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You should of course look for something that’s sustainable like the system from the Orthex Group. Currently between 15 percent and 20 percent of its products are made from recycled and bio-based material and its aim is to be a carbon neutral company in 2030.
All Orthex Group products featuring a food approval symbol are BPA- and phthalates-free.
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SmartStore Classic products are made in Sweden or Finland, have a 10 year guarantee and are recyclable. The Classic is an eminently practical range and comes in sizes ranging from 0.5ltr to 70lt, with clip-close lids that allow stacking (or nesting without the lids). The small boxes for instance are perfect for storing anything from small office supplies and toys to hair accessories or beads, and are made of high shock wear-resistant PP plastic. Cost is from £5.00 to £30.00. Find out more here.
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Shelving
The best way to declutter your home office space is with plenty of shelving, which allows you to get things off your floor and desktop while still keeping them easy to hand. The Office Coleccionista Eclectic Bookcase from Covet House does just this, with different types of shelf available to your specification, and drawer units available too. Best of all, the unit can be placed against a wall or it can serve as a separator. The drawers are double sided in order you can decorate both divisions, as well as to ensure the functionality of this clever piece of furniture.
Chairs
An office chair shouldn’t be your last thought, as it’s essential to have something ergonomic and comfortable for the long hours you’re going to spend in front of the computer. The NuHolme Office Walnut Executive Chair from the Wooden Furniture Store adds a modern touch to your home office and is designed to complement the desk designs in the range. Made from walnut veneer with a contrasting cream faux leather upholstery, it has winged armrests and is padded for extra support and comfort.
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Desk
Lastly, don’t imagine that your computer desk has to be an industrial-looking monstrosity – it could be a lovely piece of furniture. The Mayan Walnut Twin Pedestal Computer Desk from the Wooden Furniture Store is a
substantial twin pedestal computer desk ideal as a workstation for the home office. The computer desk has a pullout keyboard and plenty of storage space including a cupboard to hold a computer tower, a large suspension filing drawer and three useful stationary drawers.
The twin pedestal desk is crafted from high quality solid, environmentally friendly walnut which is given a satin lacquer to highlight the tones of the wood. Delivered fully assembled, the desk is designed to last a lifetime and features a hardwood back and drawers, and for extra design detail has panelled sides and antiqued bronze handles.
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As more of us have to get used to working at home, these are some ways we can make our spaces more suitable for work – what else can you come up with?
