Designing a home office should be a fun and creative process whether or not you currently believe so. Simply because it’s an office and you associate this room with “all work, no play,” doesn’t mean this space deserves any less design attention than any other room in your house. In fact, you’ll probably spend more time in this room than any other, therefore, it’s worthy of more thought and effort than you’ve been prepared to give. While a home office should be designed with your productivity and efficiency in mind, there are numerous factors that effect both of these things in addition to just choosing a paint color. Consider specifically what the space will be used for (more specifically than, “to do work”) and what tone, mood, or style you prefer from your space in order to accomplish the tasks that will be given.
There are various reasons for incorporating an office into your home. Maybe you’d like a designated area for your kids to do homework and projects after school, or perhaps you’d like a quiet place to accomplish a few work tasks even after the work day is over and you’ve left the office. And the most obvious reason; you work from home. Working from home is a prominent decision for some people. There are numerous advantages, such as no commute, a flexible schedule, a comfortable and stress-free work environment, and plenty. If you’ve decided to make the transition to a remote job position, I’m sure you’ve considered how important your work environment is to your future and career. That may seem dramatic, but the space that you work in plays a huge role in the efficiency and overall quality of your work as well as any other family member’s work that will be done in this office. Therefore, it’s essential that every element of your home office, from layout and design to furniture and décor, is well thought out and designed with this in mind.
You may not have considered this before, but it may be a good idea to consider implementing commercial office furniture into your home office. There are a few reasons for this.
Benefits of commercial office furniture for your home office
- Commercial office furniture, specifically desk chairs, are designed for sitting and comfortably working for long periods of time (an entire eight-hour work day).
- Commercial desks are designed with office organization in mind. Therefore, there are plenty of compartments to keep your work neatly organized as opposed to merely using an old or unused table as a desk.
- If more than one person will be working in the office at a time, you’ll be more likely to find teaming desks or other multiple desk sets that match each other when shopping for commercial furniture, avoiding a mismatch design and lack of personal space and concentration when the space is shared.
- If your office space is designed too casually, you won’t be as productive or efficient. With commercial office furniture, you will associate your home office with work in an office building setting.
- Major reasons for a lack of productivity in home offices is the insufficient amount of space and storage compartments. With a commercial office desk, this will never be an issue.
- Broadening your selection of office furniture to include commercial furniture allows for a much larger selection and more options to consider and choose from when furniture shopping.
- Shopping for commercial desks allows for more customization options such as desk heights, color, material, shape, privacy panels, and storage options. There will also be a larger variety of computer desks and standing desks.
Commercial vs. Residential Office Furniture
There are definitely differences between home office furniture designed for commercial use vs. residential office furniture. However, that does not mean you shouldn’t buy commercial office furniture for a home office. In fact, there are many good reasons to invest in commercial-grade office furniture for your home.
Commercial
- Style: Variety of styles which are all designed specifically for organization and functionality for an office. Styles tend to consist of larger desks that may not fit properly in your home office.
- Comfort: Office chairs are designed for comfort during an entire eight-hour work day. Larger ergonomic selection.
- Durability: More durable as they are designed to be used every day for long periods of time and are required to be long-lasting in an office setting.
- Quality: Furniture is made from high-quality materials and designed to last. Quality varies depending on price.
- Cost: Because of the comfort, durability, and quality the furniture will most likely be more expensive than residential office furniture. While a commercial desk would range from $200 – $500, a residential desk might cost about $100.
- Selection: Most likely a smaller selection than residential furniture stores might have, however almost anything in the available selection would meet the needs of your home office.
- Pros: Overall, better quality, more durable, and more appropriate for any office setting.
- Cons: More expensive with less variety.
Residential
- Style: Larger variety of styles centered from an interior design perspective. Less functional for a work-from-home employee but will be suitable for a space for additional work brought home from the office or a homework space for kids. Various size options available to fit any room.
- Comfort: More likely to be less comfortable after long periods of time at your desk.
- Durability: Typically, less durable than commercial office furniture, however this depends on the price you’re willing to pay. Metal will be more durable than fabric or wood.
- Quality: Quality varies depending on price, but this furniture is usually constructed from lower quality materials than commercial furniture.
- Cost: It should be relatively simple to find office furniture within any price range; usually cheaper than commercial office furniture. You could easily find a desk chair for under $100, but a commercial office chair could range anywhere from $85 – $400.
- Selection: A larger selection of furniture, but numerous items that would not be suitable for a home office appropriate for a work-from-home employee.
- Pros: Options available across a wide range of prices, so there’s something available for even the tightest budgets.
- Cons: Not all options are satisfactory for an office setting. They may lack in comfort, durability, quality, organizational needs, size requirements, etc.
After you’ve concluded which furniture selection is best for you and your environment (commercial vs. residential), consider the layout and design of your space. Elements such as room size, tone, theme, and desired décor are all design considerations. They may even sway your decision of commercial or residential furniture. Maybe you’ll decide to incorporate both selections into your space. There are a few necessary things to contemplate during the interior design process.
- Arrange a specified and organized area to convert into your office that allows for uninterrupted work time.
- Pick a theme for your office which will apply to the colors, furniture, and décor. Some examples of an office theme are modern, traditional, calming, creative, minimalistic, or professional, just to name a few. If you’re unsure of a theme, steal some inspiration from either the rest of your house or pictures online from a simple Google search of home offices.
Office furniture styles (examples)
Traditional
Professional
Minimalist
Contemporary
- Make your space a comfortable work environment for you by supplying yourself with the perfect amount of lighting (natural sunlight or a variety of lighting options), room temperature, etc.
Overall, your home office furniture and design should be constructed around your comfortability and ability to produce high quality work productively and efficiently in your environment. Including commercial furniture in your office furniture search in addition to a well thought out design will increase your likelihood of this outcome in your finished space.
