Many of us are working from home, which has its challenges. You are probably making far better use of the time normally spent in Luxembourg traffic, but unless you already have a separate room dedicated as an office, it is not easy. This is especially true if you have children who are not in school.

We’d like to share some tips and tricks with you about setting up a home office where you can maximize concentration, and have a pleasant and productive work environment.

Finding space

One of the biggest problems of working at home is finding a place to set up camp. That big kitchen table might have looked appealing, but after a couple of days of clearing away your work for each meal, or sharing your corner with the latest kids’ craft projects, you’ve probably moved elsewhere.

If you then settled for the basement or repurposed utility closet, you might also be feeling the negative effects after these first few weeks. It’s very important to have natural daylight, fresh air and a view outside, or at least of some nice house plants.

So take a look around. Do you have unused space under the stairs? What about a simple windowsill that is unoccupied, or a shallow closet that could be emptied and re-fitted with shelves and a desk? With an open door, it’s an office… a closed door, and voila! Work time is over, and the chair goes back to wherever it belongs whether that’s in the living room, kitchen or any other.

The right furniture

If you are working full time, how you sit and work can be crucial for the health of your back, neck and shoulders. It’s important to have a good chair designed to ergonomically support your back and a desk and computer set at the right height. Being able to change from sitting to standing while working can also help.

However, it might be a good idea to rethink the traditional chair and desk altogether.  Designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby working with Vitra proclaimed, “The desk and chair have had their day”.

They set out to create furniture they call “Soft Work” which is a modular seating system with flexible laptop holders, embedded power outlets and side tables. You can easily see how this could be integrated into your living room.

Flexible space

If you have to multitask between homeschooling, work and fitness, perhaps a flexible system is in order. The Japanese have been masters at this for centuries, and inspirations can be found in their futons, tatami mats and shoji screens

To give yourself a place of your own for a short time by subdividing a room, Molo Design has developed paper and soft fabric systems for creating temporary spaces while offering some sound insulation. They come in different heights, are free standing and can be built up on top of each other. There are also bamboo screens on the market which can be rolled up and stored away in the evenings.

Be creative to stay creative

Don’t forget to let your inner child come out to create your own space. Since making larger investments in new furniture might not be realistic at the moment, take a second look at what you have to work with. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn and let us know how these ideas worked out for you!

Check out these links for more inspiration:

Working From Home – Small Office Ideas

10 office furniture designs that prove “the desk has had its day”

paper softwall folding partition | portable folding room divider | molo