Working from home can be great. You save time by not commuting, have a kitchen full of your favorite foods whenever you get snacky, and don't have to dress to the nines daily (goodbye, uncomfortable business shoes!).

Despite these advantages, working from home isn't easy — especially if you have kids, pets, or other household distractions taking away from your focus time. Plus, it can be challenging to separate work and home life, which means you get caught up in home stuff at work and can't stop thinking about work when you're supposed to be relaxing after hours.

Fortunately, a well-designed home office alleviates many of these potential pitfalls. But if you've never worked from home before, you may wonder, "How do I set up my home office?"

Let PAXISgroup help with that. We've designed and built home offices with past clients and know what helps and hinders productivity. Here are our tips!

How Do You Create an Ideal Home Office? 

Ideal home office design ideas start with you. Spend time upfront getting to know your working habits. Are you easily distracted? Or do you prefer to work in a place with lots of stimulation? Figure out the type of environment you work best in, and we'll recreate that experience in your home office. If you’re not quite sure where to begin, the below tips might help:

Pick the Right Place

If you want to enjoy the best home office setup for your needs, the where is just as important as the how. We recommend you begin by surveying your home to find suitable options for your work zone. Often, having a room, such as a spare bedroom, wholly dedicated to your home office is most conducive to a happy work-life balance. 

After all, you can quickly shut the door at the end of the day, leaving any stress or mess behind while you immerse yourself in relaxation and family time.

You can also consider a modern home office design whereby you create a home office in the attic or basement for privacy and separation. If you prefer to work in a busier environment (or don't have the space to make an entire room your home office), the dining room table, a living room corner, or other nooks, crannies, and closets can be suitable solutions.

It's also worth noting that a home that doesn't fit a home office probably doesn't serve your life in other ways. If you plan to work from home for the foreseeable future and don't have room for a dedicated home office, investing in an addition or moving into a new place may be worthwhile. A custom build allows you to create a house that matches your needs.

During the design process, you can explore home office design in Lake Oconee floor plans created by PAXISgroup to find the one that works best for you. What more could you want than a beautiful, new, customized home and a personally designed home office?

Explore Flexible Workspace Solutions

Not everyone has the space to dedicate an entire room to a home office. That’s where flexible workspace solutions come in. Multi-purpose rooms, stylish desk areas that blend seamlessly into living spaces, and built-in work nooks are all great options.

For example, a sleek wall-mounted desk in the living room can provide a professional yet unobtrusive workspace. Similarly, a Murphy bed office design can transform a guest room into an efficient home office build in Lake Oconee, GA, during the day and a comfortable sleeping area at night. Whatever your space constraints, creative solutions can help you maximize function without sacrificing aesthetics, and we can help at PAXISgroup.

Separate Work & Home Life

Keeping work and home life from overlapping is integral to your sanity. If you can't close your office away at the end of the day by shutting the door, consider these separation solutions:

• Use a room divider or drapes to cordon off your workspace.

• Tuck papers, pens, technology, and other work items away in an armoire.

• Invest in a collapsible desk you can break down when you don't need it out.

Physical separation is the easy part; you also need to create mental separation. One way to achieve this is by starting and ending work simultaneously daily. Eventually, you'll get used to the rhythm, and switching from work-to-home mode will become automatic. It can also be helpful to institute a ritual at the start and end of your workday.

For example, cue the beginning of your productivity time by making coffee or tea to drink while you work, stretching, or setting up your space for the day—whatever works for you. When it's time to wrap up, clean up any mess accumulated throughout the day, take a walk to get out of the house or listen to your favorite playlist to decompress from work mode.

Maximize Organization & Minimize Clutter 

Though seemingly harmless, those unorganized papers on your desk or a pile of half-read books in the corner can detract from your focusing abilities. Luckily, you can keep your space focus-friendly by using organizational tools like:

• Stackable desk trays

• Magazine holders

• Floating shelves

• Mounted wall organizers

• File cabinets or portable file boxes

• Drawer dividers

Minimizing the amount of clutter in your office will aid your organizational efforts. Keep the materials and tools you use daily out on your desk readily visible; everything else can be tucked away in containers or desk drawers.

Be sure to monitor your clutter regularly—research home office storage ideas to help with this. Without frequent removal or reorganization, chaos can take over even the most well-thought-out setups. We also recommend keeping decor relatively minimal to prevent distractions.

Ergonomic Office Essentials for Comfort & Productivity

Your workspace should support your productivity and well-being. Many people find that investing in an ergonomic home office setup, furniture, and accessories can prevent discomfort and improve focus. Consider these essentials if you're looking for tech and home office furniture ideas:

• An ergonomic chair that provides proper lumbar support.

• A keyboard and mouse that reduce strain on your wrists.

• A sit-stand adjustable desk for flexibility.

• Proper monitor placement to reduce neck strain.

• A footrest to support posture and circulation.

Lighting is another crucial factor. Opt for natural light whenever possible, and supplement with the best home office lighting options like LED desk lamps that minimize eye strain. Temperature control and soundproof home office solutions can also enhance your comfort and concentration.

Choose a Design that Inspires 

Home office design is a delicate balance between providing inspiration and dissuading distraction. Start with a paint color you find charming yet calming. Blues and greens are favorites as they can be energizing or relaxing depending on your mood that day.

Then layer decor on top. Remember, the ideal home decor for an office is minimal, so don't go overboard. Choose a few of your favorite art pieces, photographs, or maybe a framed copy of your diploma to hang on the walls and motivate you as you work. 

PAXISgroup Can Help with Home Offices through Remodeling and Additions

PAXISgroup specializes in Lake Oconee office remodeling and Lake Oconee home addition office solutions that seamlessly integrate with your home’s design. Whether you need a built-in office space, an expansion, or a complete renovation, we ensure that your home office fits your work habits while enhancing your home’s aesthetic. 

From luxury home office ideas to home office color schemes, we help create a workspace that suits your work needs and style preferences. Simply speak with us and let our team guide you toward the right solution to your home office conundrum. 

Get Luxury Office Design with a Custom Build

The best way to get a stellar home office is to design it around your work habits. At PAXISgroup, we specialize in this. During a consultation, we can learn more about what you need and implement it during the design process. 

You can learn more about us here and hear about the PAXISgroup difference from our customers by looking at our testimonials. When you work with us, you are working with a team that believes in building not just homes but lifestyles. Contact us today!