Need to create a home office space into an open concept area? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. It’s a fact that making the adjustment to working from home may not have been easy. If you are reading this article you have probably figured out that working from home without a dedicated home office comes with its fair share of challenges. These are even more compounded when you have an open concept home.
Thankfully, there are some interior design tricks that you can use to make your home office space feel a bit more isolated. Without that isolation, it can be very difficult to keep your mind on work. Even though you are in an open area or great room within your larger home, you still need to have that work mentality that only comes with a dedicated workspace.
Here are a few ways to incorporate your home office into a great room or open concept area
Desk with hutch
For true productivity, your workspace has to look like a workspace. Getting desks with a hutch is a great way to block out that home office space from the rest of the great room. The hutch will give you a very organized way to store your files, supplies, and other items needed to perform your work. Since the desk and hutch need to be placed along a wall, it puts your back to the rest of the room. This can really help cut down on distractions as others move about the house.
Matching chairs
You don’t have to ruin the aesthetic of your open home to have an executive desk chair. Instead, look for affordable dining chairs on wheels that could also be used for a desk chair. This way the chair can be used as extra seating during larger meals, and when the chair is not in use it will not look at all out of place. Often you can get gaming chairs that look like executive office chairs but are actually much more comfortable, affordable, and easy to incorporate into the rest of the room.
Decorative screens
Another way that you can isolate your home office space is with decorative screens. You can choose from elegant dressing screens or choose a folding room divider covered in a beautiful mural or motivational themes. Choose items that match the rest of the room’s décor, or that are complementary to it. Using these types of dividers behind you as you face the hutch helps you eliminate distractions from movement in the rest of the room.
Block out work time
There is nothing more frustrating than trying to be productive while someone is nearby watching television or fixing a sandwich. If you have a truly open concept home with the kitchen, dining room, and living areas open to each other, you will need to set some ground rules with the others in your household.
Even when others in your family are trying to be quiet and respectful, some distractions are to be expected. But by blocking out work time and setting boundaries, everyone can enjoy the common areas while you still get your work done.
Watch this space for updates in the Hacks category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
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