As hybrid working continues to be a big part of our lives, you may find yourself having to organise or reorganise your home office space once again…

Redecorating your workspace can help generate fresh ideas, boost creativity, and significantly increase productivity levels.

So, if you’re feeling unmotivated or uninspired as you sit down to work at home, then keep reading to find out how a few simple updates can help you turn your place of work into a place of joy, inspiration, and creativity.

Whether you want to remodel your home office or just spruce things up, we can guarantee that these 5 updates will provide you with a fresh and productive atmosphere - no matter what size of space you are dealing with !

Carve Out a Sit-Stand Workstation

If you want a new year home office refresh, there are plenty of ways to go about it.

But the easiest and quickest thing to do would be to consider a remodel by adding new furniture pieces.

For example, why not create a truly ergonomic workstation by investing in a sit-stand desk ?

Your workstation should elevate your focus and space – not leave you with the feeling of dismay, or with an aching lower back…

It should promote wellbeing at home, and research shows that switching between sitting and standing can improve your health - as people who move more, feel better. And people who feel better, work better.

So keep on moving !

You can opt for an iconic sit-stand design such as the Atlas desk or the Progress Plus if you are on the lookout for an elegant design.

If it’s more of a simple, clean look though that you are after, why not look at the Memo desk ? This will create a functional and uncluttered workspace for your home, which when coupled with a quality task-chair, is a total winner !

Just make sure the desk is tall enough for your arms to rest comfortably at your sides.

Raise your monitor to eye level, pick a space that benefits of good lighting and spice it up a little.

Try to stand while on the phone, stand after lunch and don’t allow yourself to slump back into the day feeling drowsy and unproductive – you will feel better, and get more done…

2. Invest in an Ergonomic Chair - This Is a No Brainer !

When we’re talking ‘refreshing your working space at home’, it means more than making it look good - function must come first.

I think we all know someone who is suffering from working on the dining room table…

A quality task chair will go a long way helping you stay focused and engaged and it can have a big impact on how productive you are during the day.

Investing in a great office chair can help both visually and practically. We would always advocate using a great ergonomically designed chair, which also apply to home working. Herman Miller have a great range with varying price points. - Lucy Spencer - Head Designer

We all deserve a chair that fits; everything from the back-rest height to the seat width, tilt mechanism, all the way down to the size of the base.

So, no more slouching in a dining room chair, while there’s a world of options available out there that could elevate the way you work from home.

Here’s a few example of the task chairs that we recommend.

Starting with the sophisticated Cosm Chair from Herman Miller which instantly responds to your back, movement and posture to provide natural balance and total support.

No matter how long you’ll be in or what you’ll be doing, Cosm gives you instant comfort, anywhere you work.

A good office chair works wonders for proper back support. If working from a laptop, it’s always good to raise your working surface so it’s at eye level – rather than leaning over. You can easily do this by putting it on top of some books or using a laptop tray. - Hannah McVittie - Interior Designer

If you are looking for a more inclusive chair, the iconic Aeron was precisely designed to welcome a wide range of body types.

Sayl and Mirra are yet another home office light designs that are incredibly responsive to your movements. Remember, these should be seen as investments and are something that truly enhance your working day at home.

3. Inject Some Visual Interest

Whether you have a dedicated space or are working from the corner of your bedroom, inspiration is a must to get you in the right mindset for the day ahead.

A good accent wall in the right space can help you create a beautiful, dedicated workspace and can serve as a division between your working area and the rest of your home.

I created an office in my home whilst working from home because of the pandemic. I spent some money on some shelving behind my desk to create some visual interest when I’m on a Teams call with clients. I also think adding either real or fake greenery into an office adds a splash of colour and evokes a sense of wellbeing. - Lucy Spencer - Head Designer

We think being able to step out of your home workspace to feel relaxed, is just as important as stepping into it to feel productive.

Creating a designated working space separate from your ‘living space’ is important for mental health and clarity. Pick a spot with natural light and personalise it with magnetic boards and Bluetooth speakers to listen to your favourite tunes while you work (if that’s your thing). -Hannah McVittie - Interior Designer

The wall you choose to highlight should ideally be the space to which your eye is first drawn to when you enter the space.

Make it playful, personal, informative, whatever you want.

Just make it interesting…

4. Mix Up the Colours

While your home office setup might have been entirely functional in the past, injecting a new colour in the new year will make a big difference if you continue to work from home this year.

So freshen up your space a bit!

Swapping the colour of a wall or of a furniture piece is a small and inexpensive change but it can make a big impact. There’s nothing wrong with being playful in your home workspace and a smile goes a long way, so don’t deny yourself these simple pleasures.

Take into consideration colour psychology and choose a colour that will help you focus - such as blues, oranges or greens. Nothing too ‘in your face’ or bold of course…

For instance, green is a good colour for keeping long-term concentration and clarity, making it a good choice for a home office – as opposed to red, which is seen as stimulating and exciting.

5. Welcome Greenery / Biophilic Design

As adding green to your space is known to improve productivity and reduce stress, plants are another great way to refresh your home office and keep creativity flowing.

Plants have a restorative effect on the brain and can boost concentration levels and attention capabilities.

So why not play with your desk décor and add some colour and cheerfulness with some fresh seasonal bunches ?

Next Steps

Whether you simply need a new desk or task chair to reinvigorate your space or are ready to make some physical design changes to your workspace, talk to us – we know what we’re doing !