Today, we are seeing more and more households where members of the family are choosing to ditch their dull, gray office cubicles and work remotely from home.

You just might happen to be one of those family members who has chosen that path to work from home, but your home office isn’t quite what you had hoped it would be. Perhaps, your current office isn’t providing the tools you need to stay productive or maybe you don’t even have a designated office in your home yet. 

Never fear, no matter who you are or what your occupation is, you CAN have a beautiful functional office that inspires and keeps you motivated. 

Here are four key tips for creating a home office space that will inspire and keep you motivated. 

 

Woman working from home in a beautiful home office

Location, Location, Location

Find your space. Choosing your home office location is key. You want to find an area in your home that is going to accommodate all your occupational needs such as space for a personal computer, printer, file storage, office supplies and other tools that you may need close at hand for your daily tasks.

While your spare/guest room seems to be the most logical choice for a home office, be inventive and consider other alternative spaces in and around your home, such as: attic, finished basement, stair landing or under the stairs, closets, quirky nooks, corners, or unused space you never realized that you had.

Find your space. Choosing your home office location is key. You want to find an area in your home that is going to accommodate all your occupational needs such as space for a personal computer, printer, file storage, office supplies and other tools that you may need close at hand for your daily tasks.

While your spare/guest room seems to be the most logical choice for a home office, be inventive and consider other alternative spaces in and around your home, such as: attic, finished basement, stair landing or under the stairs, closets, quirky nooks, corners, or unused space you never realized that you had.

A stylish home office designed by Mingle, featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry. Door style: Arcadia Panel in custom rubbed-thru finish.

A stylish home office designed by Studio M Kitchen & Bath, featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry. Door style: Arcadia Panel in custom rubbed-thru finish.

Photo by Leslie Goodwin Photography featuring an under the stairs office desk built-in.

Photo by Leslie Goodwin Photography

Photo by KKongDesigns

Photo by KKongDesigns

Photo by Applegate Tran Interiors

Photo by Applegate Tran Interiors

Photo showcasing a desk nook attached to a kitchen design, featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry in door style Lancaster with Antique White/Espresso Glaze.

Photo showcasing a desk nook attached to a kitchen design, featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry in door style Lancaster with paint and glaze finish.

The Ideal Home Office Desk

Once you have your space defined for your new home office, next you’ll want to focus on the main focal point of your office –  the desk! Do you prefer a floating desk or a built-in?

Floating desks, like seen here in this photo can take a minimalist approach and create a nice airy and spacious look to an office. Therefore, if you do not need much office storage than perhaps a floating desk is the best option for you.

An example of a floating desk featured in a home office.

Built-in desks on the other hand, can often provide ample work surface area and storage depending on your needs and how you design and customize your office space. Below are several photos showcasing beautiful examples of built-in desks.

A beautiful built-in home office and library designed by Lindsey Markel of Dillman & Upton featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry in a Heritage Paint finish.

A lovely built-in desk designed by Megan Courtney of Cabinet Style, LLC featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry.

A lovely built-in desk designed by Megan Courtney of Cabinet Style, LLC featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry.

A lovely built-in home office resides in front of a window with a gorgeous view of the outdoors. The home office is designed by Hollie M. Ruocco, CMKBD of Creative Kitchen Designs, Inc featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry in the Chelsea door with Hickory Butternut finish.

A lovely built-in home office resides in front of a window with a gorgeous view of the outdoors. This home office was designed by Hollie M. Ruocco, CMKBD of Creative Kitchen Designs, Inc . Alaska featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry in the Chelsea door style with Hickory “Butternut” stained finish.

Dura Supreme Cabinetry design by Main Street Kitchens at Botellos, Mashpee, MA 

Organize – Storage

After you have decided on what style of desk you want, that’s when the fun begins. Now you can start planning and including all your organization and storage needs that you will want for your home office. First and foremost, you will definitely want a moderate amount of file storage, but have you considered including any other customized storage into your desk? Consider adding a hidden wastebasket as opposed to placing a trash bin under your sitting area. Tech drawers are also a great essential for home offices to help recharge all your electronic devices while you are working. Toe kick drawers are another great idea that provides some extra storage but is also hidden and tucked out of the way. 

Pictured top left: Tech drawer; top right: base recycle center (Design by Drexel Building Supply); middle: toe kick drawer; bottom righ and left: desk file drawers.

Pictured top left: Tech drawer; top right: base recycle center (Design by Drexel Building Supply); middle: toe kick drawer; bottom right and left: desk file drawers.

Personalize

Last, but certainly not least, a personalized workspace aids in productivity and creativity. Decorate and personalize your home office in a way that inspires you. Fun personal accessories are a great way to make your office uniquely your own space. Incorporate your work-related certifications, include a few photos of friends, family and pets, add a brightly colored stapler and paper clips in unique shapes. Also, don’t forget to add in small plants and succulents or maybe even a little cactus named Howard. Overall, just have fun making your new home office yours. :o)

Still need help designing your home office? With Dura Supreme Cabinetry the design options are endless for your home office space. Contact your local authorized Dura Supreme Showroom today to see what they can create for you.

Danielle Bohn Kitchen & Bath designer and guest blog author for Dura Supreme Cabinetry at Studio M Kitchen & Bath in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Danielle Bohn, CMKBD is a Kitchen & Bath Designer from Studio M Kitchen & Bath, MN who specializing in Dura Supreme Cabinetry and a Certified Master Kitchen & Bathroom Designer (CMKBD) with 10+ years of experience in the Kitchen & Bathroom industry and a degree in Interior Design. Her accolades include the distinction of being named 2016 Best of KBIS Judge, 2015 NKBA 30 Under 30 recipient and has had several of her designs published in Alaska’s Best Kitchen Magazine and a feature in Alaska Home Magazine. Her background with Dura Supreme allows her to share her design expertise and experience with the product lines and the wonderful design features Dura Supreme has to offer!

To learn more about Danielle and her design team at Studio M Kitchen & Bath, MN go to studiom-kb.com.

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