8 tips for creating your perfect home office

Remote workers. Solopreneurs. Freelancers. Home-based working has exploded in popularity, with 40% of UK professionals now based at home for at least part of their week.

And although the dining table can make a decent makeshift workstation, a proper home office is essential for long-term home working.

In this blog post, we’ve put together essential tips for creating the perfect home office.

Your setup should match your work style

To the uninitiated, working from home might seem one-size-fits-all. But the truth is that a professional’s home office is as unique as the work they do.

A solicitor’s setup looks worlds apart from a graphic designer’s, for example. While one needs secure storage for confidential files, the other may require space for drawing tablets and large monitors.

Before you start shopping for furniture or rearranging rooms, think carefully about your daily work needs. It can be tempting to recreate those stylish home office ideas you see online, but your space needs to serve your specific professional requirements first.

To help you envision your setup, think about what tools you reach for most often. Which tasks consume the bulk of your day? Map out your typical workday – from morning meetings to afternoon deep work sessions.

Choose the right location

Once you have a picture of the type of setup you need, you can choose a location in your home.

Get enough space

For the most part, your setup will determine how much space you need for your home office.

There’s another interesting thing to consider, though. In psychology, there’s something called the Cathedral Effect. It basically says that spacious places, especially those with high ceilings, encourage abstract and creative thinking. On the other hand, smaller workspaces encourage analytical thinking.

The Cathedral Effect is worth considering when you choose a room for your home office. If you’re in a creative job, a bigger office may benefit you. And if your job requires deep thinking and concentration, consider making your office more contained.

In any case, we recommend you leave at least 2 metres by 2 metres for a comfortable setup.

Divide work from home

Separating work from leisure can be one of the challenges of working from home.

To combat this, you can give your brain clear signals about when you’re ‘at work’ versus ‘at home’. For example, you can:

Create your office in its own dedicated room.
If you can’t stage it in a separate room, make a visual divide for your home office using a screen, bookshelf, or plants.
Create separate personal and professional accounts on your devices.
Take breaks outside your office. Go for a walk, or at least spend downtime in other rooms.

That said, research suggests this division may matter more for some people than others. Sociologist Christena Nippert-Eng posits that there are two personality types with regard to work – segmentors and integrators.

Integrators typically bring their work home with them and will naturally do work in their downtime. In contrast, segmentors naturally set clear boundaries between work and home.

Think about whether you’re an integrator or a segmentor when you’re choosing a spot for your home office. If you’re a segmentor, it’ll be more important for you to have a dedicated workspace.

Get natural light

Natural light should be your top priority when mapping out your home office. Windows aren’t just nice to have, they’re essential for your wellbeing.

Natural light helps regulate your body clock, boosts mood and reduces eye strain. What’s more, according to research done by Northwestern Medicine and the University of Illinois, employees who are exposed to natural light sleep better than those who are not.

If possible, position your desk near (but not directly in front of) a window.

Your office chair is the most important piece

Your chair is the most crucial investment you’ll make. You’ll likely be sitting for several hours a day, and for that, any old chair won’t do. An ergonomic chair might cost between £300-£1,000, but you’ll be shocked by the difference it can make.

Most chairs are one-size-fits-all, but not ergonomic chairs. Their key feature is adjustability. You can control the seat depth and height, backrest tilt, arm position and more depending on the chair.

Their best feature is lumbar support. Engineered to fit the curve of your spine, ergonomic chairs keep your back in natural alignment.

The benefits of this can’t be understated. Ergonomic chairs are proven to improve posture and reduce the risk of strains and injuries. They also look stylish in your office, which is a nice bonus.

Popular trusted brands include Herman Miller, HAG, and Humanscale. While these are expensive, many offer 12-15 year warranties, making them a sound investment.

Desks can affect your health

Although ergonomic chairs are irreplaceable, you don’t have to be chained to your seat while you work.

Standing desks are revolutionizing office work across the world – and for good reason. Beyond breaking the monotony of sitting, they’re proven to reduce back pain.

And many health-conscious people are going a step further with treadmill desks. They’ve become a social media trend recently, but it looks like they’re here to stay. Walking pads and treadmill desks allow workers to stay active while at work and may increase mental focus.

If you want to take your home office to the next level, a height-adjustable desk or walking pad is the way to go.

Generally speaking, your desk space needs depend on your work style. For a basic setup, ensure your desk is at least 60cm deep and 120cm wide for a laptop setup. If you use multiple monitors, a 150cm+ wide desk is recommended.

Organise your cables

Our most underrated tip for creating a home office space is to organise your cables.

A tidy desk helps create a tidy mind. Fortunately, modern cable management solutions don’t need to be expensive. A basic under-desk cable tray costs between £15-30, while cable clips and ties are just £5-10.

Consider investing in cable sleeves for bundling wires together, and desk grommets for feeding cables through the desk. Most importantly, get a power strip with surge protection to safeguard your equipment.

Upgrade your broadband

A stable internet connection is your lifeline when working from home. For basic office work, aim for a minimum of 50 Mbps.

If you regularly participate in video calls, you’ll want at least 100 Mbps. And for those dealing with large file transfers, consider 200+ Mbps or higher.

To ensure reliability, use a wired connection where possible. If you rely on WiFi, install a mesh system for better coverage. For critical work, it’s worth having a backup 4G/5G router ready to go.

Follow ergonomic workspace principles

If you want to feel comfortable and focused when you work, following ergonomic principles can make a big difference. Here are a few ergonomic tips that can help you work better and reduce the risk of injury.

Position your monitor at eye level, keep it at arm’s length, and ensure it’s directly in front of you, not at an angle.
For your keyboard and mouse, keep your elbows at 90 degrees with your wrists straight and supported. Keep your mouse close to your keyboard, and consider a split keyboard for better shoulder positioning.
You’ll want a task light for detailed work, bias lighting behind your monitor to reduce eye strain, and adjustable brightness for different times of the day.
Don’t forget about wellness features – add some air-purifying plants like spider plants or peace lilies, use a standing desk mat when you’re upright, and consider a footrest for seated work.
Incorporate stretching breaks into your schedule.
Background music can have powerful productivity benefits. If your job allows it, consider playing binaural beats on headphones to enter a flow state at work. The sound of nature may enhance focus.

Avoid white walls

You may have noticed that white tends to be the go-to colour for offices. But you’re not alone if you think white work environments feel sterile and boring,

In fact, this is exactly what Professor Nancy Kwallek of the University of Texas found while studying the impact of colour on workers. White, it turns out, is the worst colour for office environments.

So if you’re creating the perfect home office, what colour should your walls be?

Research from the University of British Columbia suggests blue is the best colour for productivity and creative thinking. What’s more, evidence suggests some shades of green can be calming. Yellow and orange are also known to boost creativity.

Depending on where you live, repainting might not be possible. Decorations could be a good substitute. But ideally, look to avoid working in a room with white walls.

Home office design made easy

Creating a great office is an investment in your productivity and health. You’ll likely spend 40+ hours a week in this space, so it’s worth getting right.

But don’t feel pressured to create the perfect setup immediately or without any help.

At Millar West, we design and furnish offices of all sizes. Our friendly team can help you identify the furniture you need and supply and install it for you. Wherever you live in the UK, browse our product offerings and contact us today to get advice on your home office.