Pro Tips
The Ultimate Home Office Design
Create a functional home office with our expert tips with ex-blockheads and brand ambassadors, Kyal & Kara.
In recent times we have all realised the importance of a dedicated home office space with more time spent working from home and flexible working from home arrangements a new normal in many workplaces.
Having a dedicated working space allows you to focus, adjust mentally into the correct frame of mind for work, minimizes distractions, and helps create a work/life balance while working from home.
Unlike when working from your living room couch, dining table or bedroom, a dedicated office space allows for a better distinction between work and personal tasks and provides a better understanding of working hours.
While working from home can already feel isolating, when paired with an inadequate working environment, you have a dangerous recipe for burnout and the mental and physical strains that come with it.
If you’re still using the dining room or lounge as an office, it’s time to create your home office. Not only for your own wellbeing but doing so can add to your home’s value. Homebuyers in the market for new homes are turning to properties with established home offices. The increased demand for homes with offices has shown a home office can increase a property’s value by as much as 10%.
It’s all well and good adding a home office but without smart design, the investment will not pay off and the space will go unused. Here’s our guide to creating the ultimate home office for a happy, safe, and effective working environment.
Finding The Space
According to Beaumont Tiles ambassadors and former stars of The Block, Kyal and Kara Demmrich, creating a practical and stylish office space doesn’t have to involve a large-scale renovation.
“Many homes don’t have the luxury of enough space to physically define an ‘office space’ from the rest of the house, but there are a few things you can do to help ‘separate’ your space, regardless of your house size.”
Think about your home’s existing layout and seek out potential space that could be transformed into an office. Maybe you have a spare room that’s unused or an additional living space available. Where possible try to select a location that feels right with the rest of the house. Transforming an existing part of your home will be the most cost-effective solution.
If all of your home’s rooms are exhausted, consider an extension or conversion of a carport, garage or roof space.
If your home is graced with a large garden, consider an external office made possible with a pre-built structure. This option is great for achieving a distinction between ‘work’ and ‘home’ as it's disconnected from the house. This is also a great option for a home business with the added security element.
Flooring
Your home office flooring has to work as hard as you with regular traffic and chair legs and wheels running backwards and forwards constantly. Over time, carpet will be destroyed and timber flooring will be scratched. Even plastic protector mats can damage the carpet or timber flooring underneath.
The days of tiles being reserved only for kitchens and bathrooms are long gone, and now that you’re creating a new high traffic space, there's no better time to move to tiles.
“Tiles are so heavy duty and no matter how many times you roll the wheels of your office chair over them or spill your coffee, there won’t be a dent or a stain in sight like there would be with carpet,” says Kara.
“And plus, they’re actually even better in the colder months with the added bonus of under tile heating into your life,” says Kyal.
“Under tile heating is perfect because it radiates heat to all the objects in the room, including your feet, and warms the air by convection. That means you can finally get rid of that heater – meaning one less cord in your power board too!”
“We also love it because it’s super cost-efficient. It can save you and your family thousands of dollars in the long run, and costs about a quarter of the price of a heat lamp over a year.”
Beaumont Tiles’ timber look tiles are perfect and work exceptionally well with under tile heating. “We recommend tiles in the Artwood range such as the Beige Chevron, a long plank tile, or a square tile like the Beige Parquetry Textured to lighten and brighten the atmosphere of your home office.”
Given that the home office isn’t a huge space, choosing tiles can be a simple process and immediately creates a more functional space that can open up future possibilities. If you run a home business that involves meeting with clients in your home, a tiled floor is the most hygienic option whilst allowing you to design a curated space that’s unique to your brand and offering.
Lighting
Lighting is a significant consideration when designing your home office. Maximise natural lighting as much as possible with windows and doors and select floor tiles and wall paint colours that will work harmoniously to bounce the light around. Choose a desk positioning that will avoid window glare on computer screens and be sure not to block natural light with furniture and avoid a dark colour palette.
Furniture
The desk is the centrepiece of any home office, and rather than your run of the mill office desk, Kara recommends making it completely personalised and bespoke to you by tiling the desk top.
“We’ve been seeing this trend growing in our community, and we think it’s an amazing way of breathing life into what is typically a very serious environment.”
“If you’re looking to insert some sophistication into your office, slab tiles with finished edges, are a great way to create a marble look surface that is hard-wearing and easy to keep clean! The Grand Portobella Silk is my go-to choice; the veining is gorgeous and aligns with trend predictions."
“For something creative with a bit more character, try linear mosaics such as Beaumonts Fire Fingers range on your desktop or down the sides if your desk structure supports it. Our favourites are the Fire Fingers Peacock and Night Shadow colours. They can inject so much fun and excitement into sitting at your desk for long periods of time.”
With a tiled surface comes the hygienic benefits of tiles along with easy maintenance - a key consideration for home businesses.
