Interiors expert, Laura Maher Hora, shares her top tips for sorting out your home office on a budget, if you haven't already.
It’s February already and most of us are still working remotely as a result of Covid. You have probably found yourself having to adapt a part of your home into an office space. Whether your new situation is temporary or permanent, here are some tips for creating a home office that can be easily achieved on a budget.
Desk
If you don’t have the luxury of a spare room or home office, you’ll need to make the most of the space and furniture you have available and a dining table can easily turn into your new desk. Make sure you allow plenty of space for your laptop or computer, notes and all your other work needs. If there are a number of you at home and working from the dining table is not an option, then consider investing in a snap-together desk from flyingelephant.ie (prices start from €149).
Seating
Given that much of your work will be done from a seated position, having the right office chair is an important factor here. A comfortable chair will make you more productive and less prone to back problems. Purchasing a chair is probably the biggest investment for a home office. If you’re going to be spending a large part of your working day sitting, then your chair needs to be fit for purpose. Kian furniture have a large selection of stylish and functional office chairs with prices starting from €98.
Styling Accessories
Now that we have our desk and seating arrangement sorted, it’s time to think about creating an ambience conducive to work. Pinterest is full of great styling ideas when it comes to the home office and things like motivational prints, candles and maybe even a nice floor rug will enhance the space and make it feel more inviting. I love to see flowers – fresh or faux – in an office and they are good for our mental health too. There are lots of great options for plants and floral arrangements available on theirishcountryhome.com with prices starting from €30.
Lighting
While styling your office is nice, good lighting is vital to the workspace. The easiest way to add task lighting to your desk is with a table lamp and there is a huge amount of really great options out there. I love hickenlighting.ie for their vast range of table lamps that are both functional and stylish.
I hope that some of the ideas here have given you some food for thought and that they will be useful if setting up a remote workspace is something you are now faced with for the medium or long term. If you have any interior styling questions, email me at hello@theirishcountryhome.com.
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