A guide on how to kit out your home office

When it comes to kitting out your home office, there can be a lot to think about. If you’re unsure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. In our guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about perfecting this area of your home to ensure it’s a pleasant, comfortable place for you to work from.

Measure your space

Firstly, you’re going to need to measure your space. This will help you establish exactly how much room you have, and in turn you can plan out your office design. Doing this will also make sure that you purchase furniture and accessories that are the right fit. Ensure you use a tape measure for accuracy when taking down the dimensions of your room, and if possible get someone to help you. It'll make the task much quicker and easier.

Set your budget

The truth is, office furniture prices can vary massively, and ultimately it’s up to you how much you decide to spend when you’re kitting out this part of your home. So, before you start shopping, you might find it useful to set yourself a budget to stick to. If you’re keen to create the perfect office but you want to curb your spending at the same time, we can help. At Furniture At Work, you’ll find a whole host of stylish, high quality yet affordable home office furniture pieces.

Choose the right chair

It could be argued that your office chair is the most important part of your work setup. Going for the wrong type of seat could wreak havoc on your health and seriously hinder your productivity levels. So, with this in mind, it’s crucial that you spend time choosing the right seat for you. To help you make the right decision, it pays to keep the following information in mind.

Style

When it comes to selecting the right chair for your home office, you’ll find that there are a wide variety of different styles to pick from. Below, we take a look at three of the most popular office chair designs to help you decide which one you should go for.

Operator

Often thought to be the ‘typical’ seating solution, operator style chairs can be found in many office environments. They normally have a spacious seat and padded back section for improved comfort, and they are typically upholstered in thick, soft fabric. Operator office chairs can include features such as seat height adjustability, back tilt and swivel seat functionality.

Executive

Executive chairs are generally larger than operator style seats, offering a more spacious seat and back section, as well as extra padding. These models are usually covered in a luxurious fabric such as leather and they tend to have inbuilt adjustable armrests for additional support.

Mesh

Mesh office chairs have been designed to offer greater airflow, keeping you cool throughout the day. The stylish mesh back section means you can sit comfortably too, and these chairs are available in a plethora of bright hues, which is perfect if you’re keen to add a splash of colour to your workspace.

Features

In order for your chair to be comfortable and supportive while you work, it’s important to make sure that it offer the right features. So that you know what to look out for, here are some of the most important.

Seat height adjustability

To ensure that you’re comfortable while you work, it’s important that you’re able to alter your seat in terms of height. If not, you could find that you end up straining yourself, which over time can lead to neck and shoulder pain. Ideally, you should be able to adjust your seat so that you can sit with both feet placed firmly on the floor and with your forearms and wrists resting on the desk. You should also ensure that your eyes are level with the top of your computer monitor.

Lumbar support

Referring to the shape and curvature of the back section of your chair, lumbar support encourages a comfortable and natural sitting position, providing support to the lower and middle areas of your back. If your chair doesn’t have this feature, you could find that you feel sore and achy.

Back tilt mechanism

Having a chair with a back tilt mechanism is essential if you want to be able to move around easily within your seat. This feature will enable you to reposition yourself periodically. It means you can adjust the angle of the back of the chair, giving you the choice to sit upright or at a slant.

Armrests

While they may not be absolutely necessary, armrests can be an extremely useful feature. They can provide extra support for your body, helping to reduce pressure on your lower back and easing neck and shoulder tension too. Ideally, the armrests on your chair should be padded, contoured and adjustable so you can alter them to a height that suits you.  

Pick a suitable desk

Once you’ve sussed out the style of chair you want, you’ll need an office desk to accompany it. Ideally, the surface you go for should be big enough to accommodate all of your equipment, but with so many different shapes, styles and sizes to choose from, selecting this piece of furniture can be tricky. For help deciding which type of desk you should go for, keep reading.

Shape

There are a plethora of different desk shapes to choose from - but which design is the right one for you? To make sure you pick the perfect style for your home office, you might want to consider one of the following...

Rectangular

Rectangular shaped desks are a firm favourite in the typical office environment. With their clean, straight lines, these surfaces offer a simple, traditional look and feel. You can usually purchase rectangular desks with a range of different frame styles, including cantilever legs and models with H-leg designs.

Corner

Designed to fit neatly into corner areas, these desks enable you to make the most of the space in your office, meaning they are especially useful if you’re lacking in square footage. Corner desks are available in either straight-edged or curved designs.

Wave

Offering a stylish, contemporary feel, a wave desk could be ideal if you’re keen to achieve a modern vibe in your home office space. These surfaces are available in single wave, where one side is wider than the other, and double wave designs. Normally, you can also specify if you’d prefer a left or right hand return.

Features

Once you’ve established the shape of desk you need, you should think about the features you’d like your chosen surface to have. To help steer you in the right direction, here are three things you might want.

Height adjustability

There are a number of health risks associated with sitting down for long periods of time, so if you’d like the choice of sitting or standing while you work, a desk that can be adjusted in terms of height might be ideal.

Cable management

After you’ve set up your computer tower, monitor, printer and other equipment, you might find that you’re left with a lot of unruly cables. If they’re not tidied away properly, these wires can make your space look messy and unkempt, and they could even pose a potential health hazard if they get in your way. So, to keep your workstation neat at all times, you could go for a desk with an inbuilt cable management system featuring access ports and concealed wire organisation sections.

Floor levelling feet

If your flooring isn’t perfectly level, you may find that your desk wobbles. So, to avoid this annoyance, you may want to go for a design with floor levelling feet. This features means you can adjust the desk’s feet to create a steady, flat surface to work from.

Select your storage carefully

There’s no doubt you’ll want to maintain a neat, tidy home office, so selecting the right office storage is important. To get you started, you might want to consider one of the following options:

Filing cabinet

If you want to keep your paperwork neat, tidy and within easy reach, a filing cabinet could be ideal. Generally speaking, these units have drawer sections that you can pull outwards. Filers are available in a variety of different shapes, sizes and styles, from tall, slimline designs, to wide lateral models, to cabinets with multiple drawer compartments, so you shouldn’t struggle to find a unit that fits your space.

Cupboard

For a more traditional approach, you could go for a cupboard. These units are available in a selection of designs, including metal models and wooden units. You can also take your pick from cupboards with single or double doors, as well as designs with tambour style openings that slide to the side.

Bookcase

If you’re keen to give your office a little personality, an open bookcase might be the best fit for you. Aside from allowing you to keep your office must haves organised and within easy reach, these solutions give you the opportunity to strategically display your favourite bits and bobs, helping to add to the look and feel of your overall office decor. For more inspiration on kitting out your home office, why not browse our website today? If you have any questions about our products, you can contact our team of experts by phone on 0844 415 9700 or by filling out our online form.