Top Five Mistakes to Avoid in Home Office Decor

In the last few years, homes everywhere have evolved to accommodate nifty workstations and efficient home offices. But working from home – where your personal life is just a head-turn away –  has its own unique set of challenges, including how to design your home office for maximum productivity. To help you work from home efficiently and thrive in style, this blog brings you the top five mistakes to avoid in your home office decor. Let’s dig in! 

Separate for Sanity: Draw A Line Between Home & Office

When home meets office, the boundaries between the two start to blur, and getting down to business or winding down after a long day can both become a challenge. It’s often because many make the mistake of placing their office in the same room where the TV plays their favorite show, or choosing makeshift offices near busy areas like the kitchen. 

To maintain the sanctity of both your professional and personal life, establish clear physical boundaries between the two. If you’re blessed with a spare room that can function as your office, you’re golden. But if this isn’t the case, pick a quiet, low-traffic area that is relatively free from distractions. 

To further carve out and define your work area, employ room dividers like solid screens or glass walls. If you don’t want to make permanent structural changes, use foldable screens or room-dividing curtains that can be drawn apart to unify the space whenever needed.

READ MORE: ROOM DIVIDER CURTAINS: IDEAS & TIPS

To Shine in Success, Deploy Good Lighting

If you want your work to steal the spotlight, how can you ignore the importance of good lighting in your workspace? A badly-lit, dark office will not only have you struggling to stay awake after lunch, but may also affect your vision in the long term. 

An ideal lighting setup should strike a balance between ambient and focused lighting to help you stay alert and engaged at work. 

Start by choosing a well-lit area of the house and maximize natural light by keeping your windows/curtains open. To further enhance lighting, opt for good LEDs that mimic daylight. Make sure the light is softly diffused across the room, avoiding any harsh glares. Lastly, employ task lights that focus the light on your desk where you are getting most of your work done. 

If you have no option other than a dark corner of your home, use these simple hacks to brighten up a dark room/ home office.

To Avoid Workspace Woes, Invest in Ergonomic Furniture

Ergonomic furniture isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a lifestyle upgrade to ensure that your workspace doesn’t double up as a torture chamber for your back, neck and wrists. Yet, many of us decide to make do with less-than-optimal, available home furniture or – on the other end of the spectrum – choose form over function.

Truth is, neither the kitchen bar stool nor a designer dining chair can fulfill the requirements of an office chair. The right chair will feel as good as it looks with a deep seat and adjustable lumbar support. It’ll help you follow the 90:90 rule while sitting – 90 degrees at the knees and 90 degrees at the waist, which according to experts is the best sitting posture for long hours of work. 

And don’t forget the desk. Kitchen islands and dining tables are rarely eligible for heavy-duty office work. Invest in a desk with optimal height that suits your own height. It should allow you to work without having to slouch or stretch. Your mouse and keyboard should be at the same height as the elbows and forearms, so your shoulders can fall relaxed by your side. All this can only be ensured if your desk is ergonomically sound. 

Tidy Up to Level Up: Prioritize Storage & Decluttering

If you find yourself dedicating five minutes every day looking for your stapler, you likely are guilty of keeping a cluttered home office with zero storage space, while your productivity and sanity both take a serious hit.

The solution starts with committing to one dedicated – instead of ‘roaming’ – workspace which is regularly cleaned, decluttered, and organized. Empty and allocate a drawer (or closet if you need) only for your work-related stuff so your desk stays tidy. Invest in a sturdy desk organizer for stationery items. Untangle the wild wires laid all over your space with a well-considered cable management system. You can also get a small file drawer that is movable so you may keep it near your desk while working and then move it to a different location for storage once you’re done with work. 

Remember, a tidy office is key to a tidy mind. So ensure that your home office is equipped with dedicated storage and office organization tools to get you on track for maximum efficiency.

Reduce Noise, Amplify Productivity

Most home offices are within the vicinity of sounds of life. From honking street cars outside to arguing siblings inside, a lot stands between you and the quietude you need to end your workday. But worry not, we’re here with some sound advice (pun intended) to stop you from making the grave mistake of skipping sound insulation for your home office.

Start by choosing a quiet space for your office. It can be a loft, a sparsely used guest bedroom, or your basement. Next, layer up on soft furnishings because these tend to absorb sound waves, instead of bouncing them off,  thereby reducing noise considerably. 

If you are using single-layered window treatments, choose tight-knit fabrics instead of loosely woven ones. If you are layering your window treatments, sheers with opaque/ blackout curtains are a popular choice. You can close the blackout curtains during the noisiest hours of the day and draw them aside on early mornings or late afternoons to let soft diffused light flood in through the sheer roman shades/ curtains. You can also consider floor-to-ceiling curtains to create an accent wall in your office that adds an eye-catching dimension to your space and also significantly adds to the sound insulation of your home office. 

Place a thick rug on the floor, or jump in on the hanging rug trend. If you happen to have a knack for curating and displaying art, you can add another decorative yet functional layer with canvas paintings to muffle noise. You can also design and print your logo to add a professional feel to the home office. Bring in a few cozy throws and cushions to further enhance sound insulation and make sure to wash and clean the decorative pillows periodically so they look clean and fresh. If you want to completely drown out background noises, invest in a white noise machine for office spaces to help you concentrate. 

READ MORE: MASTERING THE ART OF LAYERING: ENHANCING DEPTH AND TEXTURE IN YOUR HOME 

Inspiration Corner for Home Office Window Treatments

Soft furnishings – especially window treatments – play a key role in making home offices visually pleasing as well as functionally optimal. To help you get started on your shopping spree for the perfect dressings for your home office, let us introduce you to a few of our favorite picks: 

Spotlight On: MARIANNA ARIA

Featuring a big-block plaid pattern of pale beige and mocha brown on a crisp linen white – hues that lend a contemporary twist to the otherwise traditional pattern, this roman shade is sure to add a serene sophistication to your home office.

Spotlight On: KRIMSON LAKE

Add sanctuary style to your office with this alluring fabric. Krimson Lake is printed on a texturally rich, herringbone weave base and features a soothing color palette in navy blue and soft shades of brown. Its repeating stripes enliven its look to balance with its calming tones.

Spotlight On: SILVER SPREE

Muted blues and leaf ribs all over – a still from a nostalgic cloudy evening sidewalk! This understated beauty that taps the coolness of bluish-gray in foggy shapes offers a contrast of forms with the neatly outlined leaf motif layered on top. With a vast capacity to mingle with varied decor styles, curtains in this lovely fabric are a timeless addition to your home office.

Spotlight On: FURLING FOSSIL

Introduce a power note in your office with this gray blackout fabric. Very lightly textured to show a faint check weave, it looks unfussy, sophisticated, and subtle. It cuts down on irritating external noises. Pair this curtain with one of our sheers for a perfect blend of looks and light control. 

Spotlight On: POSTA

Posta stands out with its ‘traditional pattern meets modern treatment’ look. The base off-white fabric with pale beige detailing gives a texturally rich woven feel. The oversized botanical motif with buds, tendrils, and decorative elements is reminiscent of French palaces and Moroccan mansions. Its slightly smudged look and diagonal placement add an interesting dimension to it. Very sober yet very stylish.

Calling It a Day

While you meticulously tick through the above list, don’t forget to add your own personal touch to the decor. Small but meaningful knick-knacks, bits curated during travels, and other prized possessions can all contribute towards making your workspace feel more ‘you’. Use your soft furnishings and window treatments from Spiffy Spools to bring in your favorite color and enliven the space with a splash of patterns. On that note, happy shopping and happier decorating!

READ MORE: STUDY ROOM TIPS TO BOOST PRODUCTIVITY