How to Create the Dream Home Office

With more of us working from home, creating the perfect environment has never felt more important. As a new business growing out of lockdown, ufurnish.com are an innovative, market leading search engine, reinventing the way furniture and furnishings are searched, discovered, compared and shopped online. New research reveals how the UK have adjusted to life post lockdown, with 18% of those surveyed claiming they would now like a dedicated home office.

Deirdre McGettrick is the Founder of ufurnish.com. With a wealth of interior knowledge, Deirdre also co-hosts her own podcast, The DNA of Home Interiors, empowering people to make confident interior design decisions for their home and demystifying the interior design process. Having discussed ‘how to create the right working environment at home’ in a recent podcast episode, we asked Deirdre to share some practical advice and inspiring ideas to help you create the working environment you’ve always dreamed of.

1 GIVE IT SOME SPACE
Not everyone has enough room to dedicate to a home office so Deirdre suggests utilising any spare space smartly. ‘Ideally, your desk needs to be both practical and stylish. Multifunctional desks are perfectly equipped to offer many functions in one product including desk space, shelving and storage. This Lomond corner desk has room for storage boxes for your work files and plenty of shelving for whatever items you wish to add for that personal touch. I love how stylish this desk is, the wood and brass combination makes it perfect for deep red, blue and green accessories.’

Lomond Adjustable Corner Desk, Mango Wood & Brass, by Made, available on ufurnish.com

2 DIVIDE AND CONQUER
Not everyone will have enough space to dedicate to a working environment but using room dividers are the perfect solution to create a separate working space. ‘Essentially, the idea of a room divider is that it provides some form of privacy. They are ideal for transforming small spaces, dividing larger ones and they are perfect for concealing clutter’ adds Deirdre. This shabby chic room divider also comes with built in shelving, enabling you to store and obscure those office essentials you do not want on show. Remember, your office needs to be an inspiring area and room dividers will be an integral part of this. I love how quaint this design is, it would be perfect amongst a multitude of interior styles.’

4 Panel Grey Shabby Chic Room Divider, by Hartleys Direct, available on ufurnish.com

3 LET THERE BE LIGHT
Working from home, we want to be energised with our space and lighting plays a key part in this. ‘Try and keep your desk close to a window so you get the happiness benefits of natural light’ advises Deirdre. ‘If this isn’t possible, a desk lamp can fulfil this purpose, and help with tying a design look together. This Moby task lamp has satin nickel finished metalwork and a grey braided cable features, ideal for adding a modern aesthetic to your office space. The adjustable head and arm that can be altered at the base and middle, allowing you to adapt the angle of the lamp and direct the light.‘

Moby Table Lamp, by Cotswold Company, available on ufurnish.com

4 TAKE A SEAT
Although you’re now working from the comfort of your home, you still need to think about the ergonomics of your furniture, for elements such as your posture and eyesight. Deirdre suggests investing in a chair that helps maintain your posture throughout the day. ‘It is not just about having somewhere to sit, an office chair is essential for comfort and support. It will need to be adjustable to ensure your computer screen is at eye level and your keyboard parallel to your forearms. The Trend Adjustable Desk Chair is the perfect solution for your working area with accessible wheels to easily move around and stretch your legs as well as a 5-point base, essential for stability and good posture. The vintage finish of this chair is beautiful and sure to compliment the wooden tones of any desk.’

Trend Adjustable Desk Chair, by Woods Furniture, available on ufurnish.com

5 STORAGE, STORAGE, STORAGE
Although home is the new office, it is essential to keep the work/life balance and clearing away at the end of the day keeps those boundaries in place. ‘There are so many storage options available, it is about finding the one that suits you best’ recommends Deirdre. ‘If you like to be able to see everything in front of you but still retain an organised work space, a glass fronted storage cabinet is the perfect solution. It makes a gorgeous display case with the drawers perfect for anything you don’t want on display such as storing your stationery collection.’