Remote working: How to create the perfect work space at home?
In recent times, with the impact of COVID, remote work has taken on a significant role in our daily lives. More and more people are now working from home, whether part-time or full-time. It has therefore become essential to create a home workspace where we feel comfortable in order to remain as productive as possible.
Designing a Workspace That Reflects You
When working from home becomes a necessity, one of the main challenges is successfully separating personal life from professional life. This is why, wherever you choose to set up your desk, the space should be exclusively dedicated to work. Otherwise, distractions from your surroundings may quickly affect your focus and reduce your efficiency.
Source : Dwell
The environment in which your desk is placed is therefore a key factor. The space should be as pleasant as possible, and since natural light has a positive impact on our mood, it’s wise to position your workspace in a bright area. Ideally, the desk should be placed near a window.
In an ideal setup, the desk would face the window. Working while facing a wall can limit creativity, whereas an open view helps stimulate inspiration. A view of nature, in particular, has calming properties. On the other hand, placing your desk with your back to the window can cause unwanted glare when working on a computer.
There are also other ways to improve concentration in a space that isn’t naturally designed for work. First, it’s important to avoid visual distractions. Closed storage solutions are therefore recommended to keep files and materials out of sight.
Opting for custom-made furniture can be a smart solution, as it allows the workspace to be perfectly tailored to your organizational needs — whether that includes housing a printer or even a small materials library (no doubt, we’re architects 😊).
Colors also play an important role in enhancing concentration and productivity. Blue, for example, encourages calm and focus. Warm tones help boost energy and dynamism, while pastel shades stimulate creativity. Color choices should not be overlooked, but rather adapted to your activity, personal needs, and the atmosphere you wish to create.
How to Integrate a Home Office into a Living Space?
Credit : Cdeco
It’s possible that the best place for your workspace is within your living area. However, one of the basic principles of remote work is to separate personal life from professional life, which can feel challenging when working in the same space where you relax or entertain guests.
For this reason, it’s best to avoid working at the kitchen island or the living room coffee table, so that — from a psychological perspective — these two aspects of life don’t interfere with one another. If there truly is no alternative, it’s important to conceal or minimize all work-related elements once the workday is over, allowing you to fully reconnect with your private life.
One effective solution, if space allows, is to partition a dedicated work area using elements such as glass partitions or internal windows. This approach helps reduce external distractions without completely closing off the space — creating a sense of being in your own bubble.
Another option is to define the area with a slatted screen or adjustable louvers. The room is then visually divided into two distinct zones: one for private life and one reserved for work.
Source : Marie Claire
Another way to clearly define a workspace is by using wallpaper or a different paint color on the surface dedicated to the desk area. This helps visually distinguish the workspace from the rest of the room, creating a clear boundary without physically enclosing the space.
Since interior design has a direct impact on our mood, this approach can also enhance creativity or well-being at work, depending on the colors and patterns chosen. After all, it’s always more pleasant to work in a space that truly reflects our personal taste, rather than in a sterile, all-white office that lacks character and soul.
How to integrate your office in the bedroom?
Source : Hirashima
Sometimes, the only place available to set up a workspace is the bedroom — for example when living in shared accommodation or when it’s necessary to isolate yourself from noise coming from common living areas. However, from a Feng Shui perspective, the bedroom is not considered a space for productivity, but rather a place for rest.
This is why it’s essential to clearly separate the sleeping area from the working area. The bedroom should never turn into an office. Work should be introduced subtly, blending the desk into the overall décor so it remains as discreet as possible — by playing with colors, materials, or finishes, for example.
Source : The Local Project
To fall asleep more easily and maintain a restful atmosphere in the bedroom, it’s recommended that the desk not be visible from the bed. One clever solution is to opt for custom-made furniture that combines a headboard and a desk, with the workspace positioned behind the bed.
Custom design can go even further by creating a single piece of furniture that integrates a wardrobe, desk, and storage. The goal is to optimize space and, if possible, hide the desk inside the wardrobe once the workday ends—helping preserve a calm, sleep-friendly environment.
Before deciding to install a desk in the bedroom, it’s important to explore every corner of your home that could potentially accommodate a workspace. Entryways, stair landings, or underutilized corners are often better suited for a desk than the bedroom, which should remain a last resort. This is where bespoke furniture truly shines, transforming seemingly unusable spaces into functional and efficient work areas.
Conclusion
When your workspace and living space merge, the most important thing is to create an environment that reflects who you are—one where you feel both comfortable and productive. Through thoughtful placement, smart layout, and careful choices of color and materials, everyone can design a workspace that suits their needs.
And if space is limited or it’s hard to envision the right solution, professional architects or interior designers can guide you—whether by helping you choose the best layout or by designing fully custom-made furniture tailored to your needs and available space.
