Few of us have the opportunity to decorate our own office, but imagine if you could! Would it be more comfortable? Toned down? Or even a bit brighter? We'd be willing to wager that decorating your office to your tastes would probably lead to a more productive work day.
That was certainly the case with Karen, our Jane-in-training (watch the VIDEO). Her home office went from an unorganized mess to a sophisticated and efficient work space in just a matter of days. In addition to the home improvement projects that we knocked out, the decor was a big part of Karen's home office makeover.
For instance, Karen needed a ton of storage space for all of her papers and files. The answer was not just one, but three filing cabinets. Long gone are the days when filing cabinets were staid stacked boxes of indestructible steel--these new wooden units were sleek and modern. With storage solutions having come such a long way, it was almost impossible to tell the pieces were filing cabinets at all.
While desk chairs are ideal for working at the computer, a little alternate seating adds the ability to change scenes (and host potential clients). Since Karen and her husband share the home office, we introduced two matching chairs to the room as well as a couple of side tables. This way, the two of them had more than enough seating and desk space for computers, phones and their other office essentials.
Bringing a little bit of home into the office is a must, even if your office happens to be at home. To show off her family, we brought in an electronic picture frame allowing for the display of multiple snapshots. The floating shelves Karen installed also afforded a little extra room for fun stuff, such as vases, art and books.
Karen tackled her problem of insufficient lighting when she replaced her dim, yellow lights with crisp halogen lighting. Still, sometimes there just can't be enough light! Three lamps were added to the space for task lighting for those late nights at the office.
While Karen's office is now ready to work for her, there are still endless possibilities she can explore such as wall color, area rugs, wall art and more -- whatever may suit her fancy. If you are one of the lucky ones who can design and decorate your own office, do it! If you are like most of the workforce, try to add a little something. A small plant or your children's art may be all you need to bring a little piece of your personality to work. Even small pieces like these have the ability to uplift and inspire, and there is always room for more of that in just about any workplace!
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