10 Ways to Detox Your Study for the Year Ahead
Recharge and refresh your working environment with these top 10 detox strategies
Lara Sargent
28 December 2014
Houzz UK contributor. Freelance interiors journalist with over 20 years' experience writing for national magazines, newspapers and websites.
Houzz UK contributor. Freelance interiors journalist with over 20 years' experience... More
Just as a New Year detox can help shake off the Christmas over-indulgence, so the same can be said for our interiors. If you work from home, January is the ideal month to rethink your office environment and make it as efficient, relaxed and aesthetically pleasing as possible. There’s nothing worse than rummaging around for that all-important document or falling over piles of paperwork the minute you open the door. Great storage, clutter-free surfaces and a pop of personality are all key tips to ensure 2015 is a super-successful and productive year. Good luck!
Buy a new chair
We’re all so intent on aiming our design radar towards the main living areas that it’s easy to forget a large part of the day is spent working in an office – even if it’s just up a flight of stairs.
Make sure your place of work is as aesthetically pleasing as the rest of your dwelling by splashing out on something as simple as a brand-new chair. With your surroundings looking peachy keen, your productivity levels are set to rocket.
We’re all so intent on aiming our design radar towards the main living areas that it’s easy to forget a large part of the day is spent working in an office – even if it’s just up a flight of stairs.
Make sure your place of work is as aesthetically pleasing as the rest of your dwelling by splashing out on something as simple as a brand-new chair. With your surroundings looking peachy keen, your productivity levels are set to rocket.
Colour-coordinate your stuff
Whatever size of office you work from, it’s easy to get organised with today’s line-up of smart boxes and files. For the truly organised among us, try a colour-coordinated approach to your paperwork and you’ll never end up hunting for that important invoice, ledger or document ever again.
Discover smart ways to keep your paperwork under control
Whatever size of office you work from, it’s easy to get organised with today’s line-up of smart boxes and files. For the truly organised among us, try a colour-coordinated approach to your paperwork and you’ll never end up hunting for that important invoice, ledger or document ever again.
Discover smart ways to keep your paperwork under control
Shut it away
If your office is part of your main living area, it’s not a bad idea to fit folding or sliding doors to hide away your desk, computer and other paraphernalia at the end of the working day. This way, you can shut up shop and relax with a good book and a glass of wine without fear of emails and paperwork drawing you in.
If your office is part of your main living area, it’s not a bad idea to fit folding or sliding doors to hide away your desk, computer and other paraphernalia at the end of the working day. This way, you can shut up shop and relax with a good book and a glass of wine without fear of emails and paperwork drawing you in.
Rev up your storage
Banish piles of paperwork and mountains of files for good by building in as much storage as possible. Line walls up to the ceiling with long rows of open shelves for items that need to be accessed easily, with banks of drawers underneath to hide away all those bits and pieces that don’t naturally have a home (and don’t need to be seen).
This skinny, stretched-out office is made more space-efficient thanks to the lean, linear shelving, which corrals a huge amount into one neat area.
Banish piles of paperwork and mountains of files for good by building in as much storage as possible. Line walls up to the ceiling with long rows of open shelves for items that need to be accessed easily, with banks of drawers underneath to hide away all those bits and pieces that don’t naturally have a home (and don’t need to be seen).
This skinny, stretched-out office is made more space-efficient thanks to the lean, linear shelving, which corrals a huge amount into one neat area.
Try transparent furniture
With a handful of design tricks up your sleeve, a compact office area can be made into a light and airy working zone that feels almost double the size. A see-through acrylic desk and chair won’t encroach, visually, on valuable floor space, while all-white, built-in cubbyholes can stash books, files, stationery and a printer, keeping surfaces clear and clean.
Browse more ideas for small space working
With a handful of design tricks up your sleeve, a compact office area can be made into a light and airy working zone that feels almost double the size. A see-through acrylic desk and chair won’t encroach, visually, on valuable floor space, while all-white, built-in cubbyholes can stash books, files, stationery and a printer, keeping surfaces clear and clean.
Browse more ideas for small space working
Double up
As working from home gathers pace, make room for a growing enterprise with office space for two. The awkward, often redundant areas under the attic eaves can be kitted out quite efficiently with a pair of desks and two chairs.
Fit in plenty of different-sized storage cabinets and drawers and a relaxed, harmonious working environment shall be yours (and your partner’s) for the financial year ahead.
As working from home gathers pace, make room for a growing enterprise with office space for two. The awkward, often redundant areas under the attic eaves can be kitted out quite efficiently with a pair of desks and two chairs.
Fit in plenty of different-sized storage cabinets and drawers and a relaxed, harmonious working environment shall be yours (and your partner’s) for the financial year ahead.
Paint it white
A quick lick of white paint will freshen up a tired home office in minutes. Paint the ceiling and walls in a heavy-duty, bright white paint and install good task and ambient lighting to work by. Clutter-free surfaces, a mirror and minimal furnishings will help spread the feel-good factor.
A quick lick of white paint will freshen up a tired home office in minutes. Paint the ceiling and walls in a heavy-duty, bright white paint and install good task and ambient lighting to work by. Clutter-free surfaces, a mirror and minimal furnishings will help spread the feel-good factor.
Add a jolt of colour
Revamp your home office for the New Year with a pop of primary colour. There’s nothing like an invigorating blast of red, yellow and blue to get your creative juices flowing and your mindset rebooted. Time to crack on…
Revamp your home office for the New Year with a pop of primary colour. There’s nothing like an invigorating blast of red, yellow and blue to get your creative juices flowing and your mindset rebooted. Time to crack on…
Create a zen-like calm
Strip back your office space to the bare essentials and create the calmest and coolest of working zones. With just a simple desk and chair – and really not a lot else – this clean-lined loft exudes a peaceful ambience for productive working.
Placing your desk near the window is a winner, too – when the number crunching gets too much, you can simply recharge your batteries by drinking in the view.
Strip back your office space to the bare essentials and create the calmest and coolest of working zones. With just a simple desk and chair – and really not a lot else – this clean-lined loft exudes a peaceful ambience for productive working.
Placing your desk near the window is a winner, too – when the number crunching gets too much, you can simply recharge your batteries by drinking in the view.
Bring in personality
Giving your home office a New Year detox doesn’t mean an automatic personality ban. In fact, the sight of a wall of brightly coloured wallpaper in a zingy print is likely to put a spring in your step as you arrive from your commute down the corridor each morning…
TELL US…
Have you revamped your home office for the New Year? We’d love to hear your detox tips in the Comments below.
Giving your home office a New Year detox doesn’t mean an automatic personality ban. In fact, the sight of a wall of brightly coloured wallpaper in a zingy print is likely to put a spring in your step as you arrive from your commute down the corridor each morning…
TELL US…
Have you revamped your home office for the New Year? We’d love to hear your detox tips in the Comments below.
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I think I have shelf envy of that gorgeous photo beside 'rev up your storage'. My revamp will take place tomorrow when I find my desk (buried somewhere under Christmas card detritus) - and possibly take down this year's calendar, which is still on October . . .
Organising of my work
Space.... That's this weekends job. New year new storage solutions