Home Office Design Tips

So, what makes a great home office? Should new home builds have a home office as a must have’? with the common belief that past behaviour predicts future behaviour here at Hunter Homes we are experiencing a sharp increase in the demand for some kind of WFH space, and our new home advisors highly recommend including the right WFH space to meet your needs.

So, in true HH style we want to share our top tips to designing a beautiful and functional WFH space, to help you make the most of your home, and most importantly ‘Live with Heart’.

When working from home your needs in a home office are very dependent on the kind of work you are carrying out. An easy point of reference is what kind of office space did you traditionally work from pre-pandemic?

Based on the work you carry out; will help dictate the kind of space you will need. Ask yourself if you need a private and quiet space to carry out your work with limited chance of interruptions or are you able to work in an open space from the kitchen bench, while the kids are home schooling from the dining room table.

Here at Hunter Homes our New Home advisors can help with the design process of your home, making sure we meet the needs of your family, WFH requirements and future proofing your home to meet your evolving needs for years to come.

Some of the options we have available include, a sperate home office with additional sound proofing as an option to be include in your quote (this incredibly inexpensive and will only add a couple of hundred dollars to your quote – totally worth it).  A study nook in the kitchen and dining space. Our very popular Kenneth and Mooring display have this as part of their design, and you can check it out here in our virtual walk through.

Or do you simply need additional built-in cabinetry in the activities/rumpus room for the kids to do their home schooling while you WFH at the kitchen bench.

Fabulous – you have allocated your WFH space, now it is time to make sure you stay connected.

WIFI, NBN, broadband, fibre optic, cables blah blah blah… This may seem all seem a little overwhelming, but it is an incredibly important part of being able to WFH effectively and efficiently.

It is important to think about the functionality of your room and where you will most likely need connections and access to outlets, power points and other electronic equipment to make your WFH experience stress free and productive, there is nothing more annoying than SLOW internet.

Not too sure on what a WFH needs? That’s ok, just explain to us how you are going to use the space and we will make sure you stay connected.

With the rapid rise of social media platforms such as Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook we have never been more conscious of our space and how to make it functional and look great at the same time.

We have also never been more aware of what styles we are drawn to, and what helps to create a space that allows us to relax and feel comfortable while working from home.

Icons including Marie Condo, Lisa Messenger and reality TV shows such as The Block have helped to bring the idea that something can be functional and also aesthetically beautiful to mainstream Australia, and it seems, as a nation we have very much jumped on board.

Having a space, you love will help increase your productivity, get through your workload faster and give you more time to spend with family. Time is the most precious commodity we have, so we might as well make the most of it by spending more time with the people we love.

We asked Michael our senior draftsperson his tips on creating a function WFH space. Michael suggests, regardless of which space you require or choose, the furnishing tips are similar (great news when you are already overwhelmed with building a home!)

Michael says, “always avoid having direct sunlight from behind you to reduce your screen glare’. This will also help your ability to concentrate and stay focused and having continually squint at your screen can be consuming.

He also suggests, “having your desk under or adjacent to a window is a much better choice than having it opposite”. If you work mostly with paper (drawing, reading, or writing) Michael says “clear, bright, and indirect natural light is best, especially if you take lots of notes or use separate devices”

It is best to consider the size and location of windows in the space you chose, your new home advisor can help with getting these selections right.

And if you are unable to include enough natural light, it’s a great idea to consider your options with artificial lighting. Michael says, “it’s best to invest in the extra downlight or a high-quality floor or desk lamp”.

It is also really important to consider natural airflow and ample ventilation in your WFH space.

It may seem like there is a lot to consider, however the entire team here at Hunter Homes from your New Home Advisor, to your Client Liaison, the drafting team and our highly skilled construction guys work together to help design and deliver the perfect WFH space for you. We have you covered!

We hope our top tips help you with planning your perfect WFH space, making it more functional with ideas to help look after yourself as we face these interesting and unprecedented times here in the Hunter region.

We also want to share we still have the wonderful privilege of operating business as usual! So, if you are in the process of finding the right builder you can trust to help you visualise, build, and create the perfect family home, where you can ‘Live with Heart’, we’d be delighted to hear from you.