The pandemic changed our lives and our work styles.
At the height of stay-at-home directives, we switched from our offices to remote online work. Many of us were challenged to be imaginative and create makeshift spaces in our bedrooms, dining areas, and hallways to accommodate our work activities. As work-from-home became the new normal, we were forced to change our perception of work and what we consider important in the workplace.
A hallway space in a four-bedroom, 3,990-square-foot Contemporary style home is wide enough to build a well-lit workspace equipped with chairs, cabinets, and storage drawers. The home includes a Great Room, open kitchen with an island, secluded bedrooms, formal dining room, a theater room, and an outdoor kitchen room. (Plan #153-1746)
Research shows that prior to Covid, just 3.4 percent of Americans worked from home. But when the pandemic hit us, a study conducted by Upfront/MIT revealed that nearly half of the U.S. workforce was working from home.
Everything changes – and we learn to adapt.
While the office environment provides many immeasurable benefits – face-to-face training, mentorship, fellowship, and collaboration – the value, convenience, and safety of working from home cannot be overlooked.
So, where do we go from here?
How nice it would have been to already have an office space in the home. But we can be creative and focus on how to reinvent and redesign our home offices – now that a space that was once an option or a wish list item has become a must-have.
A spacious office in a luxurious ranch style home with 3,757 square feet of finished space offers privacy and access to views, natural light, and a covered deck. The four-bedroom, 3.5-bath residence features a vaulted Great Room, dining area, kitchen with a large island, covered front porch, four-car garage, and a lower level with a recreation area, wet bar. Exercise room and theater. (Plan #161-1088)
We all face the need for a workspace that helps in separating the different aspects of our lives from our work activities. Our big task is adapting what we have so it fits in the home and allows us to work as productively as we can in that zone.
As you design your office or work-from-home space, the most important thing to remember is to have an area that is comfortable, convenient, and functional – and allows you to work efficiently and productively.
In addition to office supplies and equipment, these elements should figure when designing your home office.
From a refurbish, conversion, and a new 12x12 square foot office, today’s homeowner faces a wide range of costs. According to fixr.com, the average cost can run from as low as $2,000 to as high as $20,000. Ultimately, the option you choose will depend on your budget and requirements for the space.
A home office can range in size – from a foldable desk, wide and sturdy enough to get a laptop on, and a comfortable chair to a small nook inside the house (under the stairs, a hallway, stair landing), or a large, dedicated space that can accommodate basic furniture and guests.
The size of the home office depends on several elements:
The average size home office is 50 to 150 square feet. Some people can work very efficiently in a space as small as 30 square feet while others prefer about 200 square feet or more for storage and workspace.
You can have this simple workspace: a built-in desk just outside the living/kitchen areas in a three-bedroom Ranch style home. (Plan 141-1134)
A fully furnished vaulted room in a two-story, four-bedroom Rustic Contemporary style plan serves as the home office. The room has a desk, built-in seat and shelves, a huge glass paned window, exposed beams, ceiling lights, a chandelier to make work a very pleasant experience. (Plan #161-1108)
Traditionally, home offices have always been located inside the house – in every imaginable existing space or a bonus room. However, with the popularity of sheds – and their different purposes – home offices are moving outside - in the backyard.
A shed conversion to a work-from-home option may be one of the best ways of using an already existing structure – and keeping the work-life balance. Just think, you can still “commute” to work and be at a safe distance from the activities around the house.
Depending on the electrical supply and the need to install an HVAC system, a shed to office conversion can run homeowners anywhere between $1,000 to $10,000.
Consider building an office "outside" and check out our collection of home office "sheds".
A backyard bar cottage features this very attractive home office. (Plan #100-1364)
If you are in the process of remodeling your home or building a new one, remember the importance of a home office. From small to large, to garden sheds these home plans have the space you need to work from home.
In this age of video calls and Zoom meetings, what’s in the background has a big impact on the audience. So, it makes sense to present a home office that is “worked/lived in” but organized, neat, and attractive.
Footnote: The lead image in this article is a fabulous 192-square-foot backyard office. For more on the outdoor office/shed, go to: (Plan #100-1362)
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