For the last year, many of us have been getting to grips with working from home and we’ve been trying to work out how best to fit a home office into our current abode, whether that’s repurposing a spare room, commandeering the kitchen table or even investing in a separate home office.
An article for Living etc recently looked at some of the top options for adding an office to your home, noting that while there are some excellent stand-alone home office buildings that you can pop in your garden. There are also other options that allow you to create some separation between home and work while enjoying your outdoor space.
One of the options the publication highlighted is having an extension constructed that’s styled as an orangery or conservatory.
This could be a good option if you have an older property that would benefit from an addition that is more traditional and looks more like a garden room than a sleek, modern home office.
There are also advantages to having this extension attached to your property, rather than at the other end of the garden, namely that even on cold, wet and windy days you won’t have to brave the weather every time you need to pop back indoors for a drink or to use the bathroom.
In addition, from a building perspective this will likely make it quicker and easier to get set up, as you’ll have all the electrical, plumbing and internet connections you need more readily available than if you build a stand-alone office.
To maintain a degree of separation from your main home, however, the publication suggested having a separate main entrance to get into the space.
If part of your aim is to make the most of your garden and enjoy it even when you’re working, then opting for an extension like a conservatory is a good idea because the glass doors and windows will allow you to enjoy what’s outside in all its glory.
Having bi-fold doors might also be appealing, particularly in the summer months, as this will allow you to open your office up to the outdoors.
The publication described this as “great for the warmer months of the year when you can feel like you’re sat outside, and get all the benefits of being outdoors and in nature, but from the comfort of a functional desk space with access to wall sockets”.
Another top tip is to consider whether you’ll use your conservatory as a garden office all year, or whether you’ll only want to spend time there working in the warmer months. If this is the case, take some time to think about how else you could use the space and design it accordingly.
It is also worth remembering that conservatories don’t just have to be found at ground level. If you have a roof terrace, you could make it into a stunning home office space with the addition of a small conservatory, for example.
An article for Human Resources Director recently offered some advice on how to set up a home office so that it’s a productive space that’s free from too many distractions. Among the top tips are to carefully consider lighting and to think about how you want to use the space when you’re designing it.
This might mean bringing in additional storage, or providing a comfy seat away from your main desk where you can make phone calls from, for instance.
Thinking of adding a Victorian style orangery that can double as a home office? Get in touch with us today to discuss your requirements.