How to Choose the Perfect Furniture for your Home Office

There is no such thing as a definition of ‘perfect office furniture’ as ‘perfect’ comes down to individual perception of things. So, the best furniture for your office is the one you feel most stimulated, productive and comfortable in. Whether you are working from home or from an actual office, the way you decorate and organize it will have a huge impact on the work you do. Still, you need to be smart about this – don’t get carried away with just appearances and fall into dept you can’t get out of. Think of budget limit and how long throughout a day you’ll be using it. Think of the size, too.

Here are some ideas and guidelines that will help you choose perfect furniture set for your office:

The size

Don’t make a mistake of choosing furniture that won’t fit your office, size-wise. If you’d decided on pieces you just liked without having previously considered how much space they would take, you’d end up in a problem. So, even though your office appears huge, don’t buy anything without having previously measured it! Also, before actually buying anything, first visualize what you’d want your office to look like.

Staying at the office

When deciding on furniture, you need to be practical. Think of how much time are you actually planning on staying at the office and how much of it is for show. If you plan on spending 8-10 hours a day there, you need to think of comfort over style (obviously, style and comfort aren’t mutually exclusive). Choose pieces that both fit your need for practicality and stylish pieces. Maybe you could even consult with an interior designer or friends who have already been in your shoes and decorated their own office. Ask them for advice.

Budget

Buying furniture is no picnic. It can cost you several paychecks or just one. Before deciding on anything, do a little research online – nowadays there are pretty great discounts for office furniture as well as fantastic ideas on how to decorate. Furniture isn’t your only cost, though. Don’t forget you’ll need to include office supplies, computer equipment and décor once all furniture is chosen. In case you are struggling a tight budget, maybe you could consider self assembly furniture. Your best resource for do it yourself assembly furniture are definitely furniture stores that specialize in catalog and online ordering.

Space

An important factor in choosing furniture for your office is whether you’ll be the only one using or is it going to be a shared space. If there’s going to be more of you, take into account your office partners’ needs. They may need different things to you, so collaborate together and find pieces that’ll be multifunctional.

Style and décor

With new office furniture, the world is your oyster! You can choose between modern, antique, popart movement, etc. You can even mix and match according to your personal style! When choosing what to buy for the office, have in mind what type of business you are running. If you wish your office to have that professional vibe, choose a common aesthetic for your desks, chairs, storage cabinets and other prominent elements. Also, again, think about comfort. Some pieces look absolutely stunning but they can’t be used as much or are extremely uncomfortable.

Durability and quality

The quality of furniture you choose is maybe the most important part of the whole process. If you choose pieces that look good but aren’t functional or of quality, you are looking at having to replace them often. This only needs to budget drops (read: unprofitable).

So, when speaking of durability, choose desks with plastic finish applied to a wood core. This is usually laminate as it is durable, affordable and easy to preserve. It also comes in a wide array of colors and wood grain patterns. Another option are metal or steel desks, as they are the most durable choice. If you are one of those elegant fellas, choose veneer or wood desks – they look more attractive than other desks but are typically more delicate and expensive. They are not really suited for heavy or rough use and they nick more easily.

Be honest

When we start the adventure of decorating our office, we tend to get carried away and lie to ourselves that ‘starting tomorrow, I’m doing things differently’. We all know ‘starting tomorrow’ thing almost never works so be honest and real with yourself and admit what your work habits are. Are you are a neat freak or a messy, creative type? Do you need more desk space or more room for folders, books, etc? Buy furniture that applies your work ways, not the other way around.

Choose wisely and beautifully and you will see how your home office will reward you with a space that is enjoyable, productive, inspirational and wonderful to work in!