Setting up an office space requires some special consideration.
You want to create a space you enjoy being in that allows you to work productively, but often that’s easier said than done.
Since we launched our photography business seven years ago, we’ve worked out of a home office and we’ve made our fair share of mistakes. A couple of years ago we decided to start fresh and managed to create a space we love.
When you do get a chance to create a workspace for yourself, take the opportunity to think carefully about it. It’s not just a room. It’s where you make art happen. With some planning and creativity, you can create an efficient, comfortable, and downright enjoyable place to work.
When we first moved into our home, we made some mistakes in setting up our office.
First, there was way too much furniture that made it feel cramped and cluttered. Second, our desk faced a sunlit window which made it difficult to see our monitors. Third, the walls were painted brown and the curtains were green. We had a horrible time color-correcting and photo editing in general. Lastly, our office chairs were a source of near-constant physical pain. We just couldn’t work efficiently there, and it took the accumulation of constant annoyances to finally force us to rethink things.
We wanted to start fresh. We didn’t want to spend a ton of money, so we looked for creative and inexpensive solutions. Here are a few of the main features of our new home office:
1. Keep it simple!
We each got rid of one monitor and switched to Apple wireless keyboards. We feel less overwhelmed at our desks.
2. Shelving and organization
In the original office, our desks were always cluttered, mainly because we didn’t have a place to put semifrequently used items like staplers, pens and notebooks. So we installed three shelves over our desk to keep the clutter off our desk top.
3. Wall color
We painted the whole room a dark gray to cut down color casts from the walls. Gray is also a good backdrop color for quick photos.
4. Lighting
Our office is relatively small, but we installed track lighting. Having control over where the light falls is pretty nice.
5. Roller blinds
Blackout roller blinds help us create the perfect editing environment. For color-sensitive photo editing, we just switch off the lights, close the door, and pull the blinds. Instant darkroom!
6. Magnetic wall
We’d never had a photo wall and have always wanted a space that’s easy to update with new photos. So we coated one wall with magnetic primer. We painted over the primer with regular paint to match the rest of the room. Now we have an entire wall to play with.
Note: If you have small children be careful about using small high-strength magnets. If swallowed, they can cause serious harm.
7. Storage
Our office has a small walk-in closet that’s our main storage space. I removed the clothes bars and put in floor-to-ceiling shelving for gear storage. I also moved in an old dresser that we use as a printer stand for our Epson Stylus Pro 3880 Inkjet Printer. We’ve gone mainly paperless thanks to digital filing and a Fuji ScanSnap S1300i Mobile Scanner.
8. Office chairs
An important investment that has dramatically reduced back pain. Seat height, depth, lumbar support, tilt tension, and armrest height are all easy to adjust.
9. Window light
Consider the natural light in the room before deciding if it will be your office. Avoid spaces that get direct sunlight which may make screens hard to see and instead opt for ample indirect natural light to keep you energized.
10. Concentration
Working from home can be challenging; it’s vital to create a space where you can focus. If you’re working from home, having an office with a door is a real advantage in terms of reducing potential distractions and separating work from life.
Great tips! Thanks!