Work from home in style for business success

Despite news from the US that Elon Musk is reneging on Twitter’s agile working policy, working from home is here to stay in the UK. 14% of workers now work exclusively from home, while 24% have adopted hybrid arrangements, according to the Office for National Statistics.

No longer bound by where we work, this work-life revolution has opened up new possibilities in terms of where we live, and to some extent has changed what we look for in our homes.

One couple embracing the new possibilities that working from home has provided is Maggie and Adam Dent. Earlier this year, they moved from Milton Keynes to a spacious four-bedroom Derwent home at Harvest Grove in Featherstone. Now, Maggie, who is a manager at a Greater London bank, is able to work primarily from home, enjoying more space and a greener outlook. And when she does need to travel to London for work, she’s well connected, with fast direct trains to Euston from nearby Wolverhampton.

For the Dents, turning a spare bedroom into a home office made perfect sense. But wherever you position your workspace, follow our tips to create a working environment that fosters creativity, productivity and success:

1. Natural light has been proven to positively impact creativity and productivity and should be an essential for any home office space. Avoid Venetian or vertical blinds that may restrict that natural light getting into your room and, if the room layout allows, position your desk facing the window so you can fully embrace those rays, while also ensuring your screen isn’t impacted by the sunlight.
2. Choose colour carefully. Lighter, neutral colours, such as pastels and warm whites are a good choice for creating an office space free from distraction. If you want to keep stress levels low, natural hues, such as blues and greens are a soothing, calming choice. Meanwhile, warmer colours such as pinks and light oranges are said to promote concentration and creativity.
3. Clear the clutter. Whether your workspace is in a dedicated study or part of a multi-functional room, keeping it tidy is key to feeling positive and organised. Aim to go paperless, but assign a small space such as a drawer, cupboard or box file where work-related clutter can be hidden away. Once it’s full, have a sort out and start again.
4. Embrace nature. One of the biggest trends in office interiors right now is biophilic design, which incorporates plants and nature into our workspaces. Many studies have linked a connection with nature to lower levels of stress and anxiety and higher levels of happiness and productivity. Choosing the right plant, or even a naturally inspired print will help enliven your home office. Dracaena Gold Stars, Peace Lilies and Peperomia Obtusifolias are some of our favourite low-maintenance desk plants.