With the coronavirus pandemic and frequent lockdowns, we have been exposed to a different working environment; that is the comfort of our homes. Working from home is a concept that everyone is all too familiar with now. While, for many, working from home is a blessing in disguise, there is unanimous agreement that our homes are not as functional as office spaces. This is also true for many entrepreneurs, small businesses owners, and people who work remotely. In this blog, we address how to make home spaces functional for work. This will require finding a space that is vacant or is not being used optimally. If you have a basement in your house, then there is no better place to set up an office than this. In this blog, we’ll look at how you can turn your basement into a home office. Let’s begin.
Turn Your Basement Into A Home Office
If you have an extra space in your home, it’s always a good idea to turn it into a working space. Basements present a perfect opportunity for this. Let’s see the top seven ways in which you can quickly transform your basement into a home office:
Develop an office layout
Inspect your basement carefully and see how much space you have to play with. After close inspection, create a visual blueprint of how you want your office to look. This office layout should feature all the things you want.
While developing an office layout, be mindful of the space you are provided with, and how much your design plans will occupy space. This proportioning will help you make an efficient layout that uses space in an optimal manner. If you struggle with proportions, you can hire an architect or a contractor who will ultimately carry out the remodeling.
Working Out The Entrance
While basements are connected to the main house through a passageway that opens up in either a foyer or kitchen area, having another separate entrance will give you more freedom to carry out your day-to-day operations. This is especially essential for people who run a business in which they have to entertain clients.
This separate entrance will ensure your home time is not disturbed in any way and you can easily compartmentalize your time between family and work.
Even if you are not in a business where you meet a lot of people, a designated entrance will allow you to remain isolated from the activities of the household. Thus you can easily carry out your work in a peaceful environment.
Canceling Out The Noise
If you want a peaceful environment for work, you have to cancel out the noise. This can be done by soundproofing your basement. There are numerous ways of soundproofing any room that come in various price ranges as well. Pick the one that works best for you.
Soundproof Curtains and Drywall Soundproofing are two of the most cost-effective ways of soundproofing that you should definitely try out if you are thinking of remodeling on a budget.
Brighten Up The Space
As basements are cut from a direct source of sunlight, it’s essential to do everything possible to brighten up your space. This will help liven the space, and also allow you to carry out your work effectively. Lighting also helps boost mood, and so is especially important in a place like a basement that doesn’t have natural lighting.
These are the leading lighting trends that you can take inspiration from.
Use ceiling lights, as well as a desk lamp. Choosing regulators for controlling the lighting is a great way of conserving energy, and appealing to your needs as you switch from solo working to entertaining guests.
Figure Out The Decor Theme
Pick a good office theme that gives your place a formal outlook, while at the same time is something that you want to be surrounded by. Pick a color theme and design your interiors around it. Working with lighter and nude shades is always a great way of opening up the space and having more leverage in moving and upgrading your furniture.
Your furniture should be functional and aesthetically pleasing. Invest in pieces that are durable while at the same time comfortable.
Allocating Space For Purpose
Remember that this is your office space, where you will now be spending most of your day. It needs to have everything so you don’t have to venture out. For this reason, it’s ideal to allocate spaces for the many functions you’ll be carrying out here.
Kitchenette: This need not have a stove, but you do need a space to plug in your microwave, refrigerator, and coffeemaker. As most basements do have a gas connection, installing a stove (if catered to all safety hazards) should not be a hassle and can be done fairly easily.
Lobby/sitting area: This can be the outdoor, open area that leads to the door. Here, your clients can stay and wait ahead of the meeting. If you have a clothing business, then this open area can serve as the desk where you take orders and do billing.
Meeting room: If your basement has enough space, there is no harm in setting up a meeting room. This will make your business appear professional and you’ll also don’t have to worry about your official documents or plans being in the way.
Set Up Your Workstation
While setting up your workstation, let your creativity flow. This place should be everything you ever wanted while working at an organization. Choose the sturdiest table that should be big enough to house all of your stuff. Get drawers and a filing cabinet, both of which can be locked for safety. Invest in a good chair that supports your back and shoulders. Get a nice desk lamp and everything that will improve your workflow.
In a bigger basement with several rooms, your workstation needs to be separated from the rest of the space. This is especially important if you want to use the remaining space for other functions such as entertaining clients, creating a meeting room, or even if you simply just choose not to use the entire basement. Either way, your workstation should have its own sanctity and be in a place that ensures maximum privacy.
Office workstations are a necessity these days. Investing in architectural designs and the layout is something that will give you a lot of ease in your work, and is, therefore, a worthy investment.
Also, check out these guides:
- Advantages & Disadvantages of basements
- Managing basement
- Construction essentials for a basement
- Waterproofing basement
How are you going to design your home office space? Write to us at blgo@zameen.com. Also, keep checking Pakistan’s largest property blog, Zameen Blog, for all the latest on Pakistan’s property blog.
