6 Home Office Trends to Inspire You in 2014

You may already have a room – or a corner – in your home that you use as an office. (Statistics show that more people in the Boulder area work from home than in any other city in the nation.) Whether you’ve vowed this year to make your home office a more beautiful, more efficient or more relaxing place to be, these are the 2014 trends to keep you on track.

 

1. Inspiration Boards. No matter what kind of work you do, a little inspiration goes a long way! If you use Pinterest or Houzz, you’re already familiar with digital inspiration boards. Put a corkboard on the wall in front of your desk and fill it with images that provide a creative spark or keep you focused and energized. Add what you love: family photos, your child’s art, vacation postcards, magazine clippings, fabric swatches or your favorite quotations

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2. Vintage Design. Mid-century modern décor can be yours with a little DIY. Thrift store lamps and tables can be spray painted coordinating colors. Vintage chairs get a fresh look when updated with bright fabrics. A geometric-pattern wall hanging or retro poster completes the minimalist look. “Less is more” is your new mantra.

3. Think Vertical. If you don’t have a lot of floor space or just want to keep your desktop clean, put the walls to work. Take advantage of vertical space with floor-to-ceiling shelves (with a library ladder) and a pegboard, magnetic board or corkboard. Hooks, pushpins, magnets, bins, boxes and baskets keep things handy while controlling the clutter.

4. Technology is Your Friend. A row of file cabinets is so last century! Use the cloud for document storage and backups of important files. Scan documents with the NeatConnect system and then shred or recycle. (But first, learn what papers you need to save for tax and legal purposes.) Use Smartphone apps, such as American Express, to take photos of receipts and voilá, no more shoeboxes! Go wireless and cordless with your devices whenever possible.

5. Multi-level Lighting. What’s the best thing about an office at home? No overhead fluorescent lights! Put your desk near the window for natural light, then supplement with a desk lamp and task lamps that add light right where you need it. Make sure that it’s all arranged to avoid annoying glare on your monitor.

6. Working “at” home but not “in” the home. If you don’t want a commute, but still need a quiet place to think, away from the comings and goings of family life, consider a detached home office. Similar to a guest house, it’s your own private work space just steps from your door. It combines the convenience of a home office with the physical (and psychological) separation between “working” and “relaxing” that is often missing when you work from home.

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