Are you one of the many Americans working from home? If so, you may be working with basement remodelers to finally create the personalized home workspace long overdue. One of the great things about having a home office is you can tailor it to your liking. Use this guide as insight into the upgrades you should make, the residential services you need to hire, and some productivity tips that can help to enhance your WFH life.
Schedule HVAC Work
You may spend several hours working in your home office space. Whether it’s the middle of a summer heat wave or a winter freeze, you want to protect your home office just as much as you want to protect the rest of your home. Therefore, you must get professional HVAC services to ensure comfort and enhance your WFH space. Your basement remodelers can incorporate the cooling or heating service that is more appropriate for your space. Depending on the location of your basement, you wish to utilize a mini-ductless air conditioner. This type of service can help when you have a large home with different zones. Your basement is usually a separate zone, especially as a separate home office space. As a result of using this type of network, different rooms or zones can control their temperature, so people with different heat and cool temperaments can have the air as cold or heated as they need.
If your basement already has adequate air conditioning, you may need to call an air conditioner repair service for a thorough inspection. After all, you don’t want it to break down when in the middle of a big project. If your home office suddenly becomes too hot or cold to work in, it can throw your productivity levels off. Stay proactive when you have your regular inspections to keep everything running as normal. According to Bob Vila, you should have an AC inspection at least once a year. However, you may need it more frequently when you use it more often or live in a very dusty area. Since your home office will be in a basement, you’re in a space that can be more humid than other parts of the home. However, as long as home basement remodelers handle proper waterproofing and you have the right AC contractors to install a proper HVAC system, that part of the home won’t be as humid as it can be in other unfinished houses.
Shop for Quality Furniture
Quality furniture matters when you need to enhance your WFH space. You should start with a beautiful desk that’s easy to work at and lasts a long time. Your desk can come in a range of materials, from wood to metal. However, if you know you want quality wooden furniture, you may want to invest in some custom items from the Amish. Amish Furniture is renowned for its expert craftsmanship, durability, and beauty. A custom-made Amish work desk may be something to later pass down to your heirs. It can be a beautiful sight to walk into and make your WFH work day so much easier. Plus, if you have people over for meetings at your home office, an Amish work desk can be an impressive site. You can also top it off with a custom chair or a side table for when you take breaks.
Basement remodelers can add built-in elements such as built-in bookshelves. They can make creative use of space, especially if you have a smaller basement or are only using part of your basement for your home office. Some interesting designs with bookshelves have involved using the area under the stairs. They may also take up an entire wall and have built-in shelves, some of which may have doored cabinets. You should also invest in ergonomic chairs so you can have proper back support and prevent the likelihood of back pain. Unfortunately, many Americans deal with some back pain in their lifetime. That’s why you should also look into local chiropractic services if that happens. Ergonomic chairs are essential for avoiding issues such as carpal tunnel syndrome. You want a chair that can properly adjust the height needed to fit comfortably at your desk without having to maneuver your wrists or hands uncomfortably.
Add Unique Interior Features
If you spent most of your life in a dull and plain regular office, you may look forward to enhance your WFH by creating a colorful vibrant space as you work alongside basement remodelers. One of the ways that you can create and enhance an office is with accent stones. Many basement remodelers have done some beautiful work by creating accent stone walls. In other words, instead of having an accent wall just made from a solid paint color, it can be textured and beautiful with different materials ranging from earthy tones or bright and vibrant colors. The sky’s the limit with how a custom accent stonewall can add to your space.
Have a Refreshment Nook
Other practical interior renovations in any home office are a space to take proper breaks. When working from a basement office, you may not want to leave until you reach a certain point in your work. However, you may still need refreshments. That’s why you should have basement remodelers add a refreshment corner or nook in your space. There you can always have tea, coffee, water, or a healthy snack to recharge. Plus, if you take meetings in your home office, you can always offer a client something to drink. Have an elegant electric kettle, a basket of snacks, and a small mini fridge to keep things cool.
You must always remain hydrated, no matter where you’re working, whether it’s at home or an outside office. According to Healthline, you should drink at least 8- 8 oz glasses of water daily, and you may need to kick that up in the summertime. Creating a break nook in your home office can add to the design and include your personal flair. Incorporate plants, scented candles, a small fountain, or even a small fish bowl to add nature and create a sense of life in the space. Your break nook can also remind you of taking a coffee break back at a regular office. Don’t forget to invite some family members from upstairs to join you on your break and have a good chat. In other words, a nook in your home office can ensure you’re taking the breaks you need separately away from your desk, which can help give you mental clarity and relaxation.
Custom Closets
Don’t forget about adding custom closets to enhance your WFH office. After all, closets are essential to avoiding clutter. Closets provide additional storage and organization. Americans have as many as 300,000 items in a typical home. As you expand your home office, you may have several items you need to organize and may want to keep some things out of the way. Plus, if you have people working with you in your home office, a closet provides space to hang up coats and other seasonal wear you may not want to track throughout the main home. Basement remodelers can create a custom closet as small or large as needed.
Let There Be Light
A traditional basement can often be a dark and humid place before a renovation. Luckily, basement remodelers understand how to lighten the space with a home window service. They understand the particular light needed to enhance your WFH office. They may install an egress window, which isn’t just good for lighting up a basement but also for safety. Egress windows are usually installed, so residents always have a safe way to exit the basement in case of an emergency. Basement remodelers can install various light features like overhead lighting, accent lighting, desk lighting, bookshelf lighting, etc. To be as energy efficient as possible, they can use LED lighting, which uses 75% less energy than traditional iridescent lights, while still providing just as much illumination. Therefore, you can have a fully lit basement office without paying an excessive amount for your electrical bill.
Use Color Theory
Color is essential to enhance your WFH space. After all, you can hire home interior painting companies to paint your office any color you wish. If you spent a good chunk of your career staring at white or gray walls, you now have the opportunity to have walls in the bold or pastel colors you desire. Painters understand how to properly mix colors and help you pick one that can suit the mood you’re trying to set. When you want an office that’s very bold and vibrant, you should focus on bright colors like red, yellow, and orange. For better concentration gray is always a go-to, however, even gray doesn’t have to be bland, as it can have different undertones of other colors from red to purple or yellow. If you want your basement office to have a more relaxing vibe, you may want more blues and purples featured throughout. They can even experiment with having a bright color on an accent wall. If you’re a more creative professional, you may want to experiment with those brighter colors, and basement remodelers and interior painting companies can effectively tie in bright colors without being too overpowering for your concentration needs.
As you work to enhance your WFH space, don’t forget to take care of your mind and body. Working from home means you have to be more disciplined with your time. It’s great to be able to start and end work whenever you like, however, it may also mean not always taking a break as you should. One of the side effects of working in the comfort of a home office is it may be too easy to work a lot longer than you should. That’s why it’s essential to remind yourself to take breaks, even if that means setting an alarm on your computer or clock. Create a soothing mood by playing music. You can incorporate a sound system in your office space to play ambient music throughout the day. For example, classical music has proven to help enhance concentration and focus, according to Sound and Science.
Focus On Your Health
As you focus to enhance your WFH life, start seeking outside services. In addition to keeping up with your regular appointments with your primary care doctor and dentist, you can also seek alternative health professionals, such as chiropractors and acupuncturists. Chiropractic clinics help people with issues relating to spinal alignment. Going for a regular adjustment can help ease stress on your spine, whether it’s your lower back, neck, or anywhere in between. Some also specialize in chiropractic massage, in which they do a deep massage of your soft tissue. Easing up your tense muscles makes it easier to reach any bulging or herniated discs that may be giving you problems. After all, if you sat in uncomfortable chairs in regular offices for years, you may have developed a herniated disc or other related back problems a chiropractor can help you with. Using their services regularly can prevent your body from becoming tense. An acupuncturist can provide the relief your body needs. Acupuncture goes back thousands of years and uses needles placed at strategic points in your muscles. This practice helps release tension at various points, which can help with better sleep, blood circulation, and overall productivity. When looking at a computer screen all day, make sure you have your eyes checked and get eyewear if needed.
As you can see, there are many ways to enhance your WFH life. While working with experienced basement remodelers is essential, there are other things you should consider. Your remodeling contractors can provide the right features, such as a nook, shelving lighting, and insulation. They can also help you pick the right furniture and layout to provide a comfortable work and break setting. Don’t forget to take care of yourself. After all, working from home means you have to work harder to divide the work from the home than ever before. Give yourself the daily care and services needed to ensure you have a clear mind and body as you move forward in your new home office space.
