How To Turn An Ordinary Room Or Garage Into An Office With Shutters Or Blinds

Whether we are self-employed or work for a large organisation, these days it’s more and more common for us to work at home, at least some of the time. There are many advantages to working in the space we also live in, including no time-consuming and stressful commute, no office rental fees, no distractions in the shape of chatty colleagues and no need to dress up and look smart for the working day ahead! However, there are pitfalls too, and that’s where converting a room, or part of a room into a designated office space can help enormously.

What are the Issues with Working at Home?

When we work in the space we live in, it can be hard to create boundaries between our work and leisure time – this usually comes at the expense of our free time as we plough on with the task in hand in order to clear our to-do list for the next day. Noise can also be an issue, both from outside and from our families or housemates, who are perfectly entitled to carry on with their home life around us. Finding a suitable space to work can also be a challenge. For example, many people choose to work at the kitchen table but it’s all too tempting to get distracted from the task in hand by the need to put a load of washing in the machine or the urge to pop the kettle on for yet another cup of coffee! Also, more often than not, it feels too hot, too cold, too light or too dark in the space we need to get on with the job in. This is where installing shutters or blinds can make a huge difference.

Let the Light In

Bright sunlight can be incredibly annoying when it streams in and hits the computer screen making it impossible to see the screen properly. It’s equally annoying when the room is too dark and we crave natural light to keep us motivated for the working day. By simply changing the position of the slats on your shutters and blinds, you can get complete control of the amount of light that is coming into your home office, something that is impossible with curtains.

The Perfect Temperature

As you sit at a desk for a long period of time, you’ll notice changes in your body temperature both due to external factors and how long you’ve been sitting down with no opportunity to warm up by moving around. Having high-quality office furniture helps mitigate some of the discomforts. However, the temperature can be a real issue for home-workers as others in your house who are busy playing or getting on with household tasks may not agree with your idea of the perfect temperature for working. Again, adjusting the slats on your blinds or shutters is a subtle but very effective way to alter the temperature by cooling things down or trapping some much-needed warmth. This is a great way to aid comfort and concentration, particularly on days where switching on the air-conditioning or heating doesn’t feel warranted.

Noisy Neighbours

Shutters and blinds will not soundproof your home, but closing them when you’re trying to concentrate is a great way to minimise the noise of that ball being kicked around outside or the kids next door’s screams as they splash in the pool. Combining this with some quiet and non-intrusive background music is a great way to create a calm working environment where you will not be distracted or irritated by the sounds of everyday life going on around you.

See no Evil

Another major distraction for the home worker is the sight of things going on around you that may look more appealing than the report you need to finish. Shutting the door of your home office is a simple way to keep your fellow house dwellers at bay, but it’s easy to get distracted by the sights of what is going on outside, particularly if you live on a busy road or have friendly neighbours who like to wave as they walk past. Tilting the blinds or shutters is a brilliant way to symbolise work time both for you and for those tempted to knock on the window to say, “hi”. And when you’ve finished work for the day, opening the shutters or blinds is a lovely ritual to end the working day and start relaxation time.

Private and Professional

No one wants to recreate a corporate office in the place they call home, but there is no doubt that creating a tidy and ordered space is much more conducive to clear thought and diligent work than trying to muddle through in a cluttered or chaotic domestic environment. Choosing shutters or blinds is a modern and stylish way to achieve this without compromising the “homeliness” of your home. In fact, you may find that you love your new shutters or blinds so much that you decide to install them throughout your house!

Find The Right Room or Renovate Your Garage

Not all of us are blessed with much choice when it comes to choosing the ideal room for our home office. However, it is important to think about what works for everyone in the house. For example, if you know your kids will be noisily arriving home from school in the middle of the afternoon, it makes sense to try and create your home working space upstairs. If space is an issue, combining your office area with a bedroom is a popular option, particularly if you are lucky enough to have a spare room. Building a garden office away from the hustle and bustle of the can be a great idea. You can create a beautiful stress free work area using your the existing space of your house by renovating your garage. If you wanted to get serious you could get some new garage doors, or you could just keep it simple and transform the space using shutters or blinds.

Whatever you decide, for blinds and shutters Perth is covered by Westral. Contact us now for a fantastic selection and a friendly, reliable measure, quote and installation service. Telephone 08 9455 1555 for a free in home consultation.