Home Office Design Ideas When Moving

Choosing the right room

A move is the one point where you genuinely get to choose a working space rather than inherit whatever room is left after everything else has been allocated. Prioritise light quality and quiet over raw floor area.

Side light from a window is far better for video calls and reduces eye strain compared with a window directly behind or in front of the screen, both of which cause glare or silhouette the person on camera. Distance from the front door, the kitchen and any shared living space usually matters more than the size of the room itself, particularly if you take calls regularly.

Sort connectivity before you commit

Before settling on a room, find out where the broadband enters the property and where the router will sit. A room close to the router, with the option of a wired ethernet connection, will outperform even a good mesh wifi setup for video calls and large file transfers.

If the ideal room for light and quiet is far from the router, it is usually worth running a cable or installing an additional access point rather than compromising on the room itself, since connectivity problems are one of the most disruptive issues in a home working day.

Desk and seating basics

A desk at the right height with a supportive chair matters more for daily comfort than most other design choices in the room. If the room will be used for a full working day, position the desk so natural light falls across it rather than behind the chair.

• Desk depth of at least 60cm gives room for a laptop stand or second screen without feeling cramped.
• A chair with adjustable height and lumbar support pays for itself within a few months of daily use.
• Keep the desk away from direct heat sources such as radiators, which can affect both comfort and equipment.

Storage that keeps the room flexible

Many home offices also need to work as a spare bedroom, so storage should hide paperwork and cables rather than put them on display. Vertical shelving makes use of wall space without eating into the floor area, and a single closed cabinet is usually enough to keep the room looking tidy when guests stay over.

Colour, lighting and small details

Lighter, calmer wall colours tend to suit a working environment better than strong colours, which can become tiring over a full day. A desk lamp with adjustable brightness is worth adding even in a bright room, since UK daylight hours are short for several months of the year.

Plants, a noticeboard or a small amount of personal decoration help the room feel distinct from the rest of the house, which supports the mental separation between work and home life that is harder to maintain when working from home.

Moving the equipment safely

Photograph the back of each piece of equipment before disconnecting any cables, which saves considerable time when setting everything back up in the new room. Label cables with small tags if you have several similar leads.

Screens and monitors should always travel in their original boxes where you still have them, or in purpose made moving cartons with padding, never loose on a seat or stacked with other items. Hard drives and sensitive electronics are best carried in hand luggage style boxes rather than in the main removals load if you are moving them yourself.