Wow Your Work Space

Telecommuting is becoming increasingly popular, as we all know. But did you know that 43 percent of the U.S. workforce is expected to work from home at least some of the time by 2016!

Forrester Research’s US Telecommuting Forecast reports that 34 million Americans work from home and that number is expected to grow to 63 million by 2016. 

Those numbers are surprising, yet it supports what we are hearing from our home buyers! Home offices are important and are at the top of their must-have list when considering a new home. Add to that number, the millions of adults who are continuing their education, and the demand for home offices grows even larger.

In the past, we’ve even blogged about people transforming their dining rooms into office spaces. Many of our floor plans offer the best of both worlds -- beautiful home office spaces with French doors (and some with transom windows) and formal dining rooms with upgraded trim packages. 

Once the home is built, we pass the design torch to the new homeowner to add beautiful finishing touches to the office space. In reality, though, we know that sometimes the practicality and necessity of the space overpower the design of the room.  Sometimes, the office makeover involves a coat of paint, and nothing more. Yet, in reality, this is the space where the professional magic happens, and it should be as inspiring as possible. With just a little effort – either DIY or through shopping – this space can impress as much as the rest of the home!

We’ve created a new Pinterest board devoted to making your workspace wow your guests (and you.) There are tips on building built-in bookshelves and turning a closet into an organized work of art. Here are a few of our favorite ideas for turning the practical into the beautiful.

Funky filing cabinets

There is no reason that your filing cabinet has to be metal gray or boring beige or black. Your filing cabinet can be as creative as the rest of the room! One idea is to paint the cabinet with chalkboard paint for double duty as a place to jot down reminders or your upcoming week’s schedule. Use white trim around the edges for a finished look. Another gorgeous option for a filing cabinet is to add a stenciled design to the exterior. Start by painting the cabinet white, and then add your own artistic flair to it with the help of a stencil. 

Spice up your storage

Two words: spice rack. Find one with glass bottles intended for storing spices and use those as a perfect container for those rubber bands, paper clips, push pins, stickers, etc. Anything small! Another brilliant way to spice up your cord storage is by using a shoebox. Simply decorate the shoe box (maybe wrapping paper or fabric) and then cut out holes for the cords (add grommets for a finished look) and get to charging. We love this idea, and it can be used for anywhere you and your family charge your devices, not just in the office! 

Glam up the gadgets

Be warned: this is purely for aesthetic appeal, but we love it anyway. You know those boring staplers, tape dispensers, and scissors that sit predominantly on your desk? Wouldn’t they look better spray painted with gold or silver metallic paint? How about that three-hole punch and the pen holder. Paint them, too! Go all out and coordinate the office accessories with any other metallic items in your office, such as a chrome desk lamp, or choose a color that’s part of the overall room’s design.

The possibilities are endless in your workspace. The office should be inspiring, but since we are all unique in what gets our creative juices flowing, this room can and should be all about your personality and taste. Be a little adventurous here! And start spray painting those filing cabinets and staplers!

We’d love to hear from you! How have you decorated your office space? Do you have any great design tricks or ideas that you can share with our readers? Comment below!