A home office is an incredible boon – and not just for people who work from home. Even if you just want a space to indulge in a personal passion or activity, a home office can provide this. This is especially true for people with physical considerations, where a home office can improve life by providing easy access to resources and a working environment that’s designed to suit.

How do you create a decent home office, however? Here at John Ford Group, we have the experience to help. Here are our five key considerations:

1 – Designing Your Accessible Home Office Layout

Layout is essential when considering an accessible home office – get this wrong, and everything else you do will suffer.

Start with the space. At the very minimum, it is going to need the space needed to move around in it (including wheelchair access and manoeuvrability, if relevant), plus room for the desk and additional space for storage. Home offices are magnets for clutter, especially if you use a printer, but if they are well designed and organised with a place for everything, then this can be managed to keep the office a positive environment.

A cramped office is rarely a beneficial and positive working environment, so try to maximise the space available. If you are able to create an extension to give a little more room, this is definitely worth considering.

In terms of space, you will need to think about:

• Wider doorways – Wheelchair access is a key consideration.
• A designated desk space – Remember you need to be able to move around this freely, including with a wheelchair.
• Step-free access – Getting into the office is essential!
• Access to toilet facilities – If the office is on the furthest side of the house from the bathroom, this can cause issues.
• Good, designated storage – Don’t just whack up shelves; consider their use and placement and plan for what is going to go where. Storage needs to be accessible.
• Electrical access – Electrical sockets are best at desktop height for easy access. They should be available on every wall, as you never know what additional things you might want to plug in later – and cables trailing across the floor are a hazard.
• Window location – No one wants to work all day with the blinds down, but equally, no one wants to sit at a computer staring at glare. Consider the window-to-desk placement.

It’s also worth considering the decor of the room. Plants can enhance the room, not only providing oxygenation (their primary job!) but also adding a calming feel and enjoyable texture to the room. Many indoor plants are easy to care for while looking great.

Also, consider the colour of the room. Calm colours that help bounce light are best, though you may feel that a bright colour pop could reflect your personality better!

2 – Selecting Office Furniture

The office space is likely to be used for extended periods. In fact, many people spend more time in their office chair than they do in bed! Don’t skimp when it comes to office furniture; instead, think of the items as a matter of important comfort and care.

This means you don’t just buy any old office chair – do some research to find the right chair for the user. Consider size, shape and movement, back support, arm support, and the overall materials. Chairs are important.

Similarly, the desk needs to be right. Plan in advance what’s going to be on it, and remember that space is important, especially for mental health when working. A laptop on a big desk with a couple of other bits of personal use items is not a waste of desk space – that beautiful expanse of clear surface helps calm thoughts. It’s thought that clutter leads to depression!

Modern desk options include desks specially designed for wheelchair use, as well as adjustable height desks, and those with specialist options (such as artists desks, sewing machine desks, multiple-monitor desks, etc.). Pick one that meets your needs.

Think through the storage with care. As mentioned earlier, make sure there’s enough for everything that’s going to be in the office, and make sure it can all be reached without difficulty.

3 – Illuminating Your Workspace

Lighting, lighting, lighting! It’s so important we’re going to say it three times!

It’s likely that the office will be used during different times of the day and when you’re in different moods; this means you want a range of lighting. Consider:

• Natural light– The best light for your mood is sunlight. It’s also the most invasive light that’ll make a mockery of your computer screen if shining on it directly. Angled or diffused properly, natural light provides better visibility, reduces your eye strain, and makes you feel better. Dedicate as much space as you can to windows and spend time choosing the right window coverings (quality blinds and shutters are fantastic).

• Task lighting – Specialised lighting that’s designed to focus on the areas you want it to. Great for people who like to write on paper, artists who want the right light for their sketching, or anyone doing crafts. Heavy computer users might not need as much specialist task lighting.
• Mood lighting – Soft lighting to make the room nice is of great benefit, especially if you like working at night. Like with natural light, consider how this impacts any screen glare.

4 – Technology for Enhanced Accessibility

There’s so much tech out there to make your office efficient and comfortable – it’s incredible. How about:

• Power – Charging docks, such as USB A, USB C, and Qi pads should be included in the design to be easily accessible.
• Wireless – Reduce wires as much as possible. Bluetooth technology means there’s little need for keyboards and mice to have cables, and the same is true with speakers and other items. Of course, home WiFi is essential and does away with archaic ethernet cables.
• SmartHome – Use voice-controlled assistants, such as Alexa or Siri, to control lights, music, heating and more.
• Mice and alternatives – You don’t have to be stuck with the mouse or keyboard that comes with your computer. There are many alternative mice designs that will help improve accessibility.
• Software upgrades – The rise of AI technology means that there’s plenty of software out there that’ll help you with writing and reading documents. Consider taking the time to upgrade your applications to improve the office environment.

5 – Designing for Future Needs

Remember that your accessible home office improvement needs to take into account any changes that may happen in the coming years. Consider the following:

• Making spaces wheelchair accessible today, even if it’s not an immediate need.
• Designing the room with the ability to move furniture at a later date – a change is as good as a rest, and sometimes just rearranging the furniture can bring a whole new lease of life to a home office.
• Choose furniture that can be modified if needed.

Professional Accessible Home Office Design with John Ford Group

At JFG, we have the expertise you need to create the best accessible home office imaginable. We work alongside you to make sure all your needs are taken into account. With our considerable experience, we can offer suggestions and help avoid the pitfalls that can come with home adaptations.

Speak to one of our home specialists at John Ford Group today.