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Creating a well-designed home office has become more important than ever. Whether you’re a professional working remotely, a student getting ready for semester 1, or you’re managing household affairs, a dedicated workspace can boost focus and productivity.

Here are some tips for organising and styling your space, plus a look at how Dennis Family Homes provides customisable options.

 

Why a Dedicated Workspace Matters in 2025

Thankfully, the days of setting up  on the kitchen table are behind us.

As flexible and fully remote work and study arrangements continue, a functional home office set up essential.

A dedicated and well-designed workspace can support:

• Greater productivity: A dedicated area for work creates the mental boundary needed to stay focused.
• Work-life balance: Separating work tasks from personal spaces helps you switch off after hours, improving overall well-being.
• Being organised: Keeping all your tools and documents in one place reduces distractions and makes daily tasks more manageable.

“Successfully working from home is a skill, just like programming, designing, or writing.” – Alex Turnbull, founder of Groove

 

Work and study space options

Every household is unique, and we understand the importance of customisation.

• Study nooks: Compact, efficient and perfect for smaller homes. They can fit seamlessly into living spaces or underused corners without taking up too much room. Nook desks are often about 600 mm deep plus the chair. When not being used they can be a surface for decoration.
• Dedicated study rooms: In larger homes, a separate study room offers privacy and fewer distractions, making it ideal for work or school tasks that demand full concentration.
• Bedroom desk setups: Adding a desk in a bedroom can give you more privacy and peace. It’s a contained room that’s usually located away from the thoroughfares of the home.

 

Top Tips for a Productive Home Office Setup

Creating a workspace that supports productivity involves thoughtful organisation and design. Here are some tips to get started:

1. Ergonomic Essentials: Invest in a comfortable, supportive chair and an adjustable desk. Your posture and comfort are crucial, especially during long working hours.
2. Optimise Lighting: Position your desk near a window for natural light or add high-quality task lighting when designing your home.
3. Keep It Tidy: Add shelves, filing systems, and organisers to maintain a clutter-free workspace. A clean environment boosts focus.
4. Add Inspiration: Decorate your office with personal touches—plants, artwork, photos—to make the space inviting and energising. Standard size frames are relatively cheap and can be filled with interchangeable images printed from Officeworks. They’re a great way to give your eyes incidental breaks from the computer screen.
5. Cables: Arrange cables neatly using a cable snake or cable management system. Setting this up once will remove plenty of visual clutter and the risk of kicking out a chord under your desk.
6. Power and connectivity: Your workspace needs an adequate number of power outlets, charging docks (try a wireless charging pad), and strong internet connectivity for video calls. You can customise the number and location of outlets at the design phase of a new home build.
7. Hardware: If you have a laptop, use a separate monitor, mouse and keyboard. Laptops are designed to be compact more than they are to be used for extended periods of time. A monitor at the right height will be more comfortable over the course of a day, as will the ability to move a keyboard and mouse into position.
8. Natural light: Daylight contributes to improved mood, better morale, lower fatigue, and reduced eyestrain, according to a study by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Consider the direction your home will face, window size and option for skylights.

 

Four tips to present well on a video call when working from home

1. Camera at your eye level
   This gives you a natural and engaging perspective. Use a laptop stand, books, or drop your office chat to get the level right.
2. Good lighting
   Face a window or set up a soft, diffused light source like a lamp that’s not pointed directly at your face. Your phone torch can also work too. Avoid backlighting, your face will be in shadow as the software tries to balance the light. Pull the curtain down or turn the camera so it’s facing a direction that doesn’t have a light source.
3. Choose a Professional Background
   Keep your background tidy and distraction-free. If you’d prefer a virtual background, choose one that’s not distracting and appropriate for the conversation.
4. Use a quality microphone
   Buy a USB microphone to improve how you sound on video calls. You’ll be easier to hear for everyone in the meeting. Be sure to test your sound setup before the call.

 

Building Productive Spaces

We understand the importance of a well-designed workspace.

Many of our home designs include study areas that can also be tailored to your needs, whether you’re looking for a quiet study nook or a fully equipped office.

Explore some of our designs that include dedicated work or study spaces:

• Onyx – study nook located in hallway to the three rear bedrooms.
• Sandford – dedicated study next to second bedroom away from family and meals area
• Melrose – private study off the double door entry to this ranch style home

 

If you find yourself procrastinating at home, remember this great quote from the late American humourist, Robert Benchley:

“Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn’t the work he’s supposed to be doing at that moment.”

 

Take the Next Step

Ready to create a workspace that works for you?

Explore Dennis Family Homes’ designs featuring study spaces and discover how we can help you build the home office of your dreams.

Visit Dennis Family Homes to view our range of home designs or speak to our team about customising a layout to suit your needs.