With the Covid-19 global pandemic and employees being asked to stay home and work from home, and as a mom or dad who has worked from home since forever, the struggle to find a peaceful place to work from within your home is real. While you may want to deliver the best to your clients, you may also want your kids to not suddenly pop in front of the screen, especially when you are in a meeting or between that important video conference that might make or break a deal.

In this post, we thought we would share with you a few pointers on how to make your home office a place that is functional for both you and your kids. However, before we start, we also might as well mention that at Ghardesigner, we have created a complete package on HOME OFFICE DESIGN that can be customized as per your requirements. To have access to a free consultation, you can call us on (+91)88262-80794.

1. Colours – Though we may have said that interior design is all about experimenting, a proper home office should typically be a room with neutral shades and monotones. The bright and fresh tones will not only make you feel energized but will also reduce distraction as you start working.
2. Focal Wall – A focal wall with fun wallpaper or a contrasting colour of your choice will add a special touch to your home office thus creating a happy place for you to work from. Believe it or not, it will also make you bond better with your kids.
3. Bulletin Boards – Bulletin Boards are a great way to flaunt your tasks-at-hand and also a great place to hang your kids’ creative works. Place your bulletin boards on the accent wall so that it is easy to view and encourages you to get work done. Also, when your family and kids can see what tasks you need to achieve, chances are you will finish them off without interruption from them.
4. Comfy Rug – A comfortable area on the floor with a patterned or beautifully designed rug thrown in to make space for your kids to play in the room where you are working will help you keep an eye on your child while you get some work done too. Also, make sure to throw some toys on that rug so that your kids can have fun with their imagination.
5. Storage Space – Having an organized space is an absolute necessity when it comes to working from home. Especially with kids around, organizing to work efficiently could be quite a task sometimes. This is where having a great storage comes into picture. You want storage for your office supplies, paper-works, toy storage or any other items that your business might need. Consider having wall cabinets above your desk that is out of reach of your kids or if that isn’t possible, install drawers with a proper locking mechanism.
6. Accessibility – Similar to storage space, you would want your daily need items to be placed such that they are easily accessible to you and at the same time out of reach of your kids. Kids can get quite messy and having essentials away from them is very important. Who would know that better than a Mom? Thankfully, today there are a lot of options available for systems that have add-ons like pencil holders, sticky note pads, and other office related storage.
7. Plan the Organization – One of the most important tips is to plan the organization of your home office in such a way that it meets your specific needs. Imagine intricate things like where to place your printer, how many and what kind of bookshelves would work best for you, what kind of cabinets would you require and where would you place them, filing systems you would need etc. Planning for these things and designing your office around them will always prove to be effective and fruitful.
8. Craft Station – Letting your kids have fun while they are learning helps them understand and learn better and also makes your work day a lot easier. Creating a craft station in your home office that inspires your kids to be creative is always a perfect idea to keep them occupied while you are getting work done. Consider having crayons, colouring books, paper crafts, and other craft supplies that they may enjoy engaging in but also make sure to not have anything messy in your home office.
9. Roll-Out Bins – Having roll-out bins for storing your kids toys is always a great idea. While you do not want your home office to look like a complete playroom, you also want your kid’s toys to be great, quiet activities that take a while for them to play with giving you the much needed peace. Consider placing puzzle games, dress-up toys etc in your bin. These will serve your purpose best.
10. Snack Station – While some people may not like food in their office, having a designated snack station or desk for your kids to have light snacks while you are working and they are engaged with their activities, is a serious game changer. It will not only reduce the amount of times you need to head to the kitchen but will also help reduce the mess easily. Use lidded snack bowls to avoid spillage and fill them with your kid’s favourite snacks.

We hope you’ve found some inspiration on how to design your home office making it kid friendly. And, like we said, if you need any assistance, we at Ghardesigner are only a call away.