2020 saw thousands of us work from home for the first time ever, adapting our homes into make-shift offices and coping with any space we could carve out.
We crammed ourselves into corners of the living room, our kitchen tables became homeschooling central and we sneaked into bed with our laptops more times than we’d like to admit.
Now, more than a year later, one in four of us want to work at home forever and many businesses have even agreed to offer a flexible work-from-home model moving forward. So, we suppose that means that perhaps it’s time to invest in a sustainable working-from-home space once and for all!
According to Wren Kitchens Design Director, Darren Watts, the kitchen is the perfect place for a home office as they tend to have bags of storage, the right lighting, and electrical points to create an ergonomic work-from-home space.
Darren reveals his top tips on how to create an office space in your kitchen, without sacrificing space or style:
Go for a seamless style
An office which blends into your kitchen space creates a bespoke, designer aesthetic. Trend-leading kitchens use the same kitchen worktop material for the desk area, as well as the same-style units. The most hardwearing desk material to choose from is Xena Quartz, which is scratch and stain resistant (meaning those leaking pens and repetitive use of the mouse will not harm over the years).
Maximise unused areas
To help create the perfect office space, you can tap into unused corners in your kitchen that have been neglected for far too long.
You can add a curved desk to the room with open shelving to match your current kitchen design, or if you want it to stand out, then choose a popping colour.
If you’re not too keen on adding an exclusive desk and chair, you could create an extension of one of the kitchen worktops. Peninsula designs with a small overhang are the ideal solution to this. Just dedicate a drawer or kitchen unit nearby so you can hide away office memorabilia at the end of the day… and forget about work!
Hidden kitchen workstations
Another trending office theme for 2021 and beyond are hideaway workstations. This office closet is a clever idea if you want to create that minimalist, modern look, whilst keeping everything clean and tidy.
This area can be multifunctional as it can also be used as a kitchen study zone for children or even a stylish home bar area at the weekend.
Double up your dining table or kitchen island
If you’re limited on space, you can double up your dining table or kitchen island as a desk. This will provide you with the perfect practical solution.
However, don’t forget about legroom. The rule of thumb is that for a dining table you will need 40cm of legroom and for an island (at conventional worktop height) you’ll only need 25cm to 30cm of legroom.
Ensure that you have plenty of plug sockets nearby for charging your equipment. Consider adding a pop-up charging station that is integrated below your worktops to your kitchen office, so it can be neatly hidden whilst you’re not at work.
Smart storage options
If you’re looking to store your office items, then the best answer is to reorganise your current kitchen to make way for office tools and equipment. These modifications can be small, such as dedicating a drawer to office supplies, and it’s a great excuse to have a good kitchen clear-out.
Adding open-shelving with woven baskets and wooden crates are a great way to hide all your office junk, as well as kitchen wall organisers with S-hooks to add extra wall storage.
