Prioritizing a separate room or extra space for a home office is a smart move for today’s buyers. A home office has never been more important, and neither has all the smart-home technology that makes them increasingly easy to use.
Even if no one in your household currently works from home, the trend toward telecommuting and virtual meetings likely won’t wane post-global health crisis. But there are other reasons to consider home-office space while shopping for a new custom Florida home.
Someone might change jobs and find themselves part of a remote workforce. Someone else might decide to start a side business that needs work-from-home attention in the evenings and on weekends. And a home office doesn’t have to be dedicated to family members’ jobs or careers.
How about a space to serve as your household’s headquarters? Bookshelves to store cookbooks? A large whiteboard or chalkboard for notes and weekly schedules? A computer everyone can use? A table to spread out jigsaw puzzles, art projects or crafts?
Home offices can take many forms and fit many functions. The only feature they should share is being a place where work gets done.
Read on for our suggestions on how to use today’s home offices.
Pick your place
For some of us, a laptop, good lighting and a comfy chair are all we need to work at home. For others, a separate room with a soundproof door is the only way to go.
Often, the larger and noisier your household, the more critical it is to have dedicated space, especially if you’re a frequent teleconference or video conference participant.
Although we’re probably more understanding about dogs barking, or video backgrounds interrupted by a family member toting a load of laundry, it’s simply less stressful and more productive — to you, your co-workers and clients — to have a private space to do business.
On the other hand, if you have fewer people and daily distractions at home, and don’t need a real office setup, a nook with a built-in desk, or room for a table and chair may be all you need. Work with your builder and floor plan designer to create just the space for you.
Which brings us to…
Customize your home office
We at ICI Homes already have, in many of our most popular floor plans! Flex spaces are included and often staged as home offices in many of our model homes.
For example, in the 2,512-square-foot Egret VI floor plan, that flex space is near the entrance foyer and can be left open, or enclosed with French doors.
Have your own home-office idea? Take advantage of the complimentary consultation available to all prospective ICI Homes clients and meet with a designer. They’ll tweak a floor plan to your specs, or draw something from scratch, often at low or no-cost to you.
Even if no one in your household currently works from home, the trend toward telecommuting and virtual meetings likely won’t wane post-global health crisis. But there are other reasons to consider home-office space while shopping for a new custom Florida home.
