Creating a custom Home Office!

What are some things to consider when creating a Home Office?

Although many contemporary homes are built with a home office or study, those living in older homes have two choices: convert an existing unused space to a functional workspace, or extend their home and create a new area. There are a lot of factors to consider when creating your ideal home office, including:

Available Space

If you don’t have the option of dedicating an entire existing room for your home office, you can still create a productive atmosphere in the corner of a room with some design and planning. Start by thinking creatively: perhaps a drop-down table is the best starting point?

An alternative to a full-size office is a mini-office, which can be easily accommodated in a hall cupboard, spare wardrobe, or even in the corner of a lounge. Take a look at this guide to creating a mini home office.

Necessities

Prioritise the most vital parts of your home office. Do you need a table with chairs for meetings? Or is generous desk space the only concern? If you do frequent video calls, make sure the lighting is flattering and that you are against a plain background.

Lighting

Ideally, you want to avoid glare on your device screens. One way to do this is to have as much natural light as possible, complemented with a soft lighting scheme. This way, you can continue to be productive without having to strain your eyes.
You can also take a look at this lighting guide: What to consider when renovating?

Storage

Although most of your files may be stored electronically these days, it’s important to figure out how much storage space you are going to require before moving on to other aspects of your office. Long gone are the days of ugly metal file cabinets, you can find several modern and sleek solutions these days—from stylish floating shelves to custom made cupboards.

Interior Design

When it comes to increasing productivity, it’s all about accessorising. Whether it’s a cork board or whiteboard for your ideas or a vision board with your goals, strive to strike the balance between functionality and aesthetic.

Furniture

Office chairs often come down to personal preference, but the priority should be comfort, especially if you’re going to be sitting on them from 9 am to 5 pm. Your desk should have room for all your devices: your computer, printer, and anything else you might need.

Internet

Have you considered a fixed wired internet connection? Wi-Fi is not always completely reliable, and depending on the nature of your job, it may be essential to get the fastest speeds possible.

What are the design considerations when creating a Home Office?

When thinking of design, it’s about maximising both the functionality as well as the aesthetic and design of your home office. Here are the main things to consider:

Location

Your home office can be located anywhere, even in your garden! You just have to make sure it doesn’t get too hot in the summer and too cold during winter. Consider an insulation upgrade in your conservatory to keep the elements in check.

Colour

Finding the most optimal colour palette for your home office is key to get you in a productive mindset. Research shows orange stimulates concentration and boosts creativity while a combination of bright white and purple improves motivation. Feel free to inject your own personality into your home office via your colour choices!

Personalisation

When it comes to interior design, it’s important to make the space your own. You can do this via pictures of your family, motivational posters, or a bookshelf filled with your favourite titles.

How much does it cost to create a Home Office?

Although the cost of your home office will depend on many factors, they can be broken down into two main categories: building a new home office or renovating an existing space into a home office.
If you are transforming an existing room into your workspace, you can expect to spend between $700 to $5,500*. On the other hand, building an entirely new office space can cost between $15,000 to $50,000*.

For an exact quote of how much your personal home office is going to cost, get in touch with a Refresh renovation specialist.

*Please note that these estimates are a rough guideline only. For an exact quote of how much your unique home office project will cost, get in touch with a local Refresh Renovations specialist.

Home Office Additions

Adding an extra room in your home to accommodate a home office can set you back between $15,000 to over $50,000*. This comes with several pros such as the potential to increase your home’s value and the ability to control every aspect of your office’s design.
By building your home office from scratch, you will be able to craft the ideal workspace for yourself, taking into account how you will be using the space. Our team of designers and architects can take all your ideas and turn them into achievable concepts. Once you are satisfied with every aspect of your home office addition, our renovation specialists can bring these concepts to life.

*Please note that these estimates are a rough guideline only. For an exact quote of how much your unique home office project will cost, get in touch with a local Refresh Renovations specialist.

Transforming an Existing Space into a Home Office

By using an existing space, you will be saving a significant amount of capital. Converting an already existing room into a home office can cost anywhere between $700 to over $5,500*, depending on the scope of your project.
This home office renovation can be completed faster and will over all be less intrusive than adding a new home office space, however, it is limited by the dimensions of the existing space, unless you are willing to make elaborate alterations.

*Please note that these estimates are a rough guideline only. For an exact quote of how much your unique home office project will cost, get in touch with a local Refresh Renovations specialist.

Things to consider when planning a Home Office budget

Furniture and Storage: Perhaps the most important consideration when it comes to creating a home office is the desk, chair, and storage solutions. You can pick from a modest computer desk to an executive desk, a single comfortable chair to a set of professional chairs to host meetings. Each of these decisions depend on your unique wants and needs, therefore it is important to think about what you will be using your office space for. Furniture can cost you between $250 to $5,000* and higher.
Lighting: One of the most important aspects of a home office is the lighting. You can choose from adding extra windows and skylights for access to natural light, or install bright artificial lights suitable for all times. The cost of lighting will range from $100 to upwards of $1,000*.  
Walls and Soundproofing: You want to make sure the inside wall finishing is up to mark and that the outer wall finishing matches the rest of your home. If you want additional privacy and quiet, you may want to consider soundproofing, which can cost between $1,000 to upwards of $3,500*.
Connectivity: Adding extra electrical outlets near your newly installed furniture can range from $100 to $300*. You might also want to consider a wi-fi home booster for a more reliable internet.
Flooring: Depending on your requirements, you can choose less expensive flooring such as laminate or something more elegant and durable such as hardwood. Carpeting, tiling, and vinyl are also options. Flooring can range from $1 per square foot to $30 per square foot*, depending on the material chosen.

*Please note that these estimates are a rough guideline only. For an exact quote of how much your unique home office project will cost, get in touch with a local Refresh Renovations specialist.

Get inspired by our recently completed Home Offices from around the world!

Check out this light and bright home office in Remuera, Auckland. These kiwi homeowners wanted to convert their garage into an office and renovate their media room at the same time. The Refresh Auckland team transformed the space by painting the walls, installing new lighting, building custom made storage solutions and office cabinetry, as well as a gorgeous laser-cut door! The end result is a welcoming and functional office space.

Refresh converted a garage to a home office in Cranbourne, Melbourne to help these Australian homeowners prepare for their growing family. The garage door was replaced with a stylistic window so that it could only be accessed from within the home. The project features custom wall art and strikes a perfect balance between utility and aesthetics.  

This Melbourne home had an unused guest bedroom and Refresh transformed it into a stylish and practical home office! In regards to functionality, the room now contains a meeting table that can seat up to 4 people, has plenty of storage options for files and paperwork, and generous desk space. It also features task lighting that provides optimum light for both daytime and evening work. Aesthetically, the room uses a solid timber floating shelf installed above the desk area, which compliments the look and feel of the newly polished wooden floor. Additional recessed LED strip lighting under the shelf also contributes greatly to the ambience of the room. Check out all the pictures and details!  

Meanwhile, this home office in Hughesdale, Melbourne was added through a small home extension. The space to the side of the house was too narrow to be used as an effective garden area, so Refresh was brought in to maximise the available space by building up to the boundary!

Ready to get started?
If you want to keep your productivity up while you’re at home, get in touch with a local Refresh renovation specialist to find out exactly how much your home office is going to cost!