With the workplace landscape’s evolution significantly thrown forward by the pandemic, more and more knowledge workers are opting to work from home. Because of this, many homeowners are adding on to their homes, converting garages, and closing in lofts — if they’re not buying a new house to suit their needs.
The short answer is, yes, you can convert a bedroom into an office. There are a few things to consider, however. The bedroom you shouldn’t use as an office isn’t the one you sleep in. This is a big mistake as it affects your sleep hygiene, mental health, and can cause issues with your partner. And you’ll want your home office to fit in with the overall decor of your home. That’s one of the main benefits of working from home — to create a space you feel at peace.
“Home office furniture should complement other rooms in your house instead of screaming ‘soulless cubicle.’” HGTV
What Are Considerations for Choosing A Bedroom to Convert?
Jack and Jill bedrooms have come back in fashion and, with the bathroom between them, one of those bedrooms as an office could be an issue. You won’t want someone showering or flushing the toilet (so much no) while you’re on a client call or Zoom meeting with your team. If, however, the other bedroom is a guest bedroom, that could definitely work (until your adult son moves back in and then you need to have a conversation — but that’s another blog post).
If your work requires a lot of video meetings, choose a bedroom with natural light. Facing that window to avoid being backlit is key. Orienting your desk to the side of natural light works, too. Everyone is Zooming from home, so placing your desk away from the wall gives you backdrop opportunities. These backdrop opportunities are much nicer than a green screen.
Can’t I Just Put My Desk In a Bedroom and Call it a Day?
Sure, you can just put a desk in the bedroom and use it to work. However, if your work requires lots of meetings or you’re a podcaster or tech worker, you’ll want to hardwire the room for a CAT6/LAN cord. So, the distance from your modem will determine those tasks. You could get a 100’ LAN cord and have it drape on your floor but that is a major tripping hazard (and it’s ugly).
If you don’t plan to hardwire the converted bedroom, then you’ll want to ensure the WiFi signal is strong in that part of your home. Concrete and steel construction seriously interferes with WiFi signals. This can be done with some testing. And you may decide to purchase a WiFi extender or booster. There’s nothing more annoying than the WiFi signal dropping because someone in the home is using the microwave. (Hey, it happens.)
If you want to get fancy in your office, installing floor boxes (electrical outlets in the floor) is another option. Once you have floor boxes, you’ll never tolerate extension cords all over the place. If you do a lot of podcasting, we can also work with you to install some soundproofing as well. Unless, of course, you like recording podcasts in your closet.
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Working from home has its benefits and also challenges. Long-term solutions will make your home more livable and workable. Just be sure to close the office door at 5:00 PM for your mental health.
When you’re ready, let’s schedule an appointment and talk about your Door County Project.