With more and more companies moving to a remote working structure, home offices are more important than any other space at home right now. We spoke to Livspace homeowners who got their home offices designed by us to see how things have changed during the lockdown compared to a pre-covid 19 era. And they are all of the opinion that a home office is very essential! Let’s see what else they have to say.

This home office instantly turns into a comfort zone with a sofa bed

home-office-wooden-panels-bookshelf-chair
An appropriate and user-friendly home office

Who livs here: Mala Karla with her husband Hardesh and their son Deepanshu
Location: Sector 81, Gurgaon
Flat configuration: 3 bedrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen, study room, lounge
Size of the home: 2,600 sq ft approximately
Where is the home office located: In one of the rooms
How much space is dedicated: An entire room

Why did they opt for a home office initially?

Hardesh Kalra always wanted a home office as his job required working on weekends. And of course, taking conference calls and working with a laptop from his bedroom or living room was not on his mind. “It’s just too uncomfortable to work from a space that is dedicated to relaxing,” he says. So when he bought the new house, the home office was on top of his mind, while his wife took care of the rest of the home.

How has the usage changed during the lockdown?

Pre-COVID time, this space was used mainly on the weekends. But now, he uses it for almost 8 hours every day. This is something he had never thought of!

What is the importance of a home office according to them?

“Everything should be designed appropriately and in a very user-friendly manner. The long table wherein I have my computer screen and laptop, office stationery, printer and a lot of free space is the highlight of a good office at home,” he reveals.

Advice for everyone who’s planning to get a home office now

He feels it is extremely important to have a dedicated table and a comfortable chair when one has to work from home for so long. He also says that every individual who is required to work from home and has the means to do so should think of getting a proper table to work on.

A minimal and compact working corner to facilitate concentration

home-office-corner-study-table-wall-shelves
An extra room turned into a study-cum-leisure space

Who livs here: Madhumitha Subramanian with her husband Sri Harsha Namuduri
Location: SNN Raj Greenbay, Electronic City, Bengaluru
Flat configuration: 3 bedrooms, living room, kitchen
Size of the home: 1,500 sq ft approximately
Where is the home office located: In the extra room at home
How much space is dedicated: A corner of this study room is occupied by the home office

Why did they opt for a home office initially?

Madhumita and Sri Harsha were looking for a dedicated space in their apartment to study and work with the right vibes to induce focus and creativity. They live in a 2.5BHK and the extra room just came in handy for placing their study table.

How has the usage changed during lockdown?

“Pre-COVID, we would use this space whenever we would work from home (once a week) and during weekends when we are brainstorming on any ideas. But during lockdown we are using this space every day, at least for 12 hours,” they explained.

What is the importance of a home office according to them?

“With the current COVID 19 situation, work from home has become the new normal. Earlier, we would work from the bedrooms or dining table but it was not as comfortable as in the study. Therefore, we feel like it was a great idea to create this space,” they said.

Advice for everyone who’s planning to get a home office now

Some things that they feel every home office should have are:

  • Study table and comfortable chair
  • Whiteboard
  • Good lighting
  • Wi-Fi router
  • Standing desk
  • Large monitor
  • Power backup for a Wi-Fi router
  • Plants

Custom-made study unit that faces the window and enhances productivity at this home office

home-office-full-room-wooden-study-table
An entire room dedicated to work with ample space to stretch

Who livs here: Nikunj Murgai with his wife Neha and their daughter
Location: Palm Grove Heights, Ardee City, Gurgaon
Flat configuration: 3 bedrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen
Size of the home: 2,500 sq ft approximately
Where is the home office located: In the guest bedroom
How much space is dedicated: This entire room is a guest-cum-study room and the major part is used as a home office

Why did they opt for a home office initially?

“I always wanted a home office because my office is in Delhi and I had staggered timing in my office. So I used to start late and reach home late. By this time my daughter would have slept and I wouldn’t get to spend time with my family. So I wanted to start taking calls from home, so that I get to spend some time with them as well. That is the reason I always wanted a dedicated working space.” says Nikunj.

How has the usage changed during lockdown?

“Pre-COVID I used to work from home on Fridays and take work calls for a couple of hours at night. But I use this space every day,” says Nikunj. “His company also conducted a survey which showed that people are more productive at home, so it’s an ideal scenario for him.”

What is the importance of a home office according to them?

Given the current situation, Nikunj feels that for anyone to be more productive, a comfortable working space is essential. In his team as well, he found out that everyone who has a dedicated working space is much more productive. And with companies, including his own, transitioning to a work from home culture, a study room is an important part of home design is what he feels. Also, he, his wife and their daughter have dedicated spaces for themselves. They work and study in their individual rooms.

Advice for everyone who’s planning to get a home office now

“Everyone planning to get a working space should invest in a good, ergonomic chair because once you start working from there, you will realise how important it is,” says Nikunj. Plenty of natural light, space to move around while taking calls or simply to stretch are some other essentials.

Fancy shelves and bright colours for this home office

home-office-yellow-study-unit-fancy-shelves
A bright working space can increase your productivity

Who livs here: Rohit Srinivasan with his wife Aanchal and their daughter
Location: Sobha Forest View, Off Kanakapura Road, Bengaluru
Flat configuration: 4 bedrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen
Size of the home: 1,800 sq ft approximately
Where is the home office located: In the 4th bedroom at home
How much space is dedicated: An entire room

Why did they opt for a home office initially?

In Rohit’s opinion, having a home office saves your travel time. You will have some kind of productivity, which you generally miss having in the office sometimes. You can also take out some time to look after your health, which you would generally be spending on roads in a city like Mumbai.

How has the usage changed during lockdown?

While Rohit used to work out of his office at home around 2 days a week pre-COVID, he now uses it every day and is very happy about it! This is majorly because he always wanted to move to a work from home structure.

What is the importance of a home office according to them?

For anyone living in Mumbai, especially, having an office at home makes a lot of sense. The time that is wasted in travelling, can be utilised to finish up work. Also, given the situation now, one should definitely invest in making a dedicated and comfortable space for working.

Advice for everyone who’s planning to get a home office now

After having worked from his office so often now, Rohit has one important suggestion for everyone planning to get one. He suggests fixing something on the table which allows you to stand and work for some time, since sitting and working for prolonged periods can affect your back and neck.

This doctor couple now uses their study table more than ever

home-office-compact-study-table-master-bedroom
A study corner that is used for studying and working remotely

Who livs here: Dr. Vivek Vaibhav and his wife Dr. Juhi
Location: Paras Irene, Gurgaon
Flat configuration: 3 bedrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen
Size of the home: 2,150 sq ft approximately
Where is the home office located: In the master bedroom
How much space is dedicated: A corner of the bedroom is dedicated to the study table

Why did they opt for a home office initially?

This power couple always wanted a study space because being doctors they need to be reading and keeping themselves updated with the latest developments in healthcare.

How has the usage changed during lockdown?

Their usage of the study has changed more for Vivek now, who is an orthopedic surgeon, as he is home longer.

What is the importance of a home office according to them?

If one can, then they should definitely invest in getting at least a study table at home. It goes a long way in terms of comfort. If you want to read, study or work, a study table helps a lot.

Advice for everyone who’s planning to get a home office now

Instead of dedicating an entire room as the study, you can keep it cosy and minimal by choosing a corner in any of the rooms and placing your study table there. You do not require a dedicated room all the time.

If you want to make your study room a better space, then make sure you read this: Is Your Makeshift Home Office Not Very Comfy?

Send in your thoughts and suggestions to editor@livspace.com.