An office is a place where we need to get work done and the way your office is designed can play a huge role in boosting your productivity.
Clean and clutter-free are what your mantra should be when it comes to designing for your office.
Working from home sure has its perks. You get to cut down costs, strike a better work-life balance, no need to commute, and oh-so-convenient. The very first thing that you obviously have to do is to design your home office. Keeping the mantra in mind, you need to first settle on a minimalistic design that invokes positivity and relaxation.
What would be more fitting to this brief other than the Japanese interior style? Exactly.
The aesthetic of Japanese style is: clean, simple, and peaceful. It includes a perfect mix of nature with modern furnishing to give your home office a culturally rich feel that keeps your mind free and productivity in check.
Here are our top tips to help you build your home office: Japanese style.
Embrace the Concept of Natural Lighting
People unwittingly always station their computers right up against a wall in the darkest corner of the room. Not only will it make them feel that they are sitting in a cubicle, but it’ll also add to their lighting expense. Natural lighting is a very important aesthetic of Japanese design but, there is a set of dos and don’ts.
What you do need to do is install big, expansive windows to lock in more light. What you shouldn’t do is opt for heavy and bulky-looking draperies. The former goes with the Japanese style but the latter doesn’t.
Instead, you can opt for simple bamboo shades or sheer curtains.
Include Elements of Wood and Bamboo in Your Home Office
For your home office, you need a design that is a one-time investment and what could be better than wood?
There is a very popular theory that is known as the “Five Element Theory.” As per this, there are five elements that connect people with nature.
Wood is the very first element and represents leadership, growth, vitality, and renewal. In short, the things we want to incorporate into our work life.
In the case of bamboo, it has high tensile strength and already has a naturally attractive color and finish. This removes the need of getting it painted or polished.
There’s also a big misconception of bamboo being inferior to wood. This is completely incorrect. Bamboo is, to an extent, earthquake and fire-resistant which wood isn’t. For your home office design, you can opt for wooden floors, screen grids, or even a wall. Wood or bamboo is easier to clean while lending your home office a chic and quality look. Then, of course, is the added advantage of durability.
Carefully Choose the Color Scheme for Your Office
Color therapy can help to create a positive atmosphere in your home office. In Japanese design, the color palette is mostly neutral with earthy tones. Think shades of grey, brown, beige and so on. The reason for this is that the Japanese believe in being in sync with the natural beauty of the outside world.
For more inspiration, just look outside your windows to know what colors you can add to your office space.
Add Natural, Green Houseplants in Your Home Office
Green is actually a color that symbolizes money and growth. It also helps to reduce stress, and increase happiness and productivity. Also, it goes along perfectly with the Japanese concept of incorporating nature in your life.
Add natural houseplants around your office for that dash of color and greenery. You should add plants that help to improve air quality and are easy to maintain such as the Boston fern and the spider plant.
Replace Your Usual Doors with Screens and Sliding Doors
If you ask people the first thing that comes to their mind when they think of Japanese interior design, they are very likely to mention Shoji.
The Japanese believe in utilizing every inch of space. The sliding motion of the Shoji helps to save space that a traditional door usually takes which can be extremely useful if your home office is on the smaller side. Also, since they are usually made of opaque paper, the natural light doesn’t get blocked too.
Opting for Multipurpose Japanese Office Furniture
Choosing office furniture can be quite tricky as it is and when we add the word “home” to it, it becomes even more intimidating.
It’s always wiser to buy multipurpose office furniture to save space and money. For example, you can buy dual-purpose tables or ergonomically adjustable desks.
The Japanese interior style is all about furniture that’s low to the ground and mostly consists of floor cushions. This is actually a brilliant hack if your home office space has lower ceilings as well. Whether you opt for only authentic Japanese style furniture or want to mix contemporary furniture to it – it’s completely up to you. The beauty of Japanese style furniture is that it can easily blend with other designs keeping your home office clean and easy on the eyes.
Make Your Personal Meditating Zen Corner
In Japanese style, a peaceful aesthetic is a must. The fact that you’re making your home office Japanese style requires that you create a little meditation corner for yourself.
Not only will this give you your own personal zen space to relax, but it can also be a place to help you think clearly and make careful decisions.
Place comfortable floor cushions in any corner of your home office and add a water feature, the trickling sound of which will help to distract other noises. Just remember to keep your corner surrounded by lots of greenery and an extension for playing calming music.
Keeping all these pointers in mind will help you create a home office that boasts of a rich Japanese style by being minimalistic, simple yet impactful. Like we mentioned above, your office will become a place where you actually get your work done.