What do you need to make the perfect home office?

WHETHER you like it or not, teleworking is here to stay. As the boundaries between work and home continue to blur, it is time to optimize your space in order to create a dedicated work space if you haven't already done so. A new trends report has analyzed the most-liked home office designs on Instagram to inspire you to design the corner where you will reach peak productivity.

Although most of us have been working from home for several months, a new study has revealed that there is still room for improvement when it comes to the work spaces we have created in our interiors. For instance, 41 percent of the 2000 UK residents surveyed say that they do not have a proper desk, while 22 percent of them also claim that they sit on the floor when teleworking. Many have also created makeshift office spaces in the rooms they would usually relax in, such as their living room (21%), bedroom (15%) and kitchen (7%).

Over a third of those surveyed (38%) know that these rooms are not the best places to get down to business, and are planning to improve their home working environment this year. "As we continue to adapt to the changes that 2020 has brought us, we think 2021 will be the year many of us improve our home-working environment -- whether that's building a dedicated home office room in the garden, converting a cupboard, or even just upgrading your desk and chair to work more comfortably. Our environment can have such a huge impact on our health and happiness and sometimes even making the smallest of changes can reduce stress and lift your mood," Adrienne Minster, CEO of Rated People, said in a statement.

In order to help them in this daunting task, the British online marketplace has analyzed over a hundred posts on Instagram to find the "perfect home office design" formula." It seems that the overwhelming choice for an office wall color is white (54%), followed by grey (11%), white with a color accent (9%) and green (7%). When it comes to flooring, wood is the frontrunner material for a work-from-home space, particularly medium and pale woods. When not simply bare, floorboards were usually paired with a rug (25%) or a carpet (18%) to elevate your home office.

Masterful minimalism

Although Rated People's latest report shows that many teleworkers do not have a proper desk, this piece of furniture is a key element in any home office space. A simple writing desk is the most popular choice on Instagram, especially if it has a modern minimalist touch. From drawers on one side to floating shelves, there are also a myriad of different design features for desks that will help you store everything you need. However, it seems that desks with no storage space are preferred, ahead of those with thin drawers underneath (11%) and drawers on one side (9%).

While creating a work-friendly place in your home, make sure to personalize it with artful objects and other decorative items. Plants are particularly helpful to add a greel touch to your interior. According to Rated People, the average number of plants in an Instagram-friendly office space is two. The use of artwork and photography is also a popular design feature for teleworkers, ranging from outdoor landscapes (16%) to pinboards (10%). Now that you know how to design your perfect work environment at home, what are you waiting for?