With 2020’s passing, the need to own a versatile and efficient home has never been clearer. As restrictions took a toll on our daily lives, it’s highly likely that post-pandemic reality will be different from what we used to know before. And one aspect many residents of Framingham, MA, will experience differently is the structure of their workdays. While some will return to work from an office, many will prefer the comfort of working from home or a combination of the two.
And if you’ve ever done any work from home, you know by now just how hard it can be if you don’t have a quiet space for yourself that will allow you to focus on getting things done. If you work from home, you’ll need a home office.
But where would you fit said home office when you already use every room in your house?
Easy. In your basement!
We’ve helped more than 7,000 homeowners just like you make the most out of their homes by breathing life into their basements and adding extra usable square feet to their property.
A renovated basement significantly increases the value of your home, adds to its desirability in case you ever want to sell it, and offers a brand-new space for you and your family to enjoy.
But once you have renovated your basement and have that perfect shell, how do you go about creating the perfect home office/bedroom combo?
Well, below are three ideas to get you started and make the most out of your home.
- A Murphy bed
The most important feature of any home office that wants to double as a spare bedroom is a Murphy bed. Also called a pull-down or a wall bed, the Murphy bed is the perfect solution to having a full-sized bed without having it take much space from your office.
By adding just a few inches to the thickness of a single wall of your home office, a Murphy bed can be pulled down in an instant and used as a regular bed every time you need it. Many modern designs also have the underbelly of the bed double as a bookcase or a set of shelves that can be used for storage.
Equally important is not having to work in a room with a bed in plain view as it can distract you from your work. 90% of the time, you’ll keep the bed in your home office towed away so it feels like a proper workspace, not a hybrid. It will help with work efficiency and it’s also a great conversation piece.
- A separate bathroom
A home office, just like a spare bedroom, loses half its functionality if they don’t have a bathroom attached to them. Imagine having a guest sleeping over and asking them to use the ground-floor bathroom every time.
Or imagine working and having to up and down a flight of stairs every time you need to use the facilities. Not only is that unpleasant but it’s an invitation to break your focus and get distracted with something else. The second you go up, you’ll suddenly feel the urge to eat something, or take the dog out for another walk, or look at another episode from your favorite series, or check on your garden, etc.
A bathroom in your basement is equally important as the home office/bedroom itself.
- Plenty of light
Often overlooked but something that could make the difference between a successful project and a failure, having enough light is easy when you plan ahead.
If you can install windows, no matter how small, do it!
Also, try to opt for a transparent or semi-transparent door leading up to the ground floor, so more light can seep through.
More importantly, make sure to add quite a few interior lights as well as some accent light to help you set a relaxing mood. There’s nothing worse than having to work all day in dim lighting.
When it comes to remodeling your basement, there’s no better solution than Owens Corning® Basement Finishing System®. That’s because our panels can be easily taken down and put back up again, they offer good thermic insulation, and are made out of a material that lets air pass through them so mold and mildew can never form.
We can complete any project in about two weeks, and then you’ll have a brand-new home office to enjoy.