As the world is learning how to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s likely that many jobs will begin to let employees work from home a majority of the time even after the global pandemic has subsided.
With that being said, employers may allow employees to work from home to stop the spread of germs for a while, or because they won’t have to pay for an office space anymore. As more and more people are working from home, people are beginning to create home offices.
Home offices are a great thing to incorporate into one’s home if he or she is planning to continue to work from home. No matter your profession, a home office will be worth your while, especially if your career involves meeting with clients. A career that can benefit greatly from a home office is that of a lawyer.
Home law offices are important for lawyers to have a space dedicated to working and meeting with their clients. If you are a lawyer that is thinking about designing a home office, this post will give you some pointers.
Design An Outstanding At Home Law Office
Lawyers will benefit greatly from a home office as a home office will give them a space dedicated to serving their clients. A life insurance attorney pointed out that lawyers that want to continue to work from home should have a designated area in their home to meet with clients that are both welcoming and professional. He added that lawyers that are working from home should also make it a point to make their space as attractive as possible.
Here are some design tips to incorporate into your home law office.
Show Off Your Accomplishments
As you decorate your home office, consider showing off your accomplishments. Hang your degrees, certificates, and awards in your home office. This is an easy and subtle way to show that you are educated and take your job seriously, without having to say anything to your clients at all. Similarly, showing off your accomplishments at home will give your office a professional and aesthetically pleasing look.
Try to hang your accomplishments in coordinated frames to really pull together your home law office. Or, dedicate a single wall to hang all of your accomplishments; this is a unique way to display your accomplishments in an organized and attractive way.
Choose the Right Color Scheme
If you are creating a home office, you should make it a point to choose a color scheme that is appropriate. When it comes to interior design, it’s important that you don’t use too many dark colors in a space, especially on the walls. A dark color scheme can make not only you but also your clients feel uneasy or uncomfortable. It’s best to choose a color scheme that is light, yet professional; perhaps a light tan or a soft cream.
The right color scheme goes beyond just the color of the walls. The right color scheme can also be accomplished using certain pieces of decor and floor covering. Try to use pieces of decor that will make your home office authentic and sophisticated; for example, hang pieces of art that go along with your color scheme, or hang shelves that match the color scheme of the other furniture in the space.
Make it Personal Yet Professional
Since your office is at home, it’s acceptable to make it personal. Clients will know that this is your home office, so it will not be turned off with pictures of your family vacations on the walls or framed finger paintings from your children. Similarly, you will enjoy your space more if it is more personal.
As you make your home law office personal, make sure to also keep it professional. Don’t go overboard with the personalization simply because you can, your clients should still feel as if they are in a law office setting when they enter your office, the only difference now is that you have a bit more freedom to make it unique to you.
Utilize Your Space
Utilizing your space is one of the most important ways to make your home office as attractive as possible. Utilizing your space can mean a number of things; from finding an area in your home to convert into an office space, or using your current office space to the best of its ability.
If you don’t have a room in your home that isn’t being used, it’s important to find an area of another space that can be converted into an office space; perhaps a part of the basement or an area of your bedroom/guest bedroom. It’s important to find a space that will give you privacy and will allow you to create a sophisticated space that is attractive to both you and clients.
Similarly, if you do have a room that is converted into an office, use the space in a way that makes sense. Arrange the furniture in a way that doesn’t make the room feel tight and place decor around in a way that makes the room look gorgeous rather than cluttered.
Start Designing Your At Home Office Today
Start designing your home law office today. Keep design tips such as these in mind and you think of ways to decorate your space in a way that is both attractive and professional. If you are planning on working from home after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, it’s best to get working in your home law office sooner rather than later.
About the Author
Veronica Baxter is a blogger and legal assistant living and working in the great city of Philadelphia. She frequently works with Chad Boonswang, Esq., a busy life insurance beneficiary attorney.