ELFA INSIGHTS

Home office

Working from home is here to stay – as is the home office. To make remote working effective and comfortable over the long term, it is essential to have space and storage in the home, which not everyone has today. When setting up a home office for regular use, it is important to plan the spaces in your home, which will become the hub of working life, social interactions, exercise and relaxation. With the right setup, anyone can work from home just as efficiently as in the office without disruption to daily tasks and routines.

Greater demands on the home

The temporary changes implemented at the beginning of the pandemic have now become permanent and are impacting our lives and consequently our homes. In turn, this leads to more and greater demands on our living space. If home spaces are expected to fulfil multiple purposes, it is often necessary to have more gadgets. And ideally it should be possible to adapt the space required for more accessories to a variety of needs.

Smart layout in smaller homes too

Do you sit at your kitchen table, on the settee or in bed when working at home? That’s probably because, like many others, you don’t have a practically set-up space for your work. Creating a body-friendly work area at home is not all that easy, and it can feel quite difficult to carve out a home office when space is limited. By improving your storage solutions and using the areas you have in the right way, you can create a smart setup for remote working even in a small home.

How to lay out your home office

It is very important to plan a smart and functional layout for your home office to minimise, for example, the risk of physical harm. A specific space should be reserved for monitors, tablets, chargers and paperwork to keep them from cluttering the home.

Jannice Wistrand, who is a member of Elfa Insights, a Feng Shui consultant and interior designer shares four solid tips to create a home office.

Four tips to create a home office:

1. Hide gadgets behind curtains or a screen – cover shelves or hooks with a beautiful piece of fabric to create an efficient and out-of-sight storage space.

2. Make use of space up to the ceiling and think about shelf layouts – install shelving systems, ideally with shallow shelves, on bare walls and in dead spaces for storing office supplies.

3. Versatile office behind sliding doors – install sliding doors that close off part of a room to create a separate and handy home office.

4. Store office gadgets on the door – simply clamp the storage system on the door and attach the baskets as required for the items.

Elfa Insights 2022

Elfa Insights is Elfa’s think tank where we investigate trends, needs and challenges related to storage. We do so by conducting consumer surveys and collecting views and insights from leading experts in the fields of architecture, sustainability, fashion, interior design and future predictions. This gives us the opportunity to delve deep into our favourite subject, storage, and inspire others to bring order, structure and harmony to their home and thus create space for important everyday things.

Jannice Wistrand

Feng Shui consultant and certified interior designer. She is the founder of the consulting company Add Simplicity and her blog addsimplicity is one of the Nordic region's largest in interior design.

Image of our Studio Elfa expert Christian Von Essen

Christian von Essen

Writer, podcaster and future trend spotter. Runs a podcast called “Heja Framtiden” in which he takes a look at the future. Author of a book about the future of Sweden after Corona.

Emma Elwin

AD, fashion stylist and sustainability consultant. Founder of Make it last, a creative duo specialising in style and sustainability.

Elisabeth Halbjørhus

Qualified marketing professional and founder of the company Pureelisabeth AS, where she works as an interior design consultant and stylist. Active fashion, interior design and trends influencer.

Christine Dalman

Elfa’s Senior PR Specialist and Storage Expert for the past 30 years.

Your personal space

For us at Elfa, a personal home is an organised and harmonious place where you feel secure and comfortable and can relax. It requires some time and effort to create that sense of ease and well-being that allows you to be yourself; you may need to sort out your belongings, improve your storage arrangements or refurnish your rooms.

Sustainable wardrobe

When it comes to sustainability, it is best to wear what you already own and make sure it lasts longer. So it’s smart to invest in good-quality clothing with enduring designs that will remain in style and stand the test of time. It is also extremely important to care for your clothing and store it correctly.

Major renaissance for the home

Our home has become the centre of our lives. It’s where we work, spend time with the family, exercise, eat our meals and relax – multifunctional, 24/7 spaces, quite simply.