A home office in a small flat: where to put it and what to buy

Most people who work from home don't have a spare room. The laptop ends up on the kitchen table, in a bedroom corner or on the sofa, and by Friday both your back and your evenings feel it. A good home office is less about space than about the right spot, the right sizes and the right light.

Pick the spot

Roughly in order of what works best:

1. Beside a window, at a right angle to it. Daylight from the side is easy on the eyes and on the screen. Facing the window makes you squint on calls; with your back to it, the screen catches the glare.
2. An alcove or the end of a hallway. Out of the way, and you end the day by walking away.
3. A bedroom corner. It works, but keep the desk out of view from the bed and put work away in a box or behind a curtain in the evening.
4. A wardrobe or cupboard turned into a desk. The doors close on work when the day is done.

The sizes that matter

• Desk: at least 100–120 × 60 cm for a laptop and a monitor; 80 cm wide is enough for a laptop alone.
• Desk height: about 72–75 cm, or a height-adjustable desk if two people share it.
• Room behind the chair: at least 90 cm to push back and stand up.
• Screen: the top of the screen at eye level, about an arm's length away. A laptop stand with a separate keyboard and mouse does this for little money.

The chair is the investment

If you spend on one thing, spend it on the chair. Look for adjustable seat height and depth, support for your lower back and armrests that slide under the desk. A good chair that fits you is worth more than a beautiful desk.

Light for working and for calls

• Daylight from the side, as above.
• A desk lamp with neutral-warm light (3,000–4,000 K), on the side opposite your writing hand.
• For video calls: soft light in front of you, from a window or a lamp behind the screen, and something calm behind you, such as a shelf, a plant or a plain wall.

Make it disappear in the evening

When the office shares a room, storage decides whether you can stop working: a closed cabinet or a box for paper and chargers, a shelf above the desk instead of piles on it, and a cable tray under the desktop.

What it costs

A solid setup from mid-range shops:

• desk: €120–350;
• ergonomic chair: €150–400;
• desk lamp: €30–90;
• laptop stand, keyboard and mouse: €50–120;
• storage and cable management: €40–120.

That is about €400–1,000 in total.

If you would like a plan for a home office that fits your flat, with the right desk, chair and light, Gaudi plans it around your room and your budget.