13 Aug Planning a Home Office Remodel with Smart Material Choices

Planning a home office remodel is often overwhelming. Where do you begin? And how can you choose durable, long-lasting, and timeless materials so that you get the most bang for your buck? By creating a step-by-step plan and making smart material choices, you can have it all and keep it within your budget. Here’s how.

Set Your Foundation

When you begin your home office remodel, consider the most abused surface in the room, and your home in general. Your floor takes a beating. Foot traffic, rolling chairs, moving heavy furniture, and constant cleaning to keep your office looking its best add up over the years. It’s much easier to invest in quality flooring now rather than replacing it every few years. 

There’s no debate that solid hardwood is beautiful. But in a busy home office, you’ll need to maintain and refinish every few years to keep your hardwood looking good. Instead, opt for engineered hardwood or luxury vinyl plank (LVP). 

LVP, in particular, stands up to abuse. It’s scratch-resistant and is virtually impervious to moisture and humidity. If your office, like many in the Quad Cities, is in your basement or your house is on a slab, moisture impacts hardwood through warping and degradation.

If you like a quieter floor and softer feel underfoot, consider a cork or foam underlay. That way you need not worry about rugs, which can bunch up under rolling chairs.

Smart Material Choices for Your Walls

Speaking of cork, this lovely and trendy material is ideal for wall tiles. When you’re planning a home office remodel, you need to consider the acoustics. Especially if your job involves video conferencing. If cork isn’t your style, you may want to opt for wood slats with felt backing. This type of wall covering provides noise reduction while maintaining a sleek aesthetic.

Another consideration when making smart material choices for your home office remodel? The paint you put on your walls. You’ll be spending the bulk of your day in that room, breathing in the air. Low-VOC or Zero-VOC wall paint is well worth the investment for your health. 

Home Office Remodel Surface Options

For our office furniture like the desk, bookshelves, and side tables, you’ll want surfaces that are both functional and look good. Butcher block or solid wood provide warmth and appeal, but do require some maintenance. Make it easy on yourself and opt for surfaces made of quartz or engineered stone, and engineered wood. Laminate has come a very long way over the past decade, so consider that as well. Custom built-ins and cabinets ensure you’re the one making the smart material choices, so they are well worth the investment, and you’ll know they’ll last.

Stylish Storage

Custom cabinets also do double duty for storage. They’re much sturdier than particle board, and that means they’ll hold up when stacked with books, printers, and office equipment. Plus, custom cabinets maintain their quality and good looks for years to come.

Lighting

Although lighting isn’t really a “material” in the same sense as flooring or cabinets and countertops, the amount of natural light you bring into your office makes a difference in how you feel. The right window coverings help you maintain the amount of natural light that enters your space. This helps you manage energy efficiency and the degree of screen glare that can impede production.

Cellular shades are great for providing insulation and still allowing a nice bit of diffused natural lighting into your space. If budget allows, maybe install some additional windows in your home office remodel. Clerestory windows provide natural light from above, so it’s not quite as disruptive. Also, clerestory windows offer a higher degree of privacy. 

A Home Office Remodel Adds Value Now and In The Future

A home office remodel can change your work life. When you use smart material choices, you have the peace of mind that you invested well, and your home office remodel will pay off in upping your home’s value. For more ideas for your home office remodel, please contact Seiffert Building Supplies today.

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