Design the Perfect Home Office

Lake Tahoe has always offered an inspirational setting for weekend recreation. With the ability to work remotely, more and more homeowners are choosing to live in Lake Tahoe and Truckee full-time. Designing the perfect home office has become a necessary part of a good floor plan.

Called the ‘Zoom Town Boom,” this quality of life migration has driven up prices for homes in resort areas across the United States. Since 2012, values have almost tripled in most areas of Lake Tahoe and Truckee.

At the height of the pandemic in 2020, more than 3,000 people moved to the basin. This is the largest one-year population increase on record. Lake Tahoe’s entire population is only 56,000 people. Because new developments are rare, values in the resale market are climbing unimpeded.

Designing the perfect home office is a must, whether you use the property as a second home or full time. It also increases the desirability when offering your property for sale.

These 8 ideas can help you organize an area of your home into the perfect workspace:

Location

Many people convert one of the smaller bedrooms into an office. Other locations can include adding an accessory dwelling, which California is promoting by loosening zoning restrictions. An area of the garage can also be used with architectural planning that includes insulation and heating. Working from Lake Tahoe will also require good internet service so choose the best location for a good signal.

Inspiration

You come to the mountains to renew your senses, and having a home office should incorporate the views. When planning your home office, choose the location that is going to inspire you. Adding a fountain outside your window to use in the summer can help drown out distractions when windows are open. Converting windows into French doors can also incorporate the garden into your workspace. Don't be afraid to explore floor to ceiling windows in your workspace.

Noise

Your home at Lake Tahoe will certainly inspire your children to play more. Choosing an area far away from their daytime activities should be considered. There are many ways to sound-proof a room with panels. You can even find these panels made of natural woods, such as oak. Conducting Zoom calls and working with a good quality headset can also help you stay focused on the task at hand and eliminate distractions.

Lighting

An important consideration is choosing an area with plenty of natural light. Your workspace should feel inviting and the natural lighting will also increase your energy levels. Adding a skylight in a darker room can allow more light into your workspace. Natural lightening increases Vitamin D, and helps keep your internal clock regulated for a good night’s sleep.

Color

Design your workspace in colors that will increase your productivity and inspire you. Colors not only have a psychological impact, the wrong colors or mood of the room can actually make you feel sleepy. Consider the colors that invigorate your senses and energize your mood. Choose an inspirational array of colors.

Furniture

Your home office is a great opportunity to explore the most modern and ergonomic furniture. Regardless of how much time you spend working, you want to consider ways of improving your posture and well-being. Storage space is important too. You may find ways to eliminate the need for a desk or to stand and even exercise while working.

Resale

Offering a property for sale with a home office will definitely appeal to the Bay Area workforce who relocate to the mountains for a better quality of life. If you are converting a bedroom into an office, consider leaving the closet intact. A bedroom will always increase the value of a home, and a room without a closet is not considered a bedroom.

Design

There are many local architects who can help you expand the possibilities for a work area. You want a cross breeze during the warm summer and heating during the cold winter. You might even consider a small gas woodstove in your workspace.

The home office is a perfect opportunity to explore the many architectectural styles found in the Lake Tahoe basin. Interior designs often blend a rustic mountain feel with a touch of antique or industrial finishes. Other designs focus on creating the space to allow the outdoors to take precedence in the overall feel of the home.

Contact me today for more information about available homes for sale at Lake Tahoe or for a free property analysis of your existing home.