Read the latest news from Centurion DIY Conservatories, from our latest products to unmissable special offers. Don’t forget, we also manufacture DIY uPVC windows and doors!

Conservatories: An Inspiring Office Space

16 December 2014

When planning your own home-office space, don't feel constrained to replicate every drab detail of a dedicated 'workplace' – functional décor, overlooking a concrete paradise, etc.

Considered logically, converting a conservatory into office space offers several advantages over the traditional 'spare-bedroom' option.

Natural daylight

Whilst a suave dark-wood and leather study furnished with a suite of bookshelves and elegant bookcases undoubtedly conveys a certain sophistication and commitment, it hardly constitutes an optimal modern working environment.

In biological terms, daylight is an essential requirement for maintaining and regulating the human 'body clock' (circadian rhythm). This mechanism determines brain function and other critical physiological processes, thus for example, affecting daytime alertness as well as sleep patterns.

The link between good natural daylight and optimum performance in working environments is well supported by psychological studies, which have in turn informed the UK HSE (Health and Safety Executive) workplace regulations. And from this natural-light perspective, a household conservatory would make an excellent work space.

Though too much light can be equally unhelpful, a well-planned layout will avoid glare and curtains, drapes and blinds can be used to add style, contribute privacy, and control optimum light levels.

Defined workspace

Home-working always benefits from a clear separation of domestic and professional environments. Here again, because a conservatory is an architectural extension, it is already defined as a separate space, whereas a spare-room office always means surrendering an integral part of your personal home space.

Not only will this arrangement help to define work and private space, any separate conservatory access will also mean your domestic life will never be interrupted by work colleagues and business contacts.

Time out

Gazing at a computer screen whilst confined in a tiny room is never the healthiest form of working. However, those fortunate enough to have a beautiful garden just a glance away can enjoy regular breaks by simply looking up to refocus tired eyes.

Likewise, the proximity of your garden allows easy access to a breath of fresh air and a pleasant change of scene during those inevitable 'take five' moments when you most need such natural therapy.

Verdant benefits

Psychological studies of the workplace environment have also consistently endorsed the benefits of regular access to green spaces in terms of improved physical and psychological well-being. In particular, it has been noted that appropriate biodiversity enhances this effect. So in layman's terms, you're much better off looking out over your beautiful garden than just a scruffy patch of landscaped turf!