How to get your home office design right
a step by step guide

Explore home office equipment ideas in South Africa

Once seen as a luxury, a home office is now a must-have for modern work. The movement towards “working from home” has increased the demand for an ergonomically pleasing and modern home office for many people.

Use this page as a guide to upgrade your home workspace or design one from scratch. We include relevant tips to help you along the way, and high-quality products and furniture for your home office including ergonomic office chairs, and desks, as well as storage accessories for home offices.

Before you get started, it’s important to establish how you will use your new home workspace.

Step 1: Ask these questions before you decide on your home office design

Before you can design your home office you need to establish your requirements and understand what sort of furniture your home office will need. Start by answering these questions:

  1. What type of work will I be doing?

  2. What equipment and/or technology will I use?

  3. Will clients visit my office?

  4. Do I need space for any colleagues coming over?

  5. How can I store frequently used items and documents?

  6. Will I need to use video conferencing?

  7. How much light and furniture do I need in my workspace?

Answering these simple questions will help you decide what you need to include and keep in mind when designing a modern home office.

Once you have the answers, your next step is finding a location for your office.

Finding a quiet space free from distractions is your best bet. If you have the space, consider how you could turn an existing room in your home into a home workspace. A spare bedroom, garden office room, or converted garage can make the perfect home office extension. If space is an issue, see if you can get creative with your existing space. An unused corner of your living/dining room or a room that sees little use during the day are good options for a work-from-home office space.

Now that you’ve got an idea of your requirements and the space you have to work with we can move on to the exciting part – designing your office!

office desks that reduce back pain

Reduce back, neck and body strain

productive office desk

Maximise productivity

durable office desk equipment

Durable support for equipment

computer and phone icon

Adjustable to your workflow

Step 2: Get the essential furniture & be creative with your home office ideas

When designing or redesigning your home office, it’s a good idea to think creatively to utilise the space you have in a functional manner.

Start by brainstorming and determining the essential furniture and supplies you need to make your home office a functional space.

These are the three essentials you’ll need in an office:

  • An ergonomically designed chair
  • A functional desk
  • Storage

If you have a small space, consider smaller furniture and furniture that serves multiple purposes. Also consider the design of the furniture and if you’ll be spending a lot of time sitting at a desk, consider including ergonomic furniture and office accessories like monitor arms and risers.

Step 3: Choose a quality chair for your home office

A good chair makes the world of difference in any workspace.

If your budget is tight, or you’re looking to invest in the most important bits of your home office first – start with a high-quality ergonomic chair.

When selecting an office chair, you need to look out for chairs that offer lumbar support and adjustable components to reduce strain and provide optimal comfort.

All Office has a large selection of high-end office chairs and ergonomically certified office chairs that are suitable for your home office. Explore our top sellers below and order online, with door-to-door delivery available across South Africa.

high back office chair

Chairs

Ascot High Back Office Chair with Arms

8 Year
Warranty
black ergonomic office chairadjustable arms office chair

Chairs

Accent | Certified Ergonomic Chair

R3,545.00
8 Year
Warranty
cassie certified ergonomic chaircassie home office desk chair

Chairs

Cassie | Certified Ergonomic Chair

R3,845.00
8 Year
Warranty
ergonomic home office chairblack home office chair south africa

Chairs

Adapt Black | Certified Ergonomic Chair

Find the perfect desk to complete your home office

Once you have your chair to support you during long working hours, let’s move on to finding a desk that’s ideal for your modern home office space.

Measure the size of the room in which your home office is based and make sure your desk will fit comfortably, with room to spare.

Also consider the amount of space you’ll need to support important equipment you’ll use throughout the day, such as a laptop or desktop computer, monitors, your keyboard and notepads.

Next, consider comfort, and productivity. Selecting a standing desk (height-adjustable) might be best for some, while others might prefer a smaller-style, computer desk or budget desk to match a more compact home office.

If space is tight, or your home office will be in a multi-purpose room, you should also consider a multi-functional office desk that includes some storage to keep your desk tidy and clear when not in use without taking up extra space.

We stock a leading selection of office desks for home offices in South Africa including height adjustable desks. We’ve collected some of our top selling desks for home offices below.

Order online from All Office for door-to-door delivery nationwide.

Studio Home DeskStudio Home Desk
Out of stock

Desks

Studio Home Desk 1200mm

R2,274.00
SALE!
home office desk south africaHome Desk | Home Office | Home Office Desk

Desks

Flexiline Home Desk 1600mm

R4,454.00
Home Desk 1350mm whiteWhite Top Home Office Desk 1350mm

Desks

Home Desk 1350mm

R3,600.00
loop home office deskloop home workspace

Desks

Loop Home Office Desk 1200mm

SALE!
Studio Home Desk with Wall Unit | Home Office | Home Office DeskStudio Home Desk with Wall Unit | Home Office | Home Office Desk

Desks

Studio Home Desk with Wall Unit 1200mm

R3,391.00

Explore solutions for home office storage

Storage is important to keep any home office organised. Furniture for storage comes in many shapes and sizes, and can be used to house anything from equipment, to stationery and documents.

Storage solutions for home offices include modern filing cabinets, modular storage options, shelving units, bookcases that double as both stylish and functional, and more.

We’ve selected some of the top sellers from our range of storage furniture, available online for delivery across South Africa.

Contract BookcaseContract Bookcase

Bookcases & Multi Units

Maple Contract Bookcase

R1,507.00 – R2,712.00
Contract Hinged Door Bookcase | 2, 3, 4 and 5 Tier Variations | All OfficeContract Storage
Out of stock

Bookcases & Multi Units

Maple Contract Hinged Door Bookcase

R2,580.00 – R3,940.00
3 Drawer Mobile Pedestal White

Storage

3 Drawer Mobile Pedestal White

Step 4: Create an effective workspace layout

Now that you’ve chosen furniture, you should consider how you are going to arrange your workspace and home office layout. Consider your daily tasks and put frequently used equipment/supplies within easy reach and less frequently used items further away.

stack home office desk

Step 5: Add the finishing touches with decorative items

Once you have these components, your workspace will be able to meet your needs, and you can take it a step further by adding decorative items for a more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing working environment.

Why Choose All Office?

Established in 1978, All Office has become synonymous with the supply of high quality, ergonomically-designed office furniture. We deliver the very best in quality, with a long-standing tradition of not only meeting but exceeding customers’ expectations.

We stand behind our five-year guarantee on every purchase, catering for every individual customer’s needs. We believe in providing a five star experience from high product quality to prompt delivery, after-sales service, professional expertise and advice.

Our client portfolio spans across South Africa and includes brands such as ABSA Bank, Barclays, Microsoft, Cadbury, Clicks, Coca-Cola, Seeff, Nedbank, Shoprite, Sasol, Truworths, Distell and De Beers – to name a few.

We work with an extensive network of distributors in Africa and are able to deliver your office chairs, and other office furniture across South Africa.

Home Office Bachelor Apartment Scene

Additional office furniture: Save space & promote better ergonomics

Wrap up your home office design with high-quality accessories to help you curate the perfect workspace. 

Select office accessories from our range including high-end office chairs, storage solutions and comfortable furniture including couches, ottomans and more. We also stock premium monitor arms that allow you to save desk space and promote better ergonomics. Adjust monitor height for better posture, to alleviate neck, back and eye strain. 

Discover our range of quality office accessories.

Explore Office Chairs

What Our Customers Say

Matt Miszczak

Matt Miszczak

The product itself is 5 stars, but what really made me happy with this company was the customer service. When placing the order (before checkout) I was advised that the item was out of stock so I would need to wait but they gave me an expected delivery date. Closer to the date they kept me informed about delays with customs (as is standard in SA I feel) and even followed my unique special delivery instructions. Everyone I dealt with was exceptionally great! :)

Nick James

Lynn’s service was exceptional! I ordered a chair online and was called within the hour to be informed that they were waiting for stock. I was offered a temporary chair which was delivered the same day. I have been constantly updated throughout this process and Lynn is an asset to your business. Thank you. The best service I have received in ages.

All Office Google Reviews
Read More Reviews

Frequently asked questions about home offices design

What is a home office?

A home office is generally defined as a designated space in one’s home or residence used for business purposes. Home offices are used by self-employed individuals or remote workers to conduct tasks related to business. Home office spaces have become far more prevalent in recent years as the trend toward the modern world of remote working and flexible working hours continues to grow around the world.

There are many ways to approach the design of the layout of your home office. Many tutorials may recommend that you draw a basic floor plan of the room, which might take a little while but is completely worth it to bring the vision for your home workspace into reality.

Incorporate accurate measurements to ensure you have space for all elements – including your desk, chair, storage and other decorative items.

Also consider the flow of the space you are using and ensure the opening of doors and drawers are not impeded. While windows are desirable for the view and light, be aware of where you place your desk and screen relative to a window as screen glare and backlight can be problematic.

Video calls at home can be tricky, but creating a home workspace conducive to client calls can be achieved by trying some of our helpful tips below:

  • Assess the level of surrounding noises


Surrounding levels from building sites, or noisy neighbours needs to be considered before selecting a space for your home office. If you are experiencing issues with noise, consider some soundproofing tips for making your working environment more peaceful.

  • Consider your internet connection in your home office

    Dropped calls, audio and video glitches are a hassle when working from home. When setting up your home office, consider your WiFi strength within your workspace.

    If possible it’s always better to utilise a wired connection which is possible by connecting an ethernet cable to your router which will need to be positioned nearby. You can also try a powerline kit for more remote spaces. Powerline network kits utilise adapters connected to your router and remote device to create a wired internet connection using the electrical framework inside your home.

 

  • Try a high-quality camera

    Investing in a high-quality webcam is a great idea to improve the quality of your video calls. Webcams typically last many years and are relatively affordable as most entry-level HD webcams will do the trick.

 

  • Build an impression with a functional or decorative backdrop


If you want to set the scene for your video calls, and curate an atmosphere for your home work environment, try incorporating a backdrop of some kind.

Some may go as far as wallpapering the wall behind them, however, incorporating bookcases with materials and decorative items is an amazing way to build an impression. Select books and decorative items that speak to your personality and make your environment more inviting to the viewer.

Soundproofing a home office will depend on your specific preferences and the source of the interruptive noise you are experiencing.

There are many acoustic treatments you can follow when building a home office from scratch, but if your home workspace already exists you may need to try using types of acoustic foam panels. You would need to apply these to walls inside your space.

For old doors that lead to sources of noise, you can find acoustic doorsets designed to provide excellent soundproofing.

Another way to limit noise when taking calls is to invest in a studio microphone setup with a sound isolation shield (also known as a reflective filter). Pair this with a high-quality pair of noise-cancelling headphones and you will be able to cut out most interruptions.

If you are looking to offset home office costs and ensure you are compliant, we recommend consulting SARS requirements for claiming home office expenses and speaking to a registered tax consultant.