Design Guides
Home Office Design Guide
Updated 2 min read
The short answer
A workspace used eight hours a day has different requirements from a spare-room desk. The decisions that matter are desk height set to the person using it, monitor top edge at or just below eye level, a window to the side rather than in front of or behind the screen, and cable management designed in rather than added later.
Ergonomic dimensions
General guidance for a seated workstation. Individual proportions vary — adjust to the person who will actually use the desk rather than defaulting to a standard.
| Element | Typical range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Seated desk height | 710–750mm | Standard office height is 730mm. |
| Standing desk height | 1000–1200mm | Depends on user height; adjustable is better. |
| Desk depth | 600–750mm | Below 600mm forces monitors too close. |
| Knee clearance width | 600mm min. | Avoid pedestals in that zone. |
| Monitor distance | 500–750mm from eyes | Roughly arm’s length. |
| Monitor top edge | At or just below eye level | Higher causes neck strain over a full day. |
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Design decisions
- Window position
- A window to the side. Behind you it puts glare on the screen and silhouettes you on video calls; in front of you it makes the screen hard to read against bright light.
- Two-person layouts
- Facing desks, an L along two walls, or a shared run. Two people on calls in one room is an acoustic problem as much as a spatial one, and it should be discussed openly at design stage.
- Cable management
- A grommet at the surface, a tray beneath, and a ventilated cabinet for the power bar and network hardware. Trivial to design in; intrusive to retrofit.
- Printer access
- A pull-out shelf on full-extension slides so the paper tray can be loaded without lifting the printer.
- The video-call background
- What sits behind you is now part of the brief — shelving with considered spacing, a wall treatment, or simply a clean surface designed deliberately.
- Layered lighting
- Especially in basement offices with only an egress window. A single ceiling fixture is not enough for a full working day.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct desk height?
Around 730mm suits most adults, but the right height is the one where your elbows sit at roughly 90 degrees with shoulders relaxed. A built-in desk should be set to its primary user. If two people of very different heights share it, a separate adjustable unit is the better answer.
Where should the window be relative to my desk?
To the side. A window behind you puts glare on the screen and makes you a silhouette on video calls; a window in front makes the screen difficult to read against bright daylight. Side lighting avoids both.
What works for a basement home office?
Lighter cabinetry finishes, layered artificial lighting rather than a single overhead fixture, and keeping some wall visible rather than filling it floor to ceiling — many Calgary basements have limited ceiling height and full-height millwork can feel oppressive. Confirm there are no moisture issues before installing against a foundation wall.
Want this applied to your space?
Send a few details and we will look for an available contractor to review the project. Free, no obligation.
We review every estimate request. Any next step depends on confirming a suitable available contractor — there is no guaranteed callback or quote timeframe.