HOW-TO
Outdoor Offices
HOW-TO
Outdoor Offices
Outdoor Offices Extend the Livability of Your Home
DIY projects using Cabot stain help make the most of living and working spaces
How we define and think about home is evolving. Its importance in our lives is changing too.
Today, home is more than the place we gather with family and friends to share food and fun. It is now where we work, play, learn, do business, celebrate, entertain, live, return to center and do … so much more. And with entire households spending more time together under the same roof, space has quickly become a precious commodity—it’s something everyone needs at all hours of the day but is not always easy to find.
This need for space has driven homeowners beyond the four walls of their homes to yards, patios and gardens, in search of viable areas for their families to grow in. It has also redefined the importance of really loving the space you’re in, wherever it might be, indoors or out. After all, the insides of our homes are extensions of ourselves, reflective of styles, passions and personalities.
Why should our outdoor spaces be any different?
An outdoor project DIYers are tackling in growing numbers is outdoor workspaces, which offer a versatile solution for those in need of a designated area conducive to remote work situations, doing homework, crafting and much more. From outside offices and desks to other furniture geared toward outdoor living, these create a unique way to elevate the exterior of your home. They also add usable square footage with a variety of uses and ensure there’s a go-to spot for every member of the family, any time. Plus, regardless of the work being done, you’ll reap the health benefits that come from being outdoors, including improved brain function and energy levels.
With a helping hand from Cabot’s easy-to-use wood preparation and professional-quality stains, transforming your favorite small, mid-sized, or large open-air spot into a workspace with one of these top outdoor furniture trends will be a picnic.
- Outdoor office: Desk
- Outdoor office: Café
- Outdoor office: Shed
Designed to be both functional and practical, this outside workspace includes room for every must-have workday essential, regardless of the job you’re doing. It’s sturdy enough to trust with your laptop, notebooks and other office equipment, yet spacious enough for you to spread out with pots, plants and bags of soil necessary for tackling annual landscaping tasks. To get the most out of this outdoor office item, we recommend adding wheels to each leg for convenience, so you, the kids and other members of the family can take full advantage of the goes-anywhere-so-you-can-work-from-anywhere work surface.
When there’s nothing but sunny skies ahead, roll it into the yard or onto your paver walkway—soak it up and enjoy. If rain is in the forecast, slide it onto your patio or under an awning so you’re still able to sneak your daily dose of fresh air without getting drenched in the process.
Think modern conference room without the four walls, harsh lighting and bad carpet. With the look of a beautiful outdoor café or dining room, this project is perfect for those needing a bit more room to work. With a focus on transforming a porch, patio or small portion of yard into an outdoor workspace complete with pergola-style roof and partitions, this project seeks to create a designated workspace that gives the feeling of being indoors when you’re outside.
This one-room option delivers a more permanent outdoor workspace—complete with door, work surface and electricity—that is entirely separate from your living space. A folding door lets warm breezes and sunshine in or shuts out wet and windy conditions. It’s cozy and calming, yet conducive to getting things done.
Outdoor Workspace Benefits
Whatever your preference for an outdoor office or other workspace, there are countless ways to embrace the current trend toward outside living spaces and tailor your DIY undertaking to best meet your family’s needs. In addition to the on-trend outdoor desk, café and shed projects, using our Cabot brand stains as inspiration to beautify your home’s outdoor spaces is a great way to make the most of that extended livability and seamlessly translate your style from the indoors out.
Time spent outdoors and exposed to nature is known to reduce both the physical and mental impacts of stress on the human body. Muscle tension and blood pressure are proven to be reduced, while endorphin levels receive a good boost from fresh air and vitamin D and brain activity is rejuvenated, resulting in significant improvements to mood, and mental and emotional well-being overall—just in case you needed a few more reasons to take your work beyond the confines of your home.