Social studies

The environment in which a family member studies is important as it can drastically enhance the productivity and effectiveness of the time spent. In the modern era of laptops, it seems any area such as a bed or sofa could be used to work. However, a good study space should eliminate external distractions and, therefore, aid concentration.

You will find that a dedicated study space also helps delineate the areas in your home used for pleasure or work. Compartmentalising in this way mentally prepares the student to devote time to study and in contrast gives them a true feeling of relaxation as they finish and join the rest of the household.

The location of your designated study is one of the most important considerations. Ideally you want to choose an area which is not on the general route of traffic in your home. To help further minimise distractions, ensure it does not suffer from “noise pollution” from other rooms (such as the TV). If you have the luxury of a guest room, consider converting this into a multi-use room. Installing a desk and storage and replacing a bed with a sofa bed will give you a dedicated working environment that can still be utilised for guests when appropriate.

Alternatively, seek out a small area in the corner of a less used room in the home (or part of a bedroom). It is even possible to create a perfectly good study area from space under the stairs. The trick here is to use self-contained furniture that expands to meet your work requirements and can then be closed up to save space. A good example is Halo’s Montana Office Chest (£699; www.haloliving.co.uk – 0161 923 0500).

You can even create a “mini-office” by installing shelves and a desktop within a small fitted cupboard. The joy of this is that the door can be closed after work has finished, effectively “shutting the office” and returning the area to its original use.

There are a few basic requirements to take into account when developing the study. Firstly, the provision of decent electrics. In the modern study environment the PC is king and it usually comes with a whole load of peripherals requiring their own power sources. So a bank of plug sockets (or at least a good quality multi-adaptor with surge protection) is a must. The minimum I would suggest is four – allowing for a broadband router, PC/laptop, printer and study light.

The next consideration is storage. For a study area to work effectively it has to be neat and tidy as it has been shown that this aids concentration in most people. The provision of shelves and drawers is essential to ensuring rammel does not threaten the peace of the area. Easy access to files, archiving and reference books is essential and the ability to place pens, discs and paper in drawers creates an organised and less distracting environment. Provide the largest desk surface possible within your study: the homeworker is likely to be using reference books, notebooks and a PC – as well as a desk lamp.

Lighting is particularly important, with the task lamp being essential to creating a good study environment. This type of lamp is designed to shine directly upon the “task in hand” without creating shadow interference from the head of the person studying – as can happen from overhead light. It also helps eliminate eye strain and makes studying for longer periods far easier. The jointed style light is perfect for this, which is why the Original 1227 Anglepoise Lamp (designed in 1934) is still in production today (£180; www.anglepoise.com – 02392 224450). Alternatively, the High Street has some great options, such as the Ben De Lisi Home Desk Lamp at Debenhams (£30).

The final piece in the furniture puzzle is the chair that you work on. You need a comfortable and posture enhancing desk chair to promote efficient and effective study. Dining chairs get an E Minus for effort. A comfy cushion base is essential, along with the ability to easily alter the height and provide good (ideally adjustable) back support. Prices range dramatically, but investing in a good quality, basic chair such as the John Lewis Caine Office Chair (£79) will pay dividends over time. For the style conscious among you, junk shop desk chairs can be re-upholstered and revived to provide retro chic design pieces. For longevity, consider using a good cloth such as those available from Melin Tregwynt who specialise in iconic Welsh weaves (sourcing some of their wool from Yorkshire); www.melintregwynt.co.uk. When it comes to colour schemes keep things warm, but neutral (stone and mink works wonderfully) to promote a feeling of security and to avoid distractions. Add dashes of inspirational colour to pep up both the mind and the design via your choice of desk lamp colour and wall art.

Above all ensure that whoever uses the area last leaves it neat and tidy. That will ensure that the next user can get straight down to work, then maximise their leisure time with the hard graft behind them.

Jamie Hempsall, BIID, is an award-winning interior designer. Visit him at www.jamiehempsall.com or contact him on 0800 032 1180.