How can I cosy up the office?

[LivingDeadGirlUK]

So we have been told we will be working from home for at least the rest of the year. My partner has always worked from home in our shared office. I've had to concede that my previous belief that he was just a bit nesh may have been slightly unjustified, the office does get a bit cold.

Now its coming into winter and I'm trying to think how to warm the room up a bit, we do have the heating on all day but the room is coldest in the house as its above the internal garage.

At the moment we have blinds so was thinking curtain could help, but I also don't really like sitting in the dark like my partner does.

Cold feet is an issue, we both wear slippers but you can still feel the chilly floor, I feel like we need some kind of fluffy box to put our feet in under our desks lol.

The last resort is the mini electric heater but it seems excessive with the house heating on as well, its not that we can't afford the heating bill but it does feel wasteful.

So looking for some top tips to make a room more cosy!

Sorry but I have a little heater under my desk that I out in intermittently to warm my feet up. Also a lovely cosy soft rug. I have a blanket under me on my chair and a shawl I wrap around me if I am not in meetings. Do you have a carpet or wooden floor? I imagine that might make a difference. Otherwise ... I use lamps instead of a harsh overhead light to made it cosier and I always have a candle burning in the background. Also plants and fresh flowers which are new, but I am spending so long just in one room (until march according to my employer) and I am doing whatever it takes to make it somewhere I want to be.

Have you thought about electric throws or just a warm fleece blanket/throw to wrap round you under the table and may be another one to place over the chair you sit on?

I have found slipper boots make a difference as well as a scarf. I personally wouldn't be keen on closing curtains as seeing a bit of daylight is essential for me, I need to get out for a walk at lunch too. Have you got a rug on the floor too?

I have a dog that sits on my feet which helps!

There is a thread about cosy clothes that may be useful:

Cold people: how do you keep warm WFH http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/styleandd_beauty/4069415-Cold-people-how-do-you-keep-warm-WFH

It's carpet, but the thinnest, cheapest, one that the developer could find by the feel of it! I'm def thinking fluffy rugs for under our desks.

I've got some throws we are not using on the sofa at the moment so will try the throw over the chair idea out!

I do need to sort the lighting out, I've not got very good eyesight so do need a decent level of lighting which I'm not going to get from the window in the darker months, maybe some uplighters, I'll have a look.

Thanks Tinkletwat, I'm already a fan of the uniqlo thermals but a heated blanket might be just what my partner needs!

Can you replace the carpet? If it’s a small room and it’s a cheap foam backed carpet without underlay, that will make a massive difference for not much more than buying heated throws etc. You could even get a laminate with a thermal underlay and then rugs over the top.

I’d definitely get curtains, they will help retain some heat even with them open during the day.

Hot water bottle on your lap, behind your back, or to put your feet on makes a big difference.

This should do it

I would get an oil filled radiator and turn the heating off in the rest of the house. I work in a north facing room and it's cold. I don't heat the rest of the house during the day, but my little radiator keeps my room cosy.

Ikea do decent sized thick rugs for around £40 I'd get something like that for where you sit.
I got cashmere fingerless gloves/ wrist warmers from Turle Doves and they are lovely and cosy. If I'm cold in the house I will stick a scarf on.
And always wear a vest .

If you are able could you have under floor heating mats put in? You can buy mats that go down under floors and can be wired in. It would be a few hundred pounds but let's face it people are going to be working from home for much more time to come so would be an investment.
Failing that actual heat from a heater would be most effective. If you have one that has a thermostat it would be more effective unless you are ok with shrouding yourself with layers. Also you would only really need it on your coldest days.
Definitely brighter bulbs or a different fitting for extra light. A bit out there but you could have a sad lamp plugged in from time to time.

I have a huge fluffy blanket I use like a sleeping bag.

Have you tried working at a standing desk? I've done it and it's a lot easier on your back and neck and means you can comfortably wear a long shawl or even a cape.

Turn the heating in the rest of the house off whilst you are working and use a portable heater for the office

You can get rugs or feet warmers go ir your feet. From my experience of working from home a scarf or similar is essential, keeping the back of your neck warm makes quite a bit of difference.

Thick rug on the floor? Or maybe just under your desks. Hot water bottle to rest your feet on.

Wrist warmers.

Put a warm blanket on your chair that can be wrapped up over your legs.

Dehumidifiers put out some heat as well keeping damp at bay.

I have a heated throw and wear thermal leggings. The electric blanket lies over my knees and I fold it round my feet.

@LagneyandCasey I think I've found my partners xmas gift! :p

I've had to concede that my previous belief that he was just a bit nesh may have been slightly unjustified, the office does get a bit cold

🤭🤣

If you own it, I'd look into insulating between the garage & the floor.

If you don't own it i'd get a heavy duty rug/carpet to cover the whole floor.

I'll wear Marino thermals (& pretend I'm
Off skiing instead of working 🤣) and I'll wear 'soft shoes' (my preference is sketchers) but not slippers

Keep the heating on low/med in the rest of the house.

And buy an oil heater. Very very effective in one room.

But I cannot stand trying to work while wrapped in blankets or dressed like I'm going to play in the snow! I feel too slouchy/relaxed to work!!

Eskimo Hoodie / Oodie / huggle hoodie!
I have 3 now and live in them as they are so warm and cosy. I have saved a small fortune in heating since getting them.
Keep all doors closed to try and contain the heat.
Fleece blanket over your legs
Hot water bottles

My house if really cold, and the office is freezing!

I just want to clarify, I'm not a miser when it comes to the heating, its just my partner likes to be REALLY warm and will sit with the electric heater on baking himself, it gets so hot I actually feel uncomfortable. Since moving in with me he now owns slippers, which he never wore before, and goes to put a jumper on before the heating, but now with the central heating on it is still quite cool in the office while the rest of the house is bloody roasting.

I'd love a standing desk actually, at the moment I've a lovely large desk from IKEA which was great when I just used my PC in the evenings for gaming, but now I'm sat here all the bloody time an adjustable desk would be amazing.

Quite liking the idea of replacing the carpet, it is really thin and knackered, we have a lot of stuff and it might motivate us to throw/store it all properly :/ As PP says we could then increase the insulation between this room and the cold garage underneath.

I work in building services and wouldn't recommend electric underfloor heating anywhere other than a bathroom, its really expensive to run and you need a very well insulated house to make it effective.

Uggs

And obviously a rug, but real Ugg (and Emus) are the only boots that always keep my feet warm. They have a thick enough sole to insulate.

You should get a rug too. I do live in my Ugg at home, and we do have the heating on.

I love my Uggs, I used to get too hot at work when I wore them into the office lol