Plan an office online – workstations and home office
Last updated: 26 October 2026
You plan an office online by drawing the space with walls, doors and windows and then placing desks, chairs, cabinets and a meeting table. RoomPlanning shows you the area of every room, and in 3D you see whether walkways stay clear and daylight comes from the side. It works for a home office in the spare room just as well as for a team’s new office space.
How to plan your office in RoomPlanning
- Draw the space. Place the floor plan of the rented space under your plan as a reference image and trace the walls (Drawings and export, Drawing walls). Add windows and doors as you go (Doors and windows).
- Define zones. Decide where workstations, meetings, kitchenette, filing and a quiet room for calls will go. Divide open areas with a room divider, which splits rooms without being a real wall. That gives each zone its own area (Rooms and areas).
- Place workstations. In the catalog under Office & media you’ll find 120 and 160 cm desks, a corner desk, office chair, monitor, keyboard and laptop (Furnishing). Group desk, chair and monitor and copy the finished workstation with Ctrl + D.
- Set up the meeting area. Take one of the tables from the catalog, set its length and width and put chairs around it. Shelves, cupboards and sideboards are under Cabinets & shelves.
- Plan the services. Place sockets, network sockets and lights from the catalog and join them into circuits in the electrical plan (Garden and electrical plan).
- Look and agree. In the 3D view you check routes and light. With your team you walk through the space by link on a walkthrough together, up to eight people at once. For the landlord or contractors, export a PDF or a DXF file.
Finished examples are the Small office with six workstations, the Coworking space and the Garden office as a home office.
Rules of thumb for workstations
In Germany, the Technical Rules for Workplaces (ASR A1.2) set minimum areas for workrooms. For a home office they are a good guide. For binding planning at a company, the current version of the rule applies.
| What | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|
| Floor area of a workroom | at least 8 m² for one workstation, plus 6 m² for each additional one |
| Area per workstation in a single or team office | in practice about 8 to 10 m², including furniture and walkways |
| Area per workstation in an open-plan office | in practice about 12 to 15 m² |
| Free space at the workstation | at least 1.5 m², at least 1 m wide and 1 m deep |
| Desk | 160 × 80 cm recommended |
| Distance to the screen | about 50 to 80 cm, depending on screen size |
| Meeting table | about 60 to 80 cm of table edge per person, with around 1 m of space behind |
You’ll find more on the space between furniture in the guide Furniture clearances.
Setting up a home office
A plan pays off for a workstation at home too, especially if it shares a room with a guest bed or wardrobe.
- Light from the side. Place the desk so that you look parallel to the window. Facing the window causes glare, and with the window behind you the screen reflects.
- Enough depth. A desk 80 cm deep leaves room for monitor and keyboard at the right distance.
- Free space behind the chair. The chair must be able to roll back without hitting the bed or the wardrobe.
- Power and network. Plan sockets and a network socket where the desk stands, not behind the wardrobe.
Common mistakes
- Desk facing the window or with its back to it. Glare and reflections make work tiring.
- Walkways through the workstations. Whoever goes to the kitchenette shouldn’t have to pass behind every chair.
- Cabinet doors in the free space. An opening cabinet must not block the space at the desk.
- Nowhere to make calls. Open offices often lack a small room for conversations and focused work.
- Too few sockets. Monitors, laptops, printers and chargers add up quickly.
Frequently asked questions
How much space does an office workstation need?
The German workplace rules state at least 8 m² for the first workstation and 6 m² for each additional one. In practice you allow about 8 to 10 m² per workstation in a single or team office, including furniture and walkways.
Can I plan my home office for free?
Yes. RoomPlanning is free and runs in the browser, with no sign-up. Draw the room, put in desk and chair and check in 3D how the space feels.
Can I agree the plan with my team?
Yes. You share the plan by link or invite up to eight people to a walkthrough together. Guests don’t need an account and can point out a spot in the room.
Can I pass the office plan on?
Yes. You export it as a scaled PDF, as an image or as a DXF file for CAD programs. A sheet combines floor plan, area schedule and electrical legend.
