With fast Internet speeds, cell phones that allow you to connect practically anywhere in the world, and advances inn video conferencing technology, working from home has never been easier. While many of the people who work from home are freelancers or entrepreneurs trying to make a name for themselves, many corporations are starting to allow their trusted employees to work remotely.
Check out the best home office decoration ideas for the Year
Working from home definitely has its conveniences: you avoid commute times and don’t have to get dressed up to do your job. However, there are also unique challenges you’ll face if you work from home. It can be hard to focus on your work when you’re sitting at the kitchen table staring at a pile of dirty dishes, and there are plenty of other distractions you won’t find at the office.
Perhaps the key to successfully working at home is to carve out a space that is enticing and fits your needs. While we recognize that no two homes are alike, we hope that you’ll be inspired by some of these home office ideas. A few small tweaks to your space could make a big difference in your productivity.
1. A Tranquil Artist’s Space
This large L-shaped desk is the perfect solution for those who need a lot of space to do their job. You can have a computer on one side and open space for crafts, drawings, or whatever else you need on the other side. The predominately white space shown here is relaxing and elegant, especially with the hanging chandelier for light. However, the light blue color of the desk lends a fun pop of color. Set against the wall, the ornate hutch almost looks like built-in shelving, but it’s not. Completing the space is the artwork with an inspirational quote. Customize that to something that appeals to you.
2. All-Natural Nook
Not everyone has enough space for a full office in their house, and this picture shows how easy it is to transform a small nook in the home into an elegant and workable space. Having the desk and shelves stretch fully across the nook makes the space feel bigger, while the natural wood backsplash and touch of greenery in the plants gives it a homey feel. Large filing cabinets are perfect for storing client files, but you could choose to use smaller drawers if you have different needs.
3. Inspired By Color
The bright colors in this office design are sure to wake up your mind and help you stay focused, and mounting the very large computer screen on the wall is a great way to maximize the use of a small space. It allows you to use a small table for a desk rather than a large desk that would otherwise eat up the space. Floor-to-ceiling shelving offers ample storage space for whatever you may need, but what ties it together is the use of orange storage containers in different styles and sizes. When you’re choosing such bold colors for the walls and accessories, having simple artwork, like the black and white pictures here, is a good design choice.
4. Wide Open Spaces
This look is perfect for those looking for home office decorating ideas that minimize the clutter. A clean space means a clean mind. With the shelving that takes up the full wall, there’s plenty of space to store books and a uniquely modern chair makes the room – and your work – more interesting. This might be the perfect little nook for a writer. However, if you do need more storage space, don’t fret. Simply buy some cute storage boxes and place them on the shelves instead of books. Make the idea work for you.
5. Elegant Double-Duty Space
If you prefer elegant home decor, look no further. The almost-white walls and natural light from the doors makes this workspace bright and airy, while plush chairs add comfort and style to this workspace-for-two. The built-in shelving here might have once stored the family’s china, but it’s now an ideal place to keep your work supplies. Note the design on the ceiling, which tends to make the room look bigger than it is. The great thing about this working area is that it can easily double as a place to share a cup of tea with a friend.
6. DIY Writing Desk
The legs of this DIY writing desk may look like they come out of a carpenter’s workroom, but the coat of light blue paint assures you they do not. The number of small drawers are perfect for holding stationery and other things you might need to hand write letters to your friends. Patterned wallpaper and the artwork add a much-appreciated touch of fantasy to the office. This space works best for someone looking for a small workspace that fits their home design.
7. Wild Whimsy
Sometimes, you need home office decorating ideas that are going to make you feel inspired to get down to work. This brilliant design certainly fits the bill. Navy blue on the walls is a bold choice that’s softened by the gold and white accents and colorful pops on the walls. There’s a clean space to work and a small bit of storage space. This desk is tucked to the side of a wider living area, which goes to show that you can still have a dedicated place for your work even if you don’t have an entire room to use.
8. Exotic Workspace for Two
This ingenious space is ideal for families that have more than one person working from home. It makes use of the space at the top of the stairs – a spot that might otherwise go unused – and there’s plenty of room for two separate work areas. Adding color to the inside of the shelves is an interesting twist and the zebra-skin rug on the floor is a great conversation piece. Since this space is out in the open, you need to make use of the storage areas to keep things tidy.
9. Wonderful Wicker
When you’re looking for home office design ideas, sometimes you’re trying to create an office out of a small space like a pantry or walk-in closet. This picture shows a cute way of making your small space look great. The L-shaped desk is mounted to the wall, giving plenty of workspace. You could easily customize the size of this to fit your own space. Hanging cupboards above the desk gives you ample storage space to stash your things. What really ties this office together is the bright colors of the containers and the wicker in the chair and baskets, along with the wicker-inspired light fixture.
10. Sleek Office Space
If you have the space to create an large, open office, take advantage of it, like you see in this picture. The desk area takes up the entire wall, while cupboard doors keep everything discretely hidden. An additional chair provides a separate reading area or space for a partner to sit while you bounce ideas off of each other. Choose artwork that makes you feel inspired – a picture of your pet or kids and a motivational message can help you stay on track when other home responsibilities seem to call out to you.
11. Rustic Home Workspace
With its wood and brick motif, this unique home office blends nicely with the home decor in the attached room. With a commanding desk placed in the middle of the room, you’re bound to feel like a king – or at least the owner of a ranch. Having windows in the doors to the cupboards used for storage makes them feel open while still allowing you to contain some of the clutter. The focus piece, of course, is the large motivational art work. If you’re going to have something this big, make sure it’s something that really inspires you.
12. Wall of Art
Sometimes, all you need is a simple place to put your laptop when you need it. This home office is a practical part of the room’s design. Low shelving underneath the sprawling desk area houses the owner’s many books in a space that might otherwise have gone unused. What’s so inviting about this space is the wall that’s completely covered with art. The pieces are a mishmash of sizes and styles, yet they somehow all work together. This helps the orange and white chairs still look like they belong, even though they don’t match each other.
13. A Little Bit of Everything
This office space is ideal for those looking for home office ideas that serve multiple purposes. A large cabinet in the back makes it easy to store your supplies out of the way, while hanging file holders are a convenient place to store things for your current projects. With a small cart to the side, you can easily stash away your laptop in order to use the desk for another activity. The busy design of the flooring calls for other aspects of the room to be a bit more subdued. It’s all about finding that balance.
14. Old Fashioned Writer’s Desk
If you’re feeling like you might be the next Hemmingway, this home office is bound to keep you inspired. The room gets plenty of natural light, but the curtains can easily close at the nighttime when you want your privacy. Using older pieces as furniture for the office, as you’ll see with this desk, lends a certain aura, and the large green plants might make you feel like you’re in a jungle. While typewriter in this picture might be a bit too old fashioned to be practical, the rest of the room could hit your sweet spot.
15. Small But Stylish Meeting Place
Don’t let a small home make you feel like you can’t invite clients into your space. This picture shows that, with the right home decor, even a small space can accommodate a client meeting. The key to the room’s success is having a small work space for you to use and a larger, comfortable chair for your client to sit in. By placing the same small pop of color – in this case yellow – you’re able to tie all elements of the space together.
16. Corkboard Visions
This picture just goes to show that if you have a little nook, you can have a workable office space. What’s lovely about this is its simplicity – all you need is a basic desk and chair. Adding corkboard to the full wall is an inspired move. Use it to hang things that will motivate you to do your best work. Treat it like a vision board, showing pictures of the things you want most in life. Since it’s just corkboard, it’s easy to swap out your pictures from time to time as your dreams and motivations change.
17. Clear Out a Space
With a large, dedicated workspace like this, you’ll love coming to work and be able to get a lot of work done. Furnishing a space at home means that you can look for home office furniture that’s unique, like the glass desk shown here. Small red accents throughout the space – in the lounge chair, the light fixture, the lamp, the artwork, and flowers – give it an energizing feel and really make the office feel complete. The textured design on the back wall adds a subtle interest; it works since it continues behind the shelving.
18. Modern Wood Paneling
Wood paneling was popular in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and most people think of it as being an outdated style. You can clearly see here how the look has been updated for the modern age. Paneling on the walls sets this office apart, while the white accents and mid-century modern chairs connect the space to the rest of the home design. This is key when you are setting up your office in a common space. You want the area to feel like a separate space while still flowing well with other areas of the home. This designed nailed that concept.
19. A Study in Contrasts
Most of the time, home office design focuses on having light colored walls to give the room a professional feel. That’s what makes the choice of black so compelling. Yet, when paired with the stark white of the wall next to it, it obviously works. Each element in this space has been carefully chosen in either black or white, down to the pencils in the holder. On the walls, clipboards and clothespins hold things up, which is a fantastic idea for those who might want to swap things out frequently or use the wall space to keep track of a to-do list.
20. Orange You Glad You Work From Home?
White almost always makes a small space feel open and airy, and when you need home office ideas for a smaller space, it’s a pretty safe choice. However, it can get a bit boring. Jazz it up a bit by choosing a bright color and adding small accents in that color throughout the space. In this small office, they’ve chosen a bright orange and incorporated into just a few elements, such as the boxes, the tissue box cover, the chair and the plant’s pot. It’s not overwhelming, but the energy it gives to the space works well.
21. Chic Geometric Look
A gold-leaf patterned wallpaper sets the space apart and adds a touch of refinement to the sleek white style of the desk. With the blacker-than-black accents in the hanging geometric solids and the interestingly shaped lamp, you’ll feel like a real pro. When you’re setting an office area in a small corner of another room, you might have a tendency to save space by sticking the desk in the corner and facing the wall. In this picture, you’ll see that when you set it just a bit away from the wall, you’ll take up the same space while having a much better view.
22. Window Seat Office
Window seats are a lovely feature often found in older homes, and many people enjoy sitting there while reading a book and sitting in the sunlight. If you have one that’s going unused, this picture shows how you can easily transform that space into a usable home office that fits right in with the design of the home. Simply raise the seat up to desk level. Bookshelves facing in toward the desk make good use of that space, while the cupboards and drawers on the sides are perfect for other types of storage.
23. Plush Office Oasis
If you’re looking for home office design ideas that serve a variety of work purposes, check out this great space. The bright blue color encompasses the walls, desk, and ceiling, and it’s both surprising and exciting – a great color for sparking creative ideas. The shag carpet is cozy and inviting, making you feel happy to spend long hours working in this room. Best of all, the room has a large couch with comfortable sitting chairs across the room. This gives you a more comfortable space for relaxing while reading for work or pleasure and acts as a great casual meeting space for co-workers and friends.
24. The Office Under the Stairs
The space under the stairs might be used for simple storage, but it’s often dead space that’s underutilized. Since there’s no door, the small space doesn’t feel as claustrophobic as it might otherwise feel, and the wooden desk and white chair blend well with the home decor of the rest of the space. Small knick-knacks are there for inspiration, but you could easily use those shelves to store reference materials or other things you might need for your current projects.
25. Fantastically Feminine
With the gold accent lamps and the sculpture climbing up the wall, this office definitely has a feminine feel, but that might be the right fit for your personality. When you’re creating a home office space, you need something that inspires you. Don’t feel pressured to stick with sleek functionality. Note how the space is defined by the carpet underneath it. This is yet another example of the way that you can define a working space within a larger room like a living room or bedroom when you aren’t able to have a purely dedicated space.
26. An Office in the Woods?
Wallpaper has come a long way, and you shouldn’t feel afraid to use it in a unique way. This room has wallpaper that looks like the woods, but you could also find some that looks like a jungle or the beach for a completely different feel. The shelves made from ladders are a unique way to solve your shelving problem without using the typical shelves. As in the picture before it, this person has used a small carpet to really separate the work space from the rest of the room. You might imagine that the other half of the room could be a play space for the kids or an open space for exercise.
27. Chalkboard Fun and Work
If you’re choosing to work at home in order to spend more time with your children, you know how difficult it can be to find that balance. Chalkboard paint is a fun way to give your kids something to do while you’re at work. Paint a wall or two using this special paint, and you’re able to instantly have a convenient place for your calendar or to-do list as well as a place for your kids to do their “work” while you do yours. With a simple desk mounted into the nook, this picture shows that it’s not always the home office furniture that makes the space perfect. Sometimes, it’s the other little touches.
28. A Blending of Styles
You don’t always need to stick with a single home office design plan, as you can see in this picture. The standing floor lamp and orange chair have a mid-century modern feel to this office space, but the wood paneling on the shelves and desk feels more like the ‘70s. Some might say that the Chinese artwork on the shelves would clash with the jungle-theme of the zebra rug, but it’s clear that sometimes, you can keep everything that you like in the same space. It’s your office, and it should bring you pleasure.
29. Fabulous Florals
Having fresh, brightly colored flowers in your office space is a great way to help you feel calm and focused. In this room, flowers are placed in vases of various sizes, adding some height, while the potted plants add necessary green. When you make use of vases, you can easily swap out the flowers are your mood changes. The simple wooden desk shown here can be either a computer desk or a writing desk, and the color works well with the wood in the ceiling. This is a fine office area for someone looking for office design ideas that are simple and don’t go overboard.
30. Clean and Simple
The desk may be small and simple, but it might be all you need to set up your home office. The space is overwhelmingly white, which can give it a clinical feel, but it’s just the type of space that many people prefer when working. A pillow jazzes up an otherwise uncomfortable chair, while the collection of art on the walls helps define the space. Using art that’s predominantly white with a white matte and white frames is an interesting choice, but it definitely fits with the home design this person has chosen.
31. Setting Aside Space
While we’ve seen other home office design ideas that make use of carpeting to define the space of the office, this work space uses the lack of carpeting to separate the office area from the living area. Despite the difference in spaces, gold in the office chair and hanging birdcages helps the office blend in with the rest of the room. When you’re using a single room for multiple purposes like this, you typically want to make choices that both define the space and incorporate some of the same home design elements. This designer has done this well.
32. The Artful Office
Those in the business of creating things often need office design ideas that feature a lot more storage space than the average office worker needs. With built-in shelving and drawers along two of the walls, you certainly won’t be lacking for space in here. Painting the backs of the shelves adds visual interest to any space, but this is unique in that in uses a solid color in some areas and a design in others. Colorful accents like the chairs and storage containers add energy to the bright white room and a large desk in the center offers the space you need to work.
33. Shades of Gray
Gray might seem like an unusual choice when it comes to home office decorating ideas, but you can see here how it can make the space look stately and masculine, especially with the varying shades. The design of the desk is reminiscent of old-fashioned traveling trunks, and it ties in nicely with the upholstery of the couch. In a different room, the shelving on the back wall would probably be used as a buffet or china cabinet to hold the fancy dishes. This just goes to show how a good piece of furniture could serve a variety of purposes. Lighting is important as well, and here an ornate chandelier offers lighting when the natural light from the windows is no longer enough.
34. Perfectly Patterned
Your mom may have told you not to mix your patterns when getting dressed, but this picture shows how that can work when it comes to your home office design. The striped wallpaper still looks nice next to the patterned wallpaper because they incorporate the same colors. A sturdy desk and chair will make you feel in-charge as you complete your work. What’s especially nice about this room is the variety of lighting choices – the unique overhead lighting, small lamps mounted on the wall, a desk lamp, and a standing floor lamp, in addition to the natural light that comes in the sheer curtains. This allows you to adjust the lighting for your mood, whether you’re working late nights or relaxing with a good book.
35. Shifting Spaces
The desk and storage cabinets in this room are all on wheels, which is more than an interesting design choice. It’s also practical. With the wheels, you can easily change the furniture around to meet your current needs or simply push things to the side if you want to use the room for something other than work. It’s a good solution for small spaces. A large calendar is helpful for keeping track of the days and your appointments. This version turns a necessary feature into wall art. Again, we see how bits of bright color in the design stand out nicely against white home office furniture.
36. Photographic Memories
Customizing a desk and storage areas to completely fill up the wall in the room you have is a great way to maximize your work space. This person finds inspiration in old black-and-white and sepia-toned photos, and chooses to completely cover the back wall with these pictures. To tie in other elements of the room with those photos, storage boxes, curtains, and other knick-knacks are in similar colors. If you were to use the same ideas on the other side of the room, you’d have a great office space that works for two people.
37. Pretty (Modern) in Pink
Bright pink is such a fun, girly color, but you don’t want to go overboard. By pairing it with a predominantly black and white space, you create a modern space that’s still fun. Rather than using a traditional desk, they’ve painted a kitchen table in the pink to give it a completely different feel. Since you could pick up something like that at a thrift shop, it’s a good way to save some money. Use chalkboard paint on the back wall, then definite a calendar with tape – you can then easily change the dates and appointment reminders each month without having to start from scratch.
38. Birds of a Feather
The peacock design on this wallpaper might look a little busy, but you can’t say that this isn’t a fun look when compared to some other home office decorating ideas. The hanging light incorporates the same colors you see in the wallpaper, and using cages as bookshelves is an unusual choice that fits perfectly with this theme. The wood desk and bamboo-look chair complete the look. It’s creative and quirky, but it just might fit your personality.
39. Ornate Home Office
If you always felt like you missed your calling as a pampered movie star or dazzling diva, you’ll love stepping into this luxurious home office to do your work. The mirrored desk is ideal for anyone looking for something a little different than the average home office furniture, and the fuzzy carpet is inviting. Off-white patterned walls, an elegant chandelier, and a chair that looks like glass will make you feel like you’ve entered an oasis that’s as unique as you are.
40. Inspiration’s Nook
Pairing wood with white seems to be a popular motif when it comes to home office design ideas, and for good reason. They look great together. White feels clean and energized, while wood gives the feel of nature. You’ll find those same elements in this picture, along with the idea of hanging up a variety of artwork that makes you feel inspired. You may not have the space to hang large portraits, but you can still create a small collection of favorite pieces.
41. A Fashionable Office
If you work in a creative industry, you want your home workspace to reflect that creativity. The cube shelving shown here offers ample storage space, and if you want things to be a bit more hidden, you can purchase baskets to place in some of the spaces. Having the desk jut out from those shelves makes better use of the space, and allows you to have chairs on either side for client meetings. Sculptures, small post cards and other such elements are what really make the place stand out.
42. White and Silver Wonder
Sticking with two or three colors is an easy way in general to make your office space look well-designed, but it looks even more sleek when those colors are white and silver, as you see in this picture. You’ll certainly feel awake when you walk in here. One of the biggest challenges when using a unique desk, such as the desk top balanced on carpenter’s horses, is the lack of storage space underneath. This person solves the problem by placing cute storage boxes in between the legs.
43. A Part of Nature
With the wooden walls and desk and the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out into the woods, you almost feel like this office is an extension of the outdoors. Anyone with a home that sits on a gorgeous piece of land like this one should definitely make use of the view outside in their home design choices. This office space may be long and narrow, but it still has everything you really need to work efficiently, along with some extra seating.
44. Creating the Penthouse Suite
Have you always dreamed on the top floor with windows overlooking the city? You can get that feel even in the country by creating a mural of photographs, as seen in this picture. The light blue and white walls are calming, yet fun, and the design painted on the ceiling gives it a three-dimensional look.
45. Cozy and Funky Home Library
Floor-to-ceiling shelves cover the wall and offer you plenty of space to store your books, while the fireplace and cozy pillows and chairs invite you to settle in for some reading. If it’s time to work, though, you’ll feel inspired by the elegant table-turned-desk painted in a bright blue. Kitchy elements like the orange lamp and the pirate hat on the bust add a playful element that’s sorely missing in some home office ideas.
46. Retro Chic
With a leopard-print carpet and gold trim on the desk and accessories, you’ll feel like you’re stepping back in time to the days when style clearly mattered. This desk is small, so it should easily fit in just about any room, and placing it in front of a window gives you necessary light as well as a view to look at out. While the desk doesn’t have a lot of extra storage space, it’s the ideal home office design for someone who just needs to check emails after hours.
47. Energized with Colors
As you come up with home office ideas, it’s essential to fit in all the basics. This office has a desk, a shelf, and a small table to hold the printer, and they all make use of the same metal framing to make all the pieces come together. Bright reds, yellows, and oranges located throughout the space help you to feel energized as you sit down to work.
48. Repurposed Furniture
Sometimes, home office design seems to be trying too hard to mimic what you might expect in a traditional office. What makes this home workspace unique is the way that it uses many different types of furniture as office pieces. An armoire becomes office storage space; a dining room table becomes the desk; an easy chair becomes a special seat for clients. Also interesting is the way that the designer has used texture to tie elements together, as you see in the wreath and decorations hanging from the ceiling. They go well with the design on the carpet.
49. Wooden Simplicity
If you’re looking for inexpensive home office decorating ideas, take a look at this picture. You can easily purchase the simple wooden storage boxes at a craft store, and the desk is little more than a sanded-down panel of wood attached to the wall. Bare wood throughout the office area make this design effective, but you can easily make the space your own for a bit more money. Simply purchase some paints in your favorite colors to instantly transform this idea to better fit your personality.
50. A Touch of Pink
This large home office has a separate sitting area in the same room. The comfortable couch is the perfect place for going over edits or brainstorming new ideas. However, the commanding desk lets you know that this is indeed an office. The mostly-white space has a wide-open feel to it, but small elements break up the monotony. Gold trim on both the shelving and table, for instance, add some elegance, while the pink ombre curtains, pink boxes, and pink flowers add some much-needed color.
50 Functional and Stylish Home Offices to Keep You Focused
When you’re trying to plan out your home office design, it’s important to keep several things in mind. First, you need to think about functionality. What type of work will you be doing at home? How will you use your space? Will you need a lot of storage space? The needs of someone doing work on the computer are completely different than the needs of someone creating artwork. Seek out office design ideas that are right for the way you want to use the space.
You also need to consider the available space that you have in your home. If you’re working from home full-time and have a room that you can dedicate to work, you’ll want the types of home office ideas that can fill a large space. Those who don’t have this space, on the other hand, will need to seek out a home office design that can be just a small area. No matter how big or small your space, creating a dedicated place to work can help you stay focused.
By thinking your needs and your space and you look through the many pictures we’ve shown you, we hope that you’ll be able to design the home workspace that’s perfect for you. It’s a small home project that can reap big rewards.