Home Office Ideas

How to Create Your Dream Home Office

With so many employees switching to remote work, the need for stylish, functional home offices is on the rise. If you’re looking to design an efficient at-home work area, start by picking a location in your home that is comfortable and quiet. Next, choose practical furniture to keep the room organized and tie the whole look together with chic artwork and accents that personalize your space.

Overview

Check out this article for stylish home office ideas and helpful tips on:

Picking an at-home office location
Choosing comfortable and practical furniture
Adding chic decor to your home office

With chic and comfy furniture, you can turn almost any space into a stylish, functional home office.

Home Office Setup Locations

The first step in creating an at-home workspace is deciding where you want your office to be. You’re all set if you have an unused bedroom or partially finished basement. If not, you’ll need to get creative with your home office layouts and use a living room or shared bedroom corner. Try out some of these small home office ideas and tips for larger layouts to design a space of any size.

Bedroom Office Ideas

When setting up a bedroom office, it’s important to avoid overwhelming your sleep space with work equipment. Furnish your unused bedroom corner with small desks and bookcases that offer plenty of storage and elbow room despite their small footprint. Choose office chairs on wheels that you can slide under the desk when you finish working and a chic table lamp for direct task lighting.

Corner desks are a perfect fit for bedrooms with limited space.

Basement Office Ideas

When it comes to putting an office in your basement, you’ll want to check for leaks and damp areas before adding furniture and electronics. After you’ve found a dry, clean spot, you can begin decorating the space! Brighten up your dark basement by introducing warm elements like dark wood desks, red office chairs and colorful, high-pile area rugs that make your workroom feel a little cozier.

Area rugs add texture and warmth to basement offices.

Office Guest Room Ideas

Even if you have frequent overnight visitors, you can still fashion your guest bedroom into a functional home office. Opt for a space-saving corner desk and add a small rug to section off your office from the rest of the layout. It’s also important to choose office furniture that complements your current guest room design for a cohesive look.

Use coordinating lamps, wall decor and area rugs to create a cohesive look in a shared space.

Living Room Office Ideas

Carving out a discreet home office space in your busy living room is easier than you think. While it may be the place where you and your family spend the most time, you can tuck a small light wood desk into a quiet nook away from all the action. From there, set up dividers or use backless modern bookcases and sofas to create separation between the living and working areas.

Desks with built-in storage compartments make it easy to keep your work area organized.

Sharing Spaces

For those with a lot of creativity and little square footage, a quiet corner in one of the rooms of your home may be the best option. Corner desks are a great choice, since they fit neatly into tight angles. Models with built-in storage allow you to keep your home office neat and tidy, which is important if it’s in a living room or den.

Home Office Design and Furniture

Once you have your location picked out, you can move on to selecting your office furniture. Since you’ll be sitting in your space for long hours at a time, you’ll want to look at pieces that are functional as well as comfortable. Also, many home offices tend to be in shared spaces, so coordinating your office design with the rest of your layout is key.

Home Office Desk Ideas

Whether you own a startup business or are a remote worker for a larger company, having the right desk makes a big impact on comfort and productivity. Pick a desk that sits at the right height for you. Or, select a standing or adjustable model that you can tweak to suit your preferences. Those who want a little extra storage can check out desks with built-in drawers to keep the space organized and tidy.

Desks with drawers are ideal for organization and keeping important papers tucked away.

When incorporating your desk into an existing design scheme, look for options that complement your current style. Desks that have a streamlined design work well in modern spaces, while ornate models featuring dark wood finishes and metal hardware look right at home in more traditional settings. For some home office inspiration, look at styles such as:

Desks also come in a wide range of colors and tones to suit any palette. Want something to contrast a neutral-colored wall? Place a bright red or cherry desk in front of the space for a stunning statement. If you’re looking to mimic the soft, relaxing vibe in your living room, check out cool dark gray work tables instead. Other popular desk colors include:

Home Office Lighting

Another important aspect of your home office is the lighting. If you can, set up shop in front of a window that lets in a lot of natural light to brighten up your space. You can also use silver floor lamps and table lamp sets to illuminate darker office nooks or basement workstations. For extra style points, choose desk lamps with eye-catching finishes like:

Proper lighting helps reduce eye strain while you're working long hours.

Cozy and Comfortable Office Chairs

Whether you choose a stationary office chair or take a more modern approach with a swivel accent chair, good posture is important. Adjustable office seats make switching up your position a breeze, while locking wheels prevent you from moving around too much. Additionally, an array of colorful options allows you to easily coordinate your seat with other furniture in the space. Choose chair colors like:

Design-worthy Decor

Put a unique spin on your home office with the right gorgeous accents. Round area rugs add visual interest to bare floors, while home office wall decor in bright shades of blue and yellow punch up a neutral work room palette. Fun accents like family photos and potted plants add a fun, lively and personalized touch to a desk.

Colorful artwork adds a stylish flair to your home office design.

Home Office Organization Ideas

Keeping all of your essential office supplies nearby helps you stay on-task and avoid wasting precious work hours. Rather than having to get up and search the whole house for extra pens, work files or phone numbers, add storage furniture to keep your area neat, tidy and organized when working from home.

Filing Cabinets: Filing cabinets offer spacious drawers for keeping papers, books, folders and other business essentials within reach.
Book Cases: Shelving units let you store tax forms, manuals, projects and more. A wide range of stylish contemporary, rustic, traditional and transitional options makes it easy to complement your office design. You can also choose bookcases with black, gray, white, dark wood or light wood finishes that suit any color scheme.
Storage Bins: Storage totes and bins are perfect for keeping your office in order. Place small labeled totes on your shelves to designate spots for different types of files. Or, set a fabric bin on your desk for pens, staplers, notebooks and other supplies.

Decor & Styles

Whether you’re looking to show off your personal tastes or make a statement about the type of work you do, choosing a chic aesthetic is a huge part of transforming your guest bedroom or finished basement into a full-time home office. We’ve listed a few common styles and designs below with suggestions to help you get just the right look.

Modern

Modern home office ideas include straight lines and neutral colors, perfect for a minimalist vibe. Check out modern desks and office chairs with streamlined designs to achieve this simple, stylish look. Also, consider arranging some chic art behind a modern daybed as a great background for a video call with clients or customers.

Contemporary

Prefer a sleeker, edgier look? Consider furniture with curved lines, chic accents and bold splashes of color. Opt for a contemporary desk and table lamp to keep your home office tidy and bright, then finish off the space with unique wall decor that complements your updated layout.

Classic

To create a space that has traditional appeal, set up wooden furniture with rich, warm finishes, metal hardware and an earth-tone color scheme. Traditional loveseats are a comfy spot to return emails during the afternoon, while decorative mirrors help brighten the layout and make your space seem bigger.

Rustic Done Right

For those who prefer the appearance of real wood and rural charm, a rustic workstation is the perfect solution. The look and feel of raw materials add authenticity to these designs, so look for artwork with a connection to nature and shop for furniture that features leather upholstery or dark wood finishes.

A Coastal Retreat

Why shouldn’t a day at the office feel like a day at the beach? Decorating your layout in nautical blues and soft, sandy browns offers a relaxing vibe. When creating your own paradise, search for light wood desks and bookcases as well as decor with tropical motifs.

However and wherever you decide to style your new home office, the right planning and preparation are key. Use these tips as a guide to choose the right location, furniture and design scheme for a chic and functional home office.

Dark brown furniture, such as leather office chairs, add a classic touch to a sophisticated home office.

Make your Dream Home Office a Reality

While designing a home office space can seem overwhelming, sticking to the basics makes the process easier. Look for foundational pieces, such as desks, chairs and bookcases to create an environment that’s both fun and functional. If you follow the home office ideas we’ve laid out, a productive, relaxing work space is well within reach.