Fun Home Office

A home office is where many of us spend our days (and indeed, for many of us, our nights!) these days. Whether you began working from home since the start of the pandemic, or you’ve recently changed jobs in order to be able to spend more time at home and shift your work-life balance in your favour, your home office shouldn’t be an afterthought. 

Before so many of us made the switch to permanently working from home, the odd days that we did work at home were pretty simple to handle. We’d either have our laptop at the dining table, on our knees on the sofa, or maybe we’d be found WFB – that’s working from bed! But since moving to home working in the longer term, we’re finding that working like that permanently isn’t great for us – not just in terms of productivity, but also for our posture and general health, with increasing numbers of workers reporting neck and back pain

Investing time and a bit of money in creating a great home office will help to keep your creativity high, and your boss happy (especially if you’re the boss!), so it is an important step to take. With that in mind, we’ve put together some great ideas for your home office décor that’ll keep you motivated. 

 

Clear And Simple Décor 

If you’re prone to daydreaming, then a super simple, pure white canvas might be the best choice of décor, allowing you to focus on what is on your screen. It is pretty stark, but it is free of distractions, and it’ll certainly make your home office feel more like a work space.

Photo of a Laptop and a Tablet on the Table

If your home office is a small space, then white walls and furniture are perfect to help bounce light around, making it feel bigger – big mirrors can help with this too, but we’ll come to that shortly. 

The only issue with keeping everything in your office – from your furniture to your walls – pure white is that to keep the aesthetic on point, you need to be able to keep everything super tidy. A single piece of paper, or coffee mug out of place and the clean lines are spoilt – and you’ll also need to stay on top of your cleaning, since even water marks will show up really easily, spoiling the effect. A pad under your keyboard, and a coaster for your cups are non-negotiable when your office décor demands this level of perfection. 

You don’t have to stick with stark white though – add in soft shades of grey, taupe, or sand to soften the effect. We definitely recommend choosing a colour for your flooring, since even (if you never wear outdoor shoes in your home!) keeping pure white floors truly white is a challenge that not many of us want to face! 

 

Colour Trends

If you’re going to be on video calls a lot, choosing a colour that is on trend might be important for you, and possibly for your company too, depending on what you do. Looking at the colour trends of the moment and choosing from them will help you to avoid colours that are on their way out. 

We talked at length about the colour trends for 2021 in this post, so you can read more about the ideas we shared – with seven main shades taking the lead in the trends: 

  • Pantone Ultimate Gray – a restful, neutral shade that works well to ground other colours
  • Pantone Illuminating – a bright, sunshine inspired shade of yellow 
  • Dulux Brave Ground – a warm, earthy shade of taupe that balances brighter colours and complements other natural shades 
  • Benjamin Moore Aegean Teal – a beautifully aged shade of blue-green inspired by the waters of the Mediterranean 
  • Shutterstock Set Sail Champagne – a pale, neutral off-white with hints of pastel orange – a far more chic option to magnolia 
  • Shutterstock Fortuna Gold – a vibrant shade of gold that is reminiscent of wheat fields 
  • Shutterstock Tidewater Green – a deep, intense shade of turquoise 

Any of these shades (or indeed, several of them) would be a great option for your home office.

 Brown Wooden Desk With Rolling Chair and Shelves Near Window

The colour you choose for your home office can be incredibly important – and while choosing a colour that you truly love is probably the most important, if you’re working full time in your home office then you’ll probably want to consider the effect that colour will have on your mood. 

  • Reds encourage energy and physical desire, including hunger and lust – we suggest using with caution in your home office
  • Oranges are also stimulating, but are linked with social communication – which could be an advantage if you’re in a role where a lot of communication is required, like customer support  
  • Yellows are found to encourage creativity and decisiveness, but can also encourage anxiety, anger, and frustration  
  • Pinks are often seen as representing romance, warmth, and calm, but can also encourage over-caution, and reduced self-worth – which might not be the desired effect if you’re climbing the corporate ladder  
  • Greens are known to be nurturing, but may also encourage inconsiderate decisions  
  • Blues are known to encourage trust, honesty, and clear thinking as well as positive communication 
  • Purples are found to be inspiring, but sometimes irritability, impatience, and arrogance  
  • Black is a strong, powerful shade to use in décor, but is often seen as formal and sophisticated  
  • White – certainly white without any hints of other colour – is often disregarded as too cold and clinical in the home, but can be used to great effect when combined with other colours
  • Greys are often used as neutrals in place of magnolia, with light greys found to soothe and calm  

Of course, you don’t have to stick with just one colour – so if you love a colour that could evoke a negative emotion, you can balance it out with another shade.  

 

Use Pops Of Colour

If your preferred colour doesn’t evoke the right type of emotions for your work, or they’re simply a bit too overwhelming, or maybe you rent your home and you’re not allowed to (or don’t want to!) change the colour of the walls. That doesn’t mean you have to abandon the idea of using that colour completely. If your favourite shade isn’t right, then opt for a neutral wall décor, and choose furniture, art, and soft furnishings that incorporate that shade instead.

 Woman in White Long Sleeve Shirt Sitting on White Sofa

Adding pops of colour is a great way to bring your personality into your home office, while keeping your background for video calls more neutral. If you love Barbie pink, Cadbury purple, or another strong shade that might be deemed as ‘less suitable’ for a corporate environment, then simply find chairs, cushions, curtains, and rugs to bring that colour in. Your boss, clients or prospects need never know that your office isn’t a plain, corporate style office – your secret is safe with us! 

 

Create An Interesting Background For Zoom Calls

Unfortunately, when you’re working from home, those video calls and those incessant “you’re on mute” comments are here to stay – but at least it saves you from having to travel and attend those meetings in person! However, video calling is something to keep in mind when you’re planning a home office redecoration project. 

Although there are a number of filters that can blur out what is behind you, they can look a bit rubbish – and so choosing where you are most likely to sit for video calls means that you can be mindful about what is in the background. Whether you want your background to be a talking point or not is up to you, but bear in mind that for business calls, you’re less likely to want any distraction. The images we’ve chosen below are great examples of interesting, but not distracting backgrounds. The grey wall with plants is interesting without being intrusive, while the marble finish wallpaper is a tasteful, classic neutral background that won’t be distracting for your fellow Zoom attendees.

Woman in Orange Tank Top Sitting on Black WheelchairWoman in White Shirt Sitting on Chair

 

Add Fantastic Artwork To Walls

Artwork is such a personal thing – and there are at least as many opinions about what constitutes great art as there are people in the world! If you can find a print, or painting that you love, whether it is by a known artist (such as a print of a Vincent van Gogh painting) or a piece you found in a local gallery, hang it in your office. 

You don’t have to choose prints by artists, if they’re not your thing. Great photos can be ordered to be printed onto canvas at increasingly reasonable prices, meaning that you can have photos from your last vacation, or a family portrait, or even a copy of your child’s artwork blown up to feature in your home office. 

If you’re a fan of a certain type of literature, genre of movie or music, or you have a hobby such as a game you particularly love, then use that for adding to your walls as artwork. Huge movie posters that have been framed work well, or search for merchandise from movie franchises. This Hobbit Middle Earth mirror is perfect for Lord of the Rings fans, while Tarantino fans would love an arrangement with these Mirrors .

Of course, you can use everything we’ve mentioned here and curate your own unique gallery wall – it is your space, so it should represent you and your personality, and everything that you love. 

Woman Working in Home Office

 

Bring Natural Light In

During our work days, we tend to have to be stuck to our desk, and since we can’t get outside during the day as much as many of us would like, then at least let the natural light in as much as possible. During the winter months, getting natural light (especially in the morning) is essential to stave off symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). That means that if it is possible to situate your desk near a window, it is a good idea to do so – even if you add blinds, or gauzy voile curtains for privacy, that natural light can help keep you feeling better through the winter.

  Photo of Macbook Air on a Table Next to House Plant and Picture Frame.

If working near a window isn’t an option, then look at getting a SAD light therapy lamp for your desk. While some of the top models run into hundreds of pounds, there are lots of options with the right amount of Lux (the brightness scale) available online for less than £30. 



Create Space And Bounce Light With A Mirror

 Woman Sitting on Chair While Using Laptop

If your home office is a particularly small space, or it is a dark space, then use the trick that interior designers have been using for years to create a light, airy feel – to add a mirror.  

Big mirrors can help to reflect light in a space, and while big mirrors used to be expensive, there are many more stores offering much more affordable options that can help to open up your space. The bigger the mirror, generally, the bigger the space it will help to create the illusion of.  If you’re looking to improve the amount of natural daylight in your home office, it is best to place a mirror adjacent to the window. This will help it to catch the light coming through, and help the light to bounce around the room.

We love the effect that the mirror in this picture gives, combined with the greenery that is planted in front of it – the plants are pretty small, but look much more dense because of the reflection in the mirror.  

 

Switch Up Your Lighting

Many interior designers and lighting consultants suggest layering lighting in a room, so you can create the optimal amount of lighting for however the space is being used. 

Black Flat Screen Computer Monitor on Black Wooden Table

Ambient lighting for a home office should be bright, and near daylight tones. Typically provided by ceiling lights, fittings should perfectly complement your home office, and fill the room with light without creating too much glare, while wall lights and floor lamps can be used to add to the ambient lighting, while adding character to your space.

Task lighting in your home office should be easily repositioned, so that you can get the best view of whatever you’re working on – this is even more important if your work isn’t solely based on a computer. A great desk lamp, ideally with a repositionable head is essential, and if it has super bright LEDs, so much the better. 

Feature, or accent lighting is an option to make your home office look stylish – and may also contribute to the ambient lighting. Think about adding string lighting, LED strips or rope lights to shelving, for a decorative effect. 

When it comes to the bulbs, the colour you choose is important – even if you’re using regular white lights. Bright white, or slightly blue toned bulbs mimic natural daylight, and will help to keep you alert – although if you’re using your office into the evening, then opt for warm white bulbs so that your lighting doesn’t interrupt your sleep.

 

Add House Plants For Fresher Air

There is a lot of research that suggests that house plants are great for freshening the air and absorbing toxins that can be harmful to health. The Royal Horticultural Society suggest that spider plants, rubber plants, English ivy, bamboo and peace lilies, as well as many other types of plants that can help to remove benzene and formaldehyde, as well as excess moisture and mould from the air, in varying degrees. And not only can house plants help to remove those nasty toxins from the air, but they also have both psychological and physical benefits for us, including: 

  • Boosted mood
  • Lower stress
  • Increased productivity 
  • Faster reaction 
  • Better attention span 
  • Increased pain tolerance 
  • Reduced blood pressure 
  • Lower amounts of fatigue and headaches

Combining the benefits of house plants with the benefits of using essential oils and scents in your home office have the potential to improve your creativity and productivity dramatically – and goes to show that when creating a great home office, it isn’t just the décor you need to consider.  

Himalayan Salt Lamp Near Laptop On Wooden Table

 

Enhance Focus And Creativity With Fragrance

The power of fragrance cannot be underestimated – and different scents are known to evoke different feelings in the brain. Whether you believe in aromatherapy or not, just having a scent to enjoy is a great way to help focus – and you’ll get used to certain scents, which can help you focus. Rosemary, bergamot, geranium, lemongrass, and clove are all known to increase concentration, and to promote alertness – both qualities you want to feel when you’re working! 


Woman Sitting on Man's Desk

There are a few ways to bring fragrance into your home office. Candles can be used as part of your home office décor – particularly if they suit your colour scheme! Our Small Rustic Pillar Paraffin Wax Candles are unscented, and come in a set of four, and different colours are available. If you prefer scented candles, we have a ten piece set of Price’s candles that have a range of five delicious fragrances, including Velvet Rose, Juicy Fig, Orange & Clove, Cinnamon Spice & Ginger Lily.  Alternatively, you can gently diffuse fragrances with these Yankee Candle Cote D'Azur Sandblast Burners Aroma Lamps – they’re perfect to use with Yankee Candle wax melts, keeping your office smelling delicious.  Why not light a candle to start the day off nicely, and blow the candle out when you finish? We know several people who do this, and we think it is a lovely, symbolic way of marking the start of the work day, and is a small pleasure that you can enjoy as you work. 

If candles aren’t suitable for your space – perhaps because of safety concerns – then you can still benefit from lovely scents by purchasing a small essential oil diffuser. These small devices are available for less than £20, and a pack of good quality essential oils isn’t expensive either. If all this seems like a bit too much effort, then a plug-in air freshener might be just enough to provide a splash of fragrance. 

 

Have Several Seating Options

Sometimes when you’re stuck on a project, it can really help to be able to move to a different spot in the house. Quite literally, as well as figuratively, getting a new perspective on your problem can help you to unlock it! If you’ve got a whole room for your home office, but moving around the house isn’t a possibility, then having several seating options can be a really useful thing.

You’ll almost certainly want a traditional, preferably ergonomically designed desk chair for when you need to be at your desk – it is the best type of seating to help you to avoid neck and back pain. But if you’re on lots of calls, particularly ones that you’re unlikely to be speaking on, then you might want to find a more comfortable option. Having a sofa (or a sofa bed, if your home office occasionally acts as a spare room when guests come to stay) means you can curl up with a cup of tea, or stretch out and watch. 

If you’re often to be found sitting in random spots around the house thinking about a problem, then a small bean bag can be a useful addition too. They’re pretty portable and can make a sunny spot, or a cosy spot by the radiator just that bit more comfortable when you’re in lounging mode and brainstorming for ideas.

Man Using Laptop

 

Take Your Office Outside

One of the greatest perks about working from home is the ability to work absolutely anywhere that there is Wi-Fi signal – because really, as long as your work is getting done (and done well, of course) then why not? If you’ve got a balcony, a patio or even a summer house, then certainly in the summer months, it is possible to make that your base. 

We spoke at length about using a summer house for your home office in our post here, and there are so many other ways to make your outdoor space into your office. Just be certain to make sure you have protected your skin with SPF (this Piz Buin option lasts up to 6 hours, so you won’t need to reapply as regularly!) and that there isn’t too much glare from your screen – migraine is not the desired effect! 

If you need a temporary home office that keeps the sun (or perhaps a light rain shower!) off a little, look for a gazebo, or a parasol – we’re certain that you’ll get much more use out of them than just your work day. 

Woman Wearing Beige Dress Shirt Using Laptop Computer



Tiny Offices

If your home doesn’t have enough space to create a home office in a separate room, then you really have to work with what you have got – which might mean making your home office in a small corner, a nook or even a cupboard! While this doesn’t give much room to work with, you can still create a really effective office area! There are some great desk options for tiny offices:


White Wooden Chair Beside Brown Wooden Desk

  • Ladder desks are a great way to keep all your office equipment and necessities in one place
  • Wall mounted, floating desks that pull-out and can be completely closed away at the end of the day are a good temporary option
  • Drop-leaf tables that attach to the wall may suit your needs, and can hide your pinboard behind them!
  • Extending desks – that either swing out to create an L-shape, or one that pulls out as a drawer does – can provide extra room without taking up that space permanently 
  • Bureaus with fold-out desks have been around for a long time – modern options are great, but if you’re on a budget, many second-hand stores have old fashioned types that could be made over with some paint and new handles
  • If you’re working on a laptop, a tiny corner desk may be just what you need
  • Mobile stand up desks that are height adjustable mean you can work almost anywhere in your space – even if you’re perched on the end of your bed!

 

Where you feel the need to separate off your desk area – particularly if your desk has to be in your bedroom, for example – but putting in a wall isn’t an option, then there are many different ways to do this: 

  • Use a gauzy curtain to separate areas without reducing light – you can use tie-backs to create the effect of doors being open, if you prefer that 
  • Use a decorative folding screen to completely block the view of your desk
  • Position your bookcase or shelving to separate the room into sections 
  • Paint your office area to help designate that as a separate space
  • Use wooden slats to separate the space – this might work well in a dining room or nook 
  • Hang a beaded curtain, fabric, or macrame to create a visual divide 
  • Use specific types of lighting to help show when the space is in ‘office mode’

 

Great Storage

Although many of us are now heading towards paperless offices, depending on your role, you might need plenty of storage for your bits and bobs – if only for computer and other tech related wires! We love how this book case is the main feature behind the guy in this image, since it creates both visual interest in the room, and valuable storage. This type of storage is really flexible, and allows for books to be kept neatly, photos, ornaments, and plants to be displayed, and for storage baskets to act as catch-all locations when you need to tidy away at the end of the day. This set of three Curver rattan effect baskets would make a great addition to this book case, while these Cuba Havana storage boxes would add an eclectic, vintage effect.  

Man in Black Long Sleeve Shirt Sitting on Chair Using Macbook

 

Add Inspiration And Reminders To Walls 

We’ve already touched on creating your own artwork for your home office and how easy it is to have your photos printed onto canvas. But if you’re a visual thinker, and you’ve not moved over to a fully online way of keeping hold of your memos, calendars, planners and so on, you might want and need to incorporate that into your home office design. This will help you to prevent things from getting lost, or the pile of notes, receipts and so on from getting out of hand. 

Traditionally, a cork pinboard would be the way forward, but there are so many alternative, more trendy options. We mentioned some of these in our post about decorating a child’s bedroom, but some of these ideas work just as well in your home office!

  • Use photo frames backed with cork – charity shop finds are ideal if you’re creating an eclectic look, or buy them in packs for a more streamlined effect – and add them to your gallery wall
  • Hang string or twine (or even fairy lights) to create a ‘washing line’ to clip your bits and pieces to 
  • Fix a hanging grid to the wall above your desk, and add hooks, pegs, baskets
  • Attach clipboards to the wall to collect important paperwork to action

Other alternatives to cork pinboards include magnetic, wipe clean planners (these are available in many colours, with some even incorporating pictures that can double up as artwork) and painting an area with chalkboard paint – there are so many options! 

Assorted Wall DecorSmiling Woman Using Laptop

 

Choose A Great Desktop Background

If you’re in rented accommodation, or there isn’t a lot you can do with the colour of the walls, then this little tip might be one that keeps you going! We love changing our desktop backgrounds, whether we’re switching them out to a favourite photo from our last day trip to the beach or the mountains, or we’re looking to motivate ourselves just a little bit more. 

When you’re looking for a great desktop wallpaper for your PC, check out Unsplash, WallpaperStock and DeviantArt – they all have amazing free desktop wallpaper images, meaning that you can switch your desktop background regularly, whether that is daily, weekly, or monthly. 

Home Office Interior

 

Use Texture To Create Interest

If you’re working with a pretty neutral background, with all-white, or magnolia walls and basic furniture, things can get pretty dull and uninspiring very quickly, whichever room you’re decorating. Choosing textured accessories that you can layer are a great way to create visual interest in your décor, throughout your home. In the image we’ve chosen here, the colour palette is pretty limited, but the effect certainly isn’t boring. That’s because the herringbone floor pattern, combined with the texture of the basket that the tree is planted in, and the fluffy covering on the chair are all different textures. 

This set of two rattan storage baskets would be a perfect addition to this space – maybe for storing paperwork in, and our Eiffel inspired white tulip dining chairs and table set would create a similar effect for the desk. 

This approach doesn’t just work if you’re using white and neutral shades either. If you’re limiting the colour palette for your home office to just one or two shades, then look for different ways to use texture to keep the overall effect from becoming boring.  

 

Green Plant on Brown Woven Basket

 

Industrial Chic

If you’re inspired by industrial effects – maybe you work in the manufacturing industry – then let that guide your design choices for your home office. Choose a desk that is made from dark woods, or reclaimed wood such as railway sleepers, combined with stainless steel hardware. When you’re choosing colours, stronger, more traditionally masculine shades are likely to work better – although we’ve seen some interesting uses of pastels and soft furnishings alongside industrial inspired furniture.

For a less polished, more artisan approach to this type of office space, take inspiration from atelier styling. Look for exposed metal frames, mismatched furniture, and open shelving units – and the great thing about this type of styling is that it can be curated as you find the right pieces, and you don’t need to have a huge budget for it. 

Man in Black Dress Shirt Sitting on Chair

 

The Modern Classic Office

If you always imagined that you’d grow up and work in a traditional, formal office, with one of those big desks and a green bankers lamp, then make that dream a reality in your home.

Finding furniture in classic, darker wooden finishes are the key to this type of look, along with a great desk lamp, and a traditional chair. If your own home office isn’t built into the eaves of your home as this one is, then opt for deep shades of green, blue, and grey to maintain the traditional effect. 

Brown Wooden Desk With Hutch

 

Final Thoughts

When you’re planning your home office, getting the right balance between décor, such as colour schemes and soft furnishings, and the practical need for storage and an ergonomic office chair can be a bit of a challenge. However, with plenty of research, great inspiration and incorporating a good measure of things that you love, your home office can be both a professional space, and a place that you’ll enjoy coming to each morning.