Within the last few years, there has been an influx of people working from home. So it’s only natural that some inspiring home office ideas would follow. Dedicating a specific area of your house to work in helps avoid household distractions and focus. And when you enjoy how your work space has been created, it’s even easier to be productive.
Whether you live in an apartment or your own home, the work area you have created for yourself needs to accommodate your work needs and your own style and preferences- whether you prefer something modern, playful, or classic. Here are some interior design elements to consider and ideas to inspire you to decorate your own work space.
Minimalistic design has never gone out of style and likely won’t do so any time soon.
This design style is also an ideal choice when creating home offices because it’s simple and non-distracting. An easy way to achieve these kinds of office interiors is by using a limited or monochromatic color palette when designing. Minimalist designs also pair well with an open-plan office layout or in a setup with little space to avoid it looking cluttered.
Opting for a monochrome home office is a great way to maintain minimalism. Decide on one color for the walls and ceiling, and choose furniture in the same color scheme. A monochromatic design has a very limited color palette, so keeping everything the same color or different shades of the same color is the way to achieve this.
That includes not only the color of your walls but everything from your desks, chairs, drawers, cabinets, door, and even the frame on your windows. However, this is not to say that a monochromatic room needs to be white. On the contrary, it has become increasingly trendy to use darker colors. As a result, many beautiful minimalist home offices have been created using colors like black or emerald.
Muted and neutral colors can make a space feel incredibly calming- something that is often much needed in an office. Choosing muted colors means that the room and its decor won’t be distracting. This kind of design could work well for someone who has an already stressful career.
But, for someone looking for a more exciting design, mixing different patterns or incorporating bright pops of color is the way to go. For example, one could have a muted or mostly monochromatic office and include a brightly colored or patterned sofa.
However, this type of design can quickly become cluttered, so choose your statement pieces carefully. A great rule of thumb when combining different textures or patterns is to keep them within the same color family for cohesion. When choosing bright pops of color in an otherwise monochromatic room, opt for complementary or contrasting colors that won’t clash with the existing palette.
Another great way to add excitement to a room is through the use of wallpaper.
It can be bought in rolls and easily applied at home, with the right tools, and can be used to create a bold statement wall. There is no end to the variety of wallpaper designs to choose from, whether you want something soft and floral or something more simple geometric. Alternatively, one could create a pattern on one of the walls, using paint to mimic wallpaper’s effect on a room.
When making bold, statement walls, some people opt for things like unique artwork or beautiful photography, displayed to fill the wall space, creating an accent wall without needing to repaint or buy wallpaper.
Besides the look and feel of your home office, another thing to consider when designing your work area is the available space. Unfortunately, not everyone’s homes have entire rooms available to use as an office. In some cases, it may be necessary to get clever with your office setup.
Having your workstation in a small nook or cranny of the house, or even hidden under the stairs, can have a surprising effect in terms of added privacy. For example, you may find that you much prefer the seclusion of having to sit in a little corner of your dining room, rather than using up an entire guest room you would rather keep for visiting company or vice versa.
However, for people who have a lot of available space, this does lend itself to things like open-plan office designs. Aloft, for example, is a great way to separate your work environment from the rest of your home. This extra space also lends itself nicely to bigger pieces of furniture or storage, like cabinets or big tables.
Another essential aspect to consider when you begin working from home is the availability of natural lighting. Architects have designed homes and offices to incorporate natural lighting for decades, and with good reason. Our bodies produce more vitamin D when exposed to natural light, which is much healthier than artificial light.
When working remotely, one spends much more time indoors, so it is vital to ensure that your office (where you will spend most of your day) is somewhere with a lot of natural lighting. A good area for this would be a room with a window view or a window close by. It not only allows for natural lighting, but it also means a better flow of fresh air.
When strapped for space, you may find that your best option is to combine your home office with another room. Many people opt for their bedroom, as it is likely one of their home’s largest rooms and likely already has a window and good lighting.
While this is a generally good idea, it does come with a certain amount of self-discipline. If you struggle with self-discipline or keeping to a schedule already, having your bed so close to the space where you work might not inspire much productivity. Instead, explore the idea of combining your office with another room in the house, one you are less likely to find a bed – such as the dining room or a busy enough family room that you’ll remain awake.
Another room often combined with an office is a library. That is perhaps the more intuitive option, as libraries generally already contain many of the elements one would need in a home office- like desks, chairs, or storage space. Combining your study also opens a world of possibilities in terms of design ideas and elements, such as statement shelves.
Besides acting as storage space for things like books or vases, these can also be used as a bold statement piece to brighten a room, and there are many ways to achieve that.
If you have an already installed shelf, you could add some excitement by painting their insides with a bright pop of color. But if you are shopping around for new shelves, try to pick something with a bold geometric design or floating shelves for a minimalist look.
In any home office, the desk is the centerpiece of the room. It is, therefore, perhaps the most important decision you will make when you design your own office.
It is a good idea to start with your choice of the desk and design the rest of the space around it. Then, use your chosen desk as your guide for all your other choices.
If you have a tile or wooden floor, your choice of office rug is also important. A rug is a great way to accentuate a home office. Depending on your design, you may choose a contrasting color as an attractive design element or something more muted and neutral. Remember, however, that regardless of which rug or carpet you choose, it has to work well in the space you have already designed. In addition, it needs to be functional and aesthetic – an attractive rug in a space with a usually cold floor, for instance.
