How to style your home office

For many of us, working from home is the new normal.  When we used to occasionally work from home due to illness or other commitments, a laptop on the dining room table was adequate, but now we really need a dedicated space, as in many professions, home is now the office.  There will be many studies which will show that the blending of our home and work environment is not always a good thing when it comes to a great work/life balance.  Yes, it makes life simpler without long commuting times and it makes juggling the constraints of a family much easier, but you need to ensure that you keep work separate from home, for your own sanity as well as those around you.

It is therefore really important to delineate your work space and if possible keep it completely separate from the rest of your home.  This is an opportunity to make this space your own and give it a personal touch.  You couldn't do this in a workplace office, particularly now when hot desking is a trend, so take advantage of the benefit of working from home and learn how to style your home office to make it a place you want to spend time in.

Retirees also make good use of a home office as it is important to still have a place that is yours; an area in the home that says something about who you are and the life you have led.  An active retiree will keep just as busy with hobbies and community projects, and again learning how to style your home office will make this a favourite den to retreat to.

My top tips for how to style your home office

Artwork

Selecting artwork is a very personal undertaking as this is such a subjective area.  You may often find yourself compromising with the family on your choice of artwork in the home and perhaps not always getting the look that you really love.  If you are fortunate enough to have your own self contained home office, then this is your opportunity to decorate with artworks that really make your heart sing.  When I consider how to style a home office, this is the most obvious way to personalise the space.

You can choose to hang large statement artworks that really pack a punch and say something about who you are. There are lots of things to consider though with displaying a statement artwork and I have more to tell you in the related post below.

Related: How to display a statement artwork

Or you can design a gallery wall that includes lots of things that are close to your heart.  This could include favourite small artworks, photography, family photos and memorabilia.  Gallery walls work well as you always have something of interest to look at.  I have a detailed post showing you all the different types of gallery wall layouts in the related post below.

Related: How to put a gallery wall together

Using ledges to display artworks and photographs is a great idea for a home office.  Even if you just have a corner of a room to utilise, you can really make this a personal space.  You can mix artworks with photos and certificates to make it a very unique display.

If you are unsure about how to introduce artwork into your space and decorate with other accessories, you may find the gift section on the Urban Road website useful as they have done all the hard work for you.

Open Shelving

A tidy room means a tidy mind, and therefore storage is paramount for a home office, particularly if you have lots of reference material.  However, you need to ensure that you don't make the space too clinical.  With some open shelving you can style your books with other items that have some meaning for you.  Or, may just be beautiful pieces that you love to see on display.  So, in addition to having cupboard space to tidy away all the necessary equipment and materials, ensure that you introduce some display shelving to make the space attractive.

Open shelving can work well to divide a room.  Therefore if you don't have a dedicated room to work in, this can be a good way of isolating an area within a living room to use as a home office.  It also means that you can use the shelving to style the space.

Add some greenery

This is my mantra for pretty much every room in the house.  Any scheme is always softened and made more interesting with some greenery.  Plants are also great for the environment ensuring that the air is kept clear of pollutants.

Related: Why indoor plants are good for your health

Make a statement with the desk

There are many approaches to a home office desk and this will be dictated by the space you have available.  If you have a corner of a guest bedroom, then you will want to use a desk that has some design elements that suit your home.  Or if you have a small nook, then it is likely the desk will be built into the area, for example underneath stairs etc.

Don't forget that your choice of desk can really be a key part of the styling in a room so if you do have a space that can be made your own, then take some time to consider the type of desk you would like.

Lighting

Every room needs layers of good lighting, but for a home office, you must have excellent task lighting so a good desk lamp is paramount.  Remember that the lighting you have at home will not be as sophisticated as a commercial office and so you need to ensure that you can see properly and are not straining your eyes.  A decent desk lamp is not only good for your eyesight but can look really attractive too.

I hope this has given you some inspiration to make your home office a place that is nice to be, even if you are at work.

 

Related: My Guide to the Perfect Home Office

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