A home office can serve a lot of purposes. It can be a place where you operate your small business or finish projects you’ve brought home from work. Regardless of how you use your home office, it’s best to choose furniture that’s both decorative and practical. We can help!
Consider the Amount of Space
Before starting the search for attractive pieces of furniture, look at the amount of space you have to work with. Place sections of newspaper on the floor of the office to represent your furniture items. This will give you an idea of how the setup is going to look. Ideally, you want a comfortable, stylish collection of furniture as well as plenty of open floor space.
Take the Wall Colour into Account
If your home office has dark walls, you may want to choose furniture of a lighter shade. For example, a desk of natural hickory wood would serve to brighten up a home office with dark green walls.
Alternatively, a home office with neutral walls would look appealing with furniture in a darker colour such as a desk made out of mahogany. Remember, your furniture can complement your walls and vice-versa.
What Style Do You Want?
If you decide on a modern style for your home office, you’ll want to go with a simple desk featuring clean lines and a sleek appearance. Modern lamps, chairs and tables all have a simple look without any elaborate design details or frills.
Are you thinking about a rustic style for your office? If so, you may want to start with a desk made of weathered wood to set the tone. A big leather chair to go with your desk would be an attractive addition. Consider a few lamps with wooden bases paired with bell-shaped shades and an area rug with a dramatic zig-zag pattern - either would fit right in!
Other home office style options include:
- Traditional
- Contemporary
- Cottage
- Eclectic
Arrange Your Furniture in the Most Convenient Way
The way you arrange your furniture can help you to be more productive in your home office. For instance, if you use your computer printer a lot, place it on a rolling table near your desk. If you have a collection of files you use as you do your work, get a file cabinet to put beneath your desk. Your files will be within arm’s reach and they won't take up space elsewhere.
There are U-shaped desks designed to put all of your work equipment and materials within reach. This shape gives you space to write and an area for your computer as well as drawers for storage. This is a large piece of furniture, so be sure your office is big enough.
Furnish Your Office with a Mix of Old and New
Perhaps you had an office in the home you lived in before you bought your brand-new home. If so, you probably had some furniture items you loved. For example, maybe you have a sentimental attachment to the rolltop desk you’ve had since college. By all means, incorporate the desk into the décor of your new office. The same goes for favourite pieces of artwork or keepsakes you’ve had through the years.
Add Some Extra Touches
Your home office may have a small sofa or an easy chair where you sit while collecting your thoughts or coming up with creative ways to approach projects. A throw pillow in a bright colour or one with a dramatic pattern would bring a little more visual interest to your chair.
Maybe you opted for a new desk made of dark walnut. Instead of going with a plastic tray for papers and a simple cup for holding pencils, get a wooden tray and matching pencil holder to enhance your desk's appearance.
You could also liven up the space by incorporating some greenery. A Boston fern hanging in a window or a spider plant sitting on your desk would not only add some colour, but they would also help to clean the air!
Finally, the goal is to decorate and furnish your home office with things that make the space feel inviting and comfortable. Choosing your furniture with care can help you create a home office you love!
