6 Simple Ideas for Decorating Your Home Office

elegant home office with custom made solid wood table with corner window
Image: Unsplash

While working from home has its perks, it can be hard to focus when you’re surrounded by so many distractions. Without realizing it, you might find yourself taking a nap or watching a movie instead of working.

That’s why it’s important to set clear boundaries between your work and leisure time. One way to get into a working mindset is to put on some office clothes instead of loitering around in your pajamas. And if that’s not enough, another way to trick your brain into being more productive is to set up a dedicated home office.

But just because you’re getting down to business doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun with your office space. After all, your environment can greatly affect your creativity and productivity. If you’re looking to spruce up your home office, here are six simple tips to get you started.

  1. Display Some Pictures

Showing off your favourite pictures is one of the easiest ways to make your home office your own. To start, you could put up some photos with sticky tack to figure out a good layout. If you’re feeling particularly crafty, you could try DIY picture framing for a personal touch. For special pictures, you can go all-out with custom photo frames so they stand out from the rest of your decor.

  1. Buy Baskets for Storage

When it comes to staying productive, leaving things scattered across your office is never a good idea. In fact, studies show that cluttered workspaces cause stress and anxiety to spike.

Instead of leaving your stuff lying around the room, invest in a few baskets to store them in. Organize your items by type, and label them accordingly for easy access. Try out different basket styles, too. You can use wire baskets for an industrial look or woven ones for a cozier effect.

  1. Make Use of Your Walls

Another way to clear up your desk is to maximize your wall space. If you tend to forget important dates, hang big calendars to keep track of important events. You could also use cork boards to pin up memos, reference materials, and small decorations. For more flexibility, you can install whiteboards to plan out your daily schedule.

  1. Add a Nice Rug

modern home office
Image: Unsplash

While offices are professional spaces, that doesn’t mean you can’t make it warm and inviting at the same time. To create more visual interest, get a gorgeous area rug that matches the rest of your office’s decor. As a bonus, covering your floor with a rug will provide some sound absorption. This can help make your home office a little more soundproof.

  1. Refresh Your Lighting

If there’s one thing you can splurge on, it’s a striking light fixture. Some go-to choices include pendant lights, chandeliers, and globe lights. But don’t limit yourself to those three, as there are plenty of unique designs out on the market. It’s also best not to go overboard by filling the whole office with fancy lights. Instead, pick a single area that can act as a focal point for the rest of the room.

  1. Install Open Shelves

For those who love optimizing storage space, open shelves can be a great investment. Adding a few to your office can help you minimise the amount of papers, office supplies, and other kinds of clutter on your desk. They’re also well within reach, meaning you no longer need to dig through deep drawers to find what you need.

In Conclusion

These are just a few simple ways you can bring your home office to life. Try combining some of these tips or even trying something different altogether. If you don’t quite get the look you were going for on the first try, you can always start over with a fresh slate. Keep experimenting until you create a space that feels comfortable and productive. Happy decorating!

Frequently Asked Questions on Decorating Your Home Office

Q: Should you have your home office in another room or not?

A: You should think about your working habits and only decide on the best in your office afterward. Ideally, you should have a room, especially for your home office. Even if you’re good with distraction, it’s still better to have a separate room for your office. If it’s not doable, you shouldn’t sacrifice the space and install your office wherever. The chances are that you’re going to spend plenty of time working at your office, so it shouldn’t be uncomfortable at all.

Q: Is it necessary to decorate your home office?

A: Decorating your home office in a way that you like has numerous benefits. When you’re feeling comfortable in your workspace, you will also enjoy the work you’re doing. Heading into your office goes smoother when you go to a place that pleases you.

Q: Is the organizing of your home office still necessary?

A: In all fairness, we know that the home office can get messy pretty fast. You don’t end up with piles of files, so you’d better have plenty of drawers and bins for organizing your work documents. There are numerous and various options for holding the home office. It would help if you began with some planning and how you’re organizing the other things in the house.

For instance, if you’ve been scanning receipts and went digital already, you can do the same for your office documents. Why get a pen cup when you’re only using a pen? Now it’s your chance to shine and organize the desk exactly how you want.

Q: Is it necessary to take care of the cords too?

A: Our digital world causes one of the most annoying problems at work: tech clutter. Most of the time, you need a computer and a printer, but you need to use them wisely. It’s essential to reduce the cord clutter too. Begin with cutting a hole in the back of an attractive box, passing the needed cords through it. You can also install a power strip under or on the back of your desk, and don’t forget to use cable ties and hooks for wrangling the cords. Simply hiding the wires will give you the feeling of a clean and organized desk.

Q: Why is elevating important?

A: The fundamental trick for organizing a desk at home is to think vertically. You can always get the best out of your working space by using the vertical space. You can add floating shelves or install several cabinets. It’s great that you can maximize the height of the wall in your home office. Open cabinets are both fun and functional, and you can fill them with some fun-colored bins. The best part of your home office is that it’s yours so you can decorate it just the way you want.

Q: Are the lights important?

A: One thing we all know and dislike about office lights is that they’re fluorescent and stark. When you have enough light, you will be able to work faster. With you working in front of your computer all day long, it makes sense that you want enough light for the home office too. It’s good to use natural light, but you should add more if it’s not enough. When you have enough light, you will feel more energetic and ready to work.

Q: Should you have personal items or not?

A: Your home office is found inside your home, so it should feel like being part of it. It’s better that you decorate it the same way you decorated the house, including the small items you love. If you like plants, add plants or go with green accents. A plush rug and a cozy throw can also make it all feel comfier. Just because it’s your workplace, doesn’t mean that it should be cold and strict. After all, we all feel more productive when working in a cozy and warm environment, don’t we?

Q: How comfortable should the home office be?

A: Some say that you should find the balance between comfortable, yet productive space. Your workspace should be welcoming, but it shouldn’t invite you to a nap every time you get in there. Neutral colors on the floor and walls go great with natural wood and plants. Add some pillows, blankets, and rugs for a cozy, yet not too comfortable space.

Q: Will a gallery wall work for your home office?

A: You should never forget that it’s your space, so you can crowd it with the things you like the most. Bring some color into a neutral wall with a gallery. You can figure out which display works best by playing on the floor first. Move the prints until you get the flowing look that you like. You can use some removable wall strips for holding the photographs up. It’s going to give you plenty of flexibility in changing the appearance of the wall any now and then.

About Amanda

I love to buy a lot of products for the home, and dissect them out. I split them into duds and winners, and share the findings here on my site. As a reader of my site, I'm aiming for your next purchase to be an informed and inspired one.

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