Published: October 12, 2021 I HOME DECORATING

Two years before the pandemic hit, I was blessed to be able to work from home. At first, it felt weird because I wasn’t in an actual office location. I couldn’t see my colleagues every day and there was no separation between home life and work life. Plus, I easily got distracted. I often ran to the kitchen for something to eat or did the laundry in the middle of the day. It was tempting to watch Netflix too haha! The work-from-home situation was also something I needed to get used to since there were family members living with me, and you know how complicated that is!

Fast forward to the present, I feel so grateful that I get to work from home. It’s more comfortable than rushing to work every morning and dealing with traffic! It’s also less expensive, plus there’s unlimited coffee in the kitchen haha!

I also know that juggling work and home responsibilities can be both challenging and rewarding; however, if you set up an office space where you can work productively, and with less distraction, then you can be satisfied with your output at the end of the day. Plus, you get to see your family. If you’re living alone, you get to spend more time with yourself too because you don’t need to travel to and from work all the time.

WHAT YOU NEED TO CREATE A HOME OFFICE

To create your ideal or “dream home office”, you need to have the basic office tools and equipment first and then turn the space into an oasis for creative ideas and high productivity. Making a space where you feel inspired to work can greatly affect your mood and mental health a lot.

Take for instance this lovely home office from Bria Hammel Interiors. I would definitely LOVE spending many hours blogging here!

OFFICE BASICS (what to put together)

Let’s head to the basic necessities first in setting up your home office. These will help you work more efficiently; after all, you need to get the job done, right? If you already have the basic items for your home office, you can skip this part and read about how to make your dream office in the latter part of this blog.

Just a note, before you buy the different basic office items, you need to ask yourself these 5 questions.

• Is working from home going to be a short-term or a permanent situation? If it’s for the long term, then you need to have an established place where you can work at your best.
• What’s my budget for the home office? There might be a lot of things that you’d like to buy, but if you have limited budget, you need to stick to a few basic items for now, such as a table, a chair, a lamp, and storage solution items.
• Where’s the best place where I can work productively? It can be a place isolated from the rest of the chaos in your home or else an area where you can watch the kids study or play. Is it your bedroom, your living room, under the stairs, or a separate area from the other rooms in the house? Is it quiet enough for a Zoom meeting? Moreover, you need to know how to put together a home office for video calls.
• How big is the allotted place for the home office? You need to measure the space for your future home office because you’ll need some basic furniture such as a table, chair, shelf, and drawer. Whatever the size, the home office should be functional.
• What’s the theme or paint color that I’m going for? Do I want to have a calm and relaxing paint color for my home office?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you can then use the list below to set up your home office. The first few items are the most basic ones you need to set it up.

Here are the things that you need.

1. Desk, computer desk, or laptop table

The first item you need to have is a sturdy and durable table. It should also be able to hold your desktop computer or laptop, as well as other things like books, folders, organizers, etc. It should also be big enough so you can write and place your cup, notebooks, etc. on your desk. The size should also fit the area where you want your home office to be and still have some space for the shelf or drawer. Or, you may buy a table with a built-in drawer or cabinet so that you’ll have more space in your home office.

2. Office chair and pillow

An ideal office chair should be ergonomically designed to give you support for your back and posture when working so that you’ll be comfortable during long hours of sitting. Otherwise, this might cause neck and back pains. Consider having a chair with adjustable height, lumbar support pad, arm rest, and seat depth as well as the ability to rotate 365°. It would also be better if you choose a roller chair. Throw in a nice and fluffy pillow to make your seating more comfortable.

3. Work lamp

Aside from general lighting, you need to have a table lamp if you don’t want to disturb other people in the room at night. Choose a work lamp that is stable and adjustable. Want to know how a light fixture can add elegance to a room? We’ll show you how in a while!

4. Shelves, cabinets, or drawers

These storage furniture items are needed to hold your things like office supplies, books, organizers, laptop, etc. Have a small home office? Install a floating shelf instead. Try narrow drawers that come with three to five compartments that can also fit in a small space. It’s also better to have a drawer or cabinet with wheels so you can easily move it around. Later in this article you’ll learn how to decorate and make your shelf look amazing.

5. Office stationery, trash can/ waste basket or pedal bin and some trash bags

Stock up pens, folders, envelopes, paper clips, binders, staplers, staple wire, storage boxes, organizers, pen holders, and sticky notes. They should be readily available whenever you need them. Try purchasing a trash can that matches well with your home office interior, such as ones made of marble, wicker, or brass-type material instead of the usual plastic ones. It will surely add visual interest to your room. You also need to buy some trash bags for the trash can.

6. Plants

Plants are known to be very beneficial in a home office as they give fresh air, relieve stress, and improve your mood. You’ll love the overall feeling that plants give to a space. Try to place a few pots of indoor plants on your table, shelf, or floor so you can be surrounded with positive ambiance all throughout the day.

7. Clock

You may get a wall clock or desk clock in case you need to check the time when your computer or cell phone is turned off.

8. Curtains/blinds

Consider buying some curtains or blinds to mellow the bright light entering your room. A curtain can also serve as a divider to add some privacy whenever you need to separate your home office from other areas or as a backdrop for your video calls.

9. Rug

A rug not only improves the overall aesthetic of the room but also adds warmth to a space. An easy tip is to choose a lovely rug that won’t get caught in roller chair wheels such as rugs made of jute or flat weave (flatweave rugs are made of light cotton). In terms of size, the rug should be large enough to cover the floor area under the desk and chair even when the chair is pulled out. Don’t forget to fasten the rug to the floor using carpet adhesive/ tape.

10. Wall board/ pegboard and motivational notes

A wall board is a great addition to your home office. You can hang and store different small items such as pens, tape, and cell phone chargers, as well as stick personal notes to it. Always have a motivational board or even just put sticky notes with reminders why you’re working so hard so that you’ll stay positive during times when you want to give up!

11. Air purifier and aromatherapy candles

There may be days when the room is so stuffy or unclean air lingers in the room, so you’ll need an air purifier to detox your room as soon as possible. Also, an aromatherapy candle is a great way to calm your mood on a stressful day; try the benefits of lavender and ylang-ylang.

12. Extension cords, cable management box, and stationery organizers

Buy a safe extension cord to plug in your cell phone, computer, printer, and lamp. Cords can easily become entangled and produce a lot of clutter in your home office, so don’t forget to organize them in cable management boxes; if not in use, tuck them away in a separate drawer.

13. Coffee mug/ coffee tumbler, water bottle, and coasters

Lastly, for your caffeine boost, always have a cup of tea or coffee with you. Make sure you stay hydrated all day, so keep a water bottle handy when you need to drink up!

HOW TO MAKE YOUR DREAM HOME OFFICE

Now this is the good part! Since you’ll be staying in your home office a lot, it’s important to make your home office fit your personal style and make it comfortable, beautiful, and conducive for working. Even if you have a small space, the effort you put into making your home office lovely will make all the difference. Here are some great tips and home office inspiration for you.

1. Choose a theme or design style

Incorporate the elements of the design style you love and have fun decorating the space. For example, if you’re into coastal design, the calming and charming workspace below from Pineapple, Palms, Etc. is a great example with its blue aesthetic and rattan glass chair.

2. Place a shelf and make it stunning

I’m a total fan of curated shelves! I believe that shelves are not just made as a storage for books, folders, and office supplies, but they can also showcase things that can make your space more homey and inviting – candle sticks, art décor, flowers in a vase, and wicker boxes amplify the look to make it the focal point of the room. If I were to go inside this room for the first time, the shelves would be the first thing I would really notice!

3. Add your personality to your home office space

I think personalizing your space is something that you can’t be wrong about. Your home office should scream you! Don’t be scared to experiment.

This renovated home office of Kimberly from Swoon Worthy is a “glam peach office” as she describes it. I can’t even believe this is an office, so pretty! She also mentions that her previous office was “less than ideal” (cheap grey vinyl flooring, old furniture, bare plaster wall… you get the picture, right?). It was actually a space she didn’t love and that didn’t spark creativity in her, so she turned it into this gorgeous space with a beautiful wall mural as the focal point. Then she added an elegant marble top table with a gold base that is large enough to carry all her work stuff. Even the brown-and-white cowhide rug and soft pink sofa near the window all complemented the room design. Did you also notice the nice light fixture? What do you think?

4. Make a super comfy window seat or nook

A nook, especially near a window, is a great addition to your home office. It can be a place where you can escape the daily grind and relax with your coffee for even 15 minutes, with no guilt! You can even catch up on your reading there.

What’s good about this nook from Bria Hammel Interiors is that there’s also storage space under it so there’s a dual function for this space. Also, add nice pillows, a throw/blanket, and a cushion to your nook. If it’s near a window, try to accentuate the architectural shape of the window. For example, adding crown molding to an arch-shaped window can make the space even more beautiful.

5. Make your home office more interesting with wallpaper

If you like more variety in your home office, wallpaper is the perfect way to go. Choose a wallpaper with floral or geometric patterns (like the one above) or you can go for a striped design (like the one below). I would personally choose a light or neutral-colored wallpaper to create a fresh feel for the space. Choose a wallpaper that can fit well with the furniture and theme of your room.

6. Splash some nice color to your office space

If your work is super stressful, try choosing a paint color that can make you feel calmer throughout the day. There are many paint colors to choose from. Kate Knowles Home used Benjamin Moore® Blue Heather paint. “Like its namesake flower, this light, dusty blue is sweet and delicate, introducing a feeling of peaceful serenity to any space,” according to Benjamin Moore®.

You can also opt to choose a dark paint color for your home. This gorgeous color from Farrow and Ball™ according to Bria Hammel Interiors created a “bold, sleek look. The monochromatic element made this space eye-catching while still maintaining a sophisticated design”.

7. Choose your light fixture carefully

You should also consider what kind of lighting to include in your home office. While most of us will automatically think of desk lamps, a chandelier or an interesting hanging light fixture will make any room more elegant and special. It also gives an element of luxury. The shaded chandelier above fits beautifully into the traditional design interior of the room. If you want to have a more contemporary look, you can try the drum-style or lantern chandelier.

To sum it all, creating a home office that you’ll love really depends on your personal taste and what you envision your dream office to be.

After buying the basic items for your home office, choosing a theme, wallpaper, paint color, and light fixture, building a nook, and decorating your shelf are great ways to make your home office a place to increase your productivity and creativity and improve your mood while working.

Have you created your dream home office yet? What tips are you going to apply to your home office space? I would love to hear from you here.

Need some calming paint colors for your home office? Check out

7 Best Relaxing Paint Colors You Need for Your Home Office Now

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