According to research conducted in 2021, 68% of the global workforce works remotely at least once a month and 77% of remote workers report increased productivity at home.
That’s a lot of people who need a productive home office.
Get a head start on the competition by letting us help you make your home office worth getting up for in the morning.
We have spent hours sifting through the highs and the lows of home office setup design to bring you only the most practical, most unique, and most aesthetically pleasing ideas.
Flexibility. Control. Comfort.
These are just a few of the things a home office can add to your life.
So without further ado, below are setup ideas that will get your creative juices flowing.
1. Industrial Style
If you want your home office setup to reflect the confidence you have in your work, we would suggest an industrial interior.
These design styles tend to favor simplicity, black accents, and brick walls, providing a business ambiance that is sure to get your head in the game.
2. Minimalist Style
So you aren’t one for the frills and fuss. We get it. A minimalistic office design is right up your alley, as it replaces all the plants and decor with the sleek, bare basics you need to deliver your best work.
After all, a neat office is a neat mind.
One key tip for achieving this minimalistic look is to create a near completely wireless setup with the help of a wireless mouse, headset, keyboard, and many other appliances readily available on the market today.
3. Contemporary Design
If you’ve invested time and money into giving your home a modern look, you’ll want to apply those same efforts to your home office.
Contemporary designing is all about the modern trends and tastes that make the interior design world tick. Currently, this means light colors, pine wood, and LOTS of natural light.
4. Bohemian Style
Unfortunately, the nature of most jobs don’t allow for an outdoor office. But that doesn’t mean you can’t bring the great outdoors to your home office!
Bohemian style is all about imitating the freedom and feel of nature through wood-like colors and materials, natural light, and lots of plants.
If you’re scared your home office setup is becoming a bit dull, focus on bringing colors that can be found in nature into your decor like yellow, green, and orange.
5. Scandanavian Style
Scandanavian decorating prioritises functionality over aesthetics. The result is a neutral, minimalistic interior with idyllic office necessity placement.
If you make use of Scandanavian decorating tactics, you are sure to always have a printer within reach, a file on hand, and all your stationery at the tips of your fingers.
So, no more hiding your speakers behind your monitor and covering up your desk scratches with plants – it’s time to put productivity and efficiency first.
6. Colorful Style
Who said color wasn’t professional?
If you are looking for a home office to keep your mind awake throughout the day, you may want to opt for a pop (or multiple pops) of bright color.
An easy way that anyone can incorporate color into their office is by introducing a fun carpet, chair, or art piece. In other words, a statement piece to keep the spirits lifted.
But the colorful style approach is a bit more all-in. If you are artistic, we suggest letting your mind run free on your home office walls.
This has the added perk of giving you a confidence boost on days when you aren’t feeling too confident in your work. But even if art isn’t your forte, you’re sure to benefit from commissioning some bold designs from your local artist.
7. Moody Style
There is some irony in this popular office design style, as the moody office is sure to boost the mood of the professional within it.
People often find themselves comforted by the dark theme this style favors. While this aesthetic will certainly suit any room, it can be utilized to make large open spaces appear less vacant and have a more homey feel.
But how can you create your very own moody office?
The key element of this style is a dark wall color, often green, navy, or black. White art pieces, dark wood and gold accents are also common within this design choice, with the occasional unique chandelier also making an appearance.
8. Bedroom Combo
Unfortunately, we can’t all have the luxury of a dedicated space for our home office. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a productive home office.
Why not transform a nook of your favourite room in the house? You might have to give up some desk space and stick to the basics, but with some smart use of vertical space, you can add to the productivity and appearance of your bedroom.
9. Guest Bedroom Combo
Sure, your in-laws might stay over during the holiday season, but that doesn’t mean the guest bedroom should stay vacant 11 months a year.
Even if you don’t have enough space for a guest bed AND a good desk, there are ways to prioritize work and whip up a comfortable sleeping space during the festive season.
The traditional route would, of course, be a sleeper couch but plenty of work from home professionals are opting for an office space incorporated into the existing room storage.
10. Repurpose a Narrow Space
Walk-in closets are out, and narrow offices are in!
There are plenty of ways to utilize smaller spaces to your work’s advantage without feeling cramped.
One of our top tips for creating the illusion of space in your small office is to use light colors and to incorporate natural light and windows where possible.
11. On a Budget
With a little bit of budgeting, a cozy home office can be attainable to every professional. We would suggest focusing on items you already own when setting up your home office, such as dining tables and chairs.
Fancy adjustable desks and ergonomic office chairs can always be added somewhere down the line.
It may also help to work from a laptop, as this lowers the number of office accessories you need to invest in.
When creating your home office budget, try to focus on the items you need to promote your best work like high speed internet and sufficient devices before honing in on the mood-lifters like art and unique lighting.
12. Eco-Friendly Setup
The decision to go eco-friendly is a commendable one that influences everything from the kitchen to the bedroom.
We have a few tips to help you extend this lifestyle to your office.
First off: Mindful stationery. There are plenty of companies out there dedicated to bringing nature-friendly, plastic-free stationary to our modern offices. This is a game changer, as we are constantly buying (and throwing away) stationery.
Our second tip can help you be sustainable and modern: LED lighting. LED lights save up to 90% more energy than traditional bulbs, at no cost of lighting efficiency. They also last up to 17 times longer, meaning less valuable recourses are used to replenish your lighting system. While we would suggest letting natural light run its course in the day, LEDs are the perfect after-hour solution.
13. Kid-Friendly Setup
The key to simultaneously being a productive parent and professional is to let your kid join in on the fun!
Create a mini office setup within your home office where your little one can live out their grown-up dreams.
While this space might just be an arts and crafts table for now, you can always upgrade it to a homework station at a later stage.
14. Office in a Closet
Who knew you could save space by converting your run-of-the-mill clothing closet into your desk and office appliance area? This means that you can incorporate your office into any room in the house, or just have some extra space in your dedicated office room for other personal interests.
15. Corner Desk Design
Corner desks have the ability to provide much more desk space without making your whole office appear cramped.
They also create the ideal environment for dual-monitor setups, multi-purpose desks and even two-person offices. The design possibilities are truly endless.
16. 2 Person Setup
Maybe you’re lucky enough to work from home with your partner or maybe you just miss the companionship of an office building. Either way, there are plenty of unique setup ideas to turn one room into an office for two.
Most of these ideas revolve around creative desk designs, but we would like to suggest that every member of a coworking space have a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones for privacy and focus.
17. Office Library
This one might not be for everybody, but if you’re a bookworm at heart, this crossover is sure to make you feel right at home.
Whether you surround yourself with your favourite novels or profession-specific literature, tall wall bookcases can make you feel like royalty in your home office.
A bookcase background is also sure to promote your professional image during conference calls.
18. Farmhouse Design
People in traditional farm homes often find themselves with gigantic rooms and no idea how to fill them. This is where the farmhouse office comes into play.
The farmhouse decorating style uses antique-style furniture in light, modern colors to fill larger spaces.
Antique furniture often takes up a lot of space, while creating a vintage, homey feel. Natural wood is also a popular material choice that accompanies this design.
19. Basement Office
With perks like total privacy and a low-noise environment, we can totally understand how the basement can make a great home office.
The key to achieving this, however, is lighting, lighting, lighting.
Bright, white lights can be used to create that professional, office feel, while yellow lighting can create a cozy atmosphere you’ll want to return to day after day. If you’d like to recreate the feel of a naturally lit room, we’d suggest using bright light with a slight yellow hue in the day, while switching to different colored lights in the evening.
20. Loft Office
Lofts are all about open-plan design. This means that the trip from your kitchen to your living room to your home office is a quick one with little disruption.
While this is a great way to not feel trapped in a small space, it does limit your interior design choices, as all your rooms have to be furnished similarly.
Very large windows and dark wood are often favored in these kinds of spaces, as a lot of room has to be illuminated by one window and dark wood helps to make the space look fuller.
21. Feng Shui
Feng Shui decorating plays around with the idea of energy balance and harmony within your space. This means that, if you are spiritually inclined, you can use the principles of Feng Shui to align your space with your business goals and personal wellbeing.
Different shapes, colors, and materials promote and attract different energy to your space and mind. For instance, within Feng Shui, it is believed that wavy or curvy patterns, the color black, and water will promote career success.
22. Hobby Room
If you’ve always wanted a hobby room but decided on an office instead, there’s still hope. There are a few space-smart decisions you can make in your office to ensure you have space to deliver your best work and live your best life, all in one room.
Why not put an easel in the corner and store some paints in your desk? Or upgrade your work setup to double as a gaming setup?
Sure, having a dedicated office space can be cool, but if you plan very meticulously, you can make your home office your favourite spot in the house, no matter the time of day.
23. Ergonomic Setup
The investment in an ergonomic home office setup is an investment in your long-term health.
Luckily for professionals, the business world is currently in the age of ergonomics, meaning that the market is overflowing with products that are ready to support you during long work hours.
From a standing desk to an ergonomic office chair to a supportive mousepad, you won’t regret a single thing once you start to feel the benefits of better circulation and decreased back-, hip-, and wrist pain.
Conclusion
The ideal home office setup can be motivational, convenient, and an all-around great investment for your business.
Now that you have some great home office ideas to get your mind racing, it’s time to go update your Pinterest boards and get designing. Once you’re ready to start shopping, check out our list of 100+ work from home essentials to streamline your process.
We would love to hear what ideas you incorporate into your home office space in the comments below.
Photo Credit: Unsplash
