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Upgrade Your Home Office With These Six Simple Decor Ideas
Know Your Needs
Before you can choose how to decorate your home office, you need to know your needs. Do you plan on working from home regularly, or is the space for occasional work? What type of work do you need the office for? While most people do need computers to complete their work, not everyone spends all day at the keyboard.
After you determine the non-negotiable things you need, you can design your space accordingly. Choose furnishings that both meet your needs and your style. A computer desk and chair don’t have to be a boring choice. If you like classic looks, pick an antique style desk and a comfortable chair.
You need a workspace where you can craft and create. Choose a tall workbench that will allow you to stand and sit with a stool. When picking a seat, go with one that matches your tastes but offers the back support that you need for a long day of creating.
Make Sure You Have Plenty of Light
Light is vital in any room. Some rooms call for subtle lighting, but your home office is not one of those spaces. To adequately work, you need to be able to clearly see what you are doing. Don’t rely on the computer screen to provide illumination; it will only cause you to strain your eyes.
Natural lighting is best. It brightens up the room and can make your office feel more energized. However, sometimes your home office doesn’t get natural lighting, or you must work after the sun goes down when there is no natural light.
Having lamps in your office can help provide the light you need while adding a sense of style to the overall décor. Country Living recommends choosing accent lamps that offer a splash of color or that have an exciting design. These things add a little art to the room while still being useful to you.
Get Colorful
Neutral colors may help you focus on your work, but that doesn’t mean you have to go with bland and boring throughout your home office. The O Magazine suggests that a shot of color can brighten the place up and make it feel more welcoming.
When considering where to add a bit of color, you have several options. You may choose to keep three of the four walls a lovely neutral beige, gray, or off-white. The fourth wall can be an accent wall painted in a soothing or bold color. You could also choose to wallpaper your accent wall instead.
Accent walls are just one way to add color to your home office. Instead of painting the walls a brilliant color, add a splash elsewhere. Buy a colorful rug to bring out that burst, or use lamps or other desktop accessories to brighten up the room.
Make Your Area Cozy, But Not Too Cozy
Your home office space should be comfortable for you. Even if you only work from home on occasion, you want to make sure that the area is inviting and has a cozy feel. A comfortable chair is only a small part of this relaxed feeling. Attractive area rugs and personalized décor will make you enjoy the room more.
While you want it to be inviting and a place that you don’t mind getting some work done, you don’t want it to be too cozy. The idea is to focus on the work you need to accomplish. If you make it too comfortable, you may end up wanting to take a nap or do anything but work.
It can be a fine line to making the space inviting to work while not making it overly cozy. Knowing your needs and the environment you work best in can hit the mark without too much difficulty.
Personalize Your Space
Now it’s time to make your home office look like it’s yours and not a generic space in anyone’s home. You don’t want to overdo it on the knick-knacks that may have to be dusted and cleaned regularly. However, having a few of your favorite pieces around can make it feel more inviting.
Wall art is another great way to personalize your space. Real Simple adds that you can hang your favorite images around the area or make a collage. When hanging, use removable wall strips, such as Command strips, which will keep you from damaging your walls. Doing so will allow you to change the gallery periodically if you want.
Don’t be afraid to repurpose items from around the house too. If you have décor that doesn’t get used often, but you love it, it may find a better home in your office. Have an antique area rug you aren’t using? Roll it out on your office floor and mix it with more modern designs to give the room a warm feeling.
Don’t Forget Storage
Décor is about the way your office looks and flows. Yet, there is one crucial aspect you don’t need to overlook, and that is storage. Having a space to work from home won’t work well for you if you don’t have a way to keep it neat and organized.
Storage containers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. They can help bring your home office together while neatly stored items.
Get creative with your storage to help make your space feel inviting and get your work juices flowing. Use items such as:
- Bookcases: They can hold more than books.
- Pegboards: To organize crafting supplies or tools
- Magazine Holders: Organize supplies or notebooks
Cubbies can be used in place of bookcases for offices that need a versatile way to store books and other items.
If your home office doubles as a spare guest room, make sure you have plenty of storage to put your work things away. Visitors don’t want to be overwhelmed by your work-related items, and you may not want them viewing work items either. If your office needs a bed, for this reason, consider using a daybed. It can double as a small couch and give you under the bed storage for work stuff when guests stay the night.
Conclusion
Revamping a room to become a home office or updating the one you have can make it a more comfortable workplace. Take the time to establish precisely what you need in your office to begin planning what décor will work best. Make sure you have plenty of lighting, and there is some color to help warm the area. A cozy space will make you want to work, but don’t make it so comfortable that you get distracted. Don’t forget to add plenty of storage space for your work necessities.