Are you willing to paint? Add a rug? Add window treatments? Or just art?

Yes to all of those modifications,  thanks

Remove the plant and table in the corner. Furniture is traditional so work with that.

Large black & white photos on long wall. Simple linen drapery panels or you could do roman shades in a natural fiber

Paint the walls the blue/charcoal from the left corner

Paint the walls a caramel color

Lovely room!

Instead of laying out the furniture in a typical plan, consider a more inviting and pleasant set up. I have my desk facing the window, not towards an empty foyer and I find it inspiring and productive.

Add moldings on the wall and a cornice.

Paint the room a darker color, including the moldings.

Add a lush loveseat at the back of the room with art above.

Add a vintage area rug. I find that there are wonderful vintage rugs on craigslist for decent prices.

Desk facing window

Hi, Linda--

If it's a home office, I'd add French doors to your double-wide cased opening at the entry so this office can have a complete sound lockoff from the activity in the rest of the house (essential for virtual collaboration now). While you're doing casework and millwork, I'd love to see crown molding added into this space to set off the other existing case, base and trim already present.

Some great layout ideas upthread here but I'd also include places for those door panels to swing into the room. A great floorcovering and some larger-scale contemporary art can go a long way in here to offset the very traditional office furniture and still create a cohesive whole that represent the inhabitant well. Hope that helps, cheers!

A narrow ledge, 6"-9" deep, behind the sofa V V V

Note the wall moulding V V V

Consider a simple chair rail with different tone of paint below and wall sconces V V V

If he works from home and does online conferences he might want to face the window and have the natural light on his face. I think the plant, chair and table need to go; they don't feel right with the desk and hutch. Does he have clients in the office who need a place to sit?

Love the ideas, thank you.  I should clarify, he works as a firefighter and only uses this office for personal use, so not many hours and no clients etc. 

We have been doing a lot of renovations on our first floor and are moving away from true traditional so adding crown is not in the plan.

I haven't had time to study all the comments yet, but I really appreciate the
 thought that goes into your replies.

I'm happy to get rid of the tree

Linda, thank you for the clarification.

Since you are moving away from traditional, it will make sense to concentrate on the far back wall, the window treatments and paint color, and even more sense to have the desk face the window and the cabinet on the long wall. It will be a more contemporary and fresh layout, and take the focus off the traditional furnishings.

By paying attention to that far wall elevation, you can create the style you are trying to achieve.

Please don't hesitate to comment or ask questions.

Perhaps you should start with a new rug to set the tone and colorway.

I had a little time this morning to take a look at all the comments, THANK YOU. I really want to put the desk by the window, and my husband reminded me that we tried that long ago but the window is very off centered. The room is 13'1 x 9'10. There is only 16 inches from the window trim to the back wall. That would leave no room for a sofa or chair (need 1 extra place to sit), With that being said, I feel like I can still make the back wall a feature like many of you suggested and continue with the layout of desk on the window. The desk is 67" x 32" and the window is 9'1". The room will be back heavy but could that work?

Once you place the area rug in the room, it will anchor the placement of the desk and as @decoenthusiaste said, it will help to set the tone and colorway.

I agree to remove the plant.

it looks like you get strong natural light in here, so I think navy walls would look gorgeous -- especially with the brown furniture. dark rooms (with good light) make a nice backdrop for zoom calls.

I also agree to re-arrange so the desk faces the window. that will also help with zoom lighting, and looking out the window is a great way to rest the eyes.

Hi Linda,

I really like the other advice you have gotten here. I agree with the idea of facing the desk to the window if you find there is room enough to do so.

And white french doors would match the beautiful windows you have and both look wonderful and close off for sound if needed.

I do think you should paint the walls if you are going for a masculine look. The "baby blue" color is not very manly ;)

A better color for a masculine office might be a beige or brown or some shade of green.

Earth tones in general.

For wall art, I would choose a big 3 piece landscape print for the back wall. Also in earth tones.

Landscape art is calming and suits a masculine office like this nicely.

All our wall art is a total of 72x36 inches combined + space in between the panels. So they will fill out your back wall nicely without cluttering the room.

I have some suggestions for nature wall art in earth tones if you would like to check them out.

(Click on the pictures to see a larger version of the image).

https://purescenic.com/shop/streaming-water/

https://purescenic.com/shop/leaves-on-road/

https://purescenic.com/shop/sunbeam/

https://purescenic.com/shop/underground/

Best regards

Karina from Purescenic.com

I would love to see Hale Navy walls, White Dove trim, and maybe a tribal or MCM rug with shades of maybe navy and oranges. Honestly, I'd keep the desk, sell the unit behind the desk, and lose the chair and little side table. Maybe some simple linen panels at the window?

Here is what could be done with your existing paint, new rug and accessories.

Just the right amount of green/blue in this rug.

Here are a few alternate rugs to consider. All from Loloi Rugs.

Beverly, do you have specific info. on the next-to-last rug? There are hundreds , if not more at Loloi. Thank you so much. I realize you are here for the person who posted the dilemma, but that rug looks like such a great option for someone I know.

Here you go I'm sure there are many prices for this online.

Thanks, so much, Beverly.

If the issue is that the office is not masculine enough, I think a new paint color would go a long way. I used to have an office just this color but I think it was more to my taste than my husband's.

Consider replacing some of the other furniture pieces with more classic / masculine pieces. I find leather chairs to be quintessential masculine office furniture if you are willing to replace the chair with another.

Similarly you might consider replacing the very ornate table with a more masculine cabinet or bar cart (doesn't necessarily have to be filled with alcohol or bar items).

Just a thought, before you go and spend $$$ to fix this room, think about how really dated this whole home office is. Who works like this anymore? People work at computers and use printers. But storage of files or papers is kept mostly on secure folders in the computer. I'm sure the desk and hutch cost $$$$ but are all these wood casegoods really required?

I'm switching to having my computer come up on my TV screen so I can sit in front of a lift-top coffee table and get my work done. Store the keyboard and mouse in the table when not using it.

Or people are just equipping their chair to hold their laptop. Sometimes more than this isn't needed.

The good thing about furniture is that it can be moved around!

Sounds like you have several projects going on. Paint, a good rug, ”steal” a lounge chair from another room, simple curtains from Pottery Barn (don’t skimp on fullness), and art on back wall should do it nicely.

When you paint the walls a deeper color it will take the focus off the furniture.

Consider a bold print or colorful rug.

I like that this has presence, and the color - to 'match' the wood pieces.

Marmont Hill, "Rustic Horse II" by Irena Orlov Painting on Wrapped Canvas, 40x40 · More Info

Marmont Hill, "Wild Brown Horse" by Irena Orlov Painting Wrapped Canvas, 40x40 · More Info

Adam Burton 'Half Dome from Glacier' Canvas Art, 47"x30" · More Info

One more --- a cross between leaves and footballs. ;)

Gold Metal Contemporary Abstract Wall Decor 47" x 4" x 24" · More Info

Mathilde Guillemot 'Sentinels' Canvas Art, 47"x30" · More Info

Vander Imperial Blue/Gold Power-Loomed Area Rug, 6'7"x9'2" · More Info

@BeverlyFLADeziner You are so right...you are making me think I need to completely redo my home office. I'm in love with that chair. Do you have a source? I think it's a good place to start...

Beverly, can you please provide information on the very first rug you suggested?

Stressless is the leather chair.

This is the rug in the illustration

You mentioned black -- idea -

Generation Lighting Lighting 5-Light Chandelier, Satin Bronze · More Info

Please remove the tree vase from the vicinity of the Bookcase, and try to keep the corner nightstand drawer open on both sides. Also, attempt to get rid of the corner table and replace it with another chair or a side bench where you may sit and talk to people.