Create a Home Office That Works for You
When you need a serious workspace, choose a layout, furnishings, technology and lighting that will get the job done
Anne Colby
February 28, 2017
Houzz Senior Editor
If your office work at home is limited to tasks like checking email, paying bills and filing paperwork, a small desk in a kitchen nook or bedroom is probably all you need. But if you work from home all or some of the time — or spend long hours at the computer on projects or schoolwork — you’ll need a more sophisticated office setup.
A well-designed home office has comfortable workstations, good lighting and a layout that puts work surfaces, storage, technology and other essentials where you need them. We’ll look at each of these areas to help you get started thinking about your own space. And we’ll see some home offices that, like this Maryland wood-and-glass workspace, are designed for getting down to business.
Choose Your Location
Your first decision will be to figure out where to locate your workspace. Typical spots include a spare bedroom, a repurposed dining room, an attic, a den and a backyard shed. Think about whether you want to be close to your family when you work or if you need a quiet space away from living areas and kids’ bedrooms. If you want a separate entrance for meeting clients or co-workers, a backyard studio might be a good choice for you.
Wherever you situate your office, make sure it has a door — standard, pocket, sliding, bifold, French or barn style — for times when you need to talk privately on the phone or work without interruption.
Your first decision will be to figure out where to locate your workspace. Typical spots include a spare bedroom, a repurposed dining room, an attic, a den and a backyard shed. Think about whether you want to be close to your family when you work or if you need a quiet space away from living areas and kids’ bedrooms. If you want a separate entrance for meeting clients or co-workers, a backyard studio might be a good choice for you.
Wherever you situate your office, make sure it has a door — standard, pocket, sliding, bifold, French or barn style — for times when you need to talk privately on the phone or work without interruption.
Evaluate the Space
Now look closely at the existing space.
Key Measurements to Help You Design the Perfect Home Office
Now look closely at the existing space.
- What are its dimensions? Is it a large area, with room to spread out, or a snug space that demands an efficient layout? Does it have features you need to design around?
- Where are the electrical outlets, cable and phone lines, and will they support your equipment and devices?
- What are the sources of natural light? What lighting fixtures are already in the room?
Key Measurements to Help You Design the Perfect Home Office
Assess Your Needs
Think about how you will be using the space.
Think about how you will be using the space.
- How many people will be working in the office? Will you be meeting clients there? Should the room be wheelchair-accessible?
- What types of work areas do you need? How much of your time will be spent at a computer? Do you need a printer next to your computer, or can it be anywhere in the room?
- Will you be using any special equipment, such as a drafting table or a video conferencing system?
- How much time will you spend on the phone?
- Do you need a lot of storage space, or is yours a mostly digital operation?
- Will you want a club chair for reading and relaxing? How about a spot for a dog bed or a child-size table? Do you want to display books, photos or collectibles?
Decide on a Room Style
Consider the look you want for the room. Traditional, contemporary, industrial and eclectic styles are just a few of the options.
You might like your office decor to coordinate with the furnishings in the rest of your home. Or perhaps your office will be the place where you cut loose and display some quirky style.
Maybe you’re on a budget, and will be happy sticking with basic office furniture and personalizing the space with photos and plants. Decorate your office in a way that feels right to you.
Consider the look you want for the room. Traditional, contemporary, industrial and eclectic styles are just a few of the options.
You might like your office decor to coordinate with the furnishings in the rest of your home. Or perhaps your office will be the place where you cut loose and display some quirky style.
Maybe you’re on a budget, and will be happy sticking with basic office furniture and personalizing the space with photos and plants. Decorate your office in a way that feels right to you.
Consider Your Desk Options
Whether you’re buying a desk off the shelf or having one custom-made, think about what size, shape and style will best serve your needs. Free-standing desks come in standard types: U-shaped, L-shaped, corner, curved, rectangular (writing, computer, executive style) and standing. Custom desks can be built to your specifications. Below are some examples of desk styles.
Browse desks by style, material and size
Whether you’re buying a desk off the shelf or having one custom-made, think about what size, shape and style will best serve your needs. Free-standing desks come in standard types: U-shaped, L-shaped, corner, curved, rectangular (writing, computer, executive style) and standing. Custom desks can be built to your specifications. Below are some examples of desk styles.
Browse desks by style, material and size
U-shaped. Roomy U-shaped desks offer a great deal of workspace and storage area in a relatively contained space. Three separate sections of desk with a chair in the middle mean one side can be used for meetings, another side for writing and another for computer work. Or one or two sides can be reserved for a printer, files or other necessities.
This rustic desk is in a Calistoga, California, barn built from salvaged barn wood. Electrical outlets are located around the top of the custom desk where it meets the walls.
This rustic desk is in a Calistoga, California, barn built from salvaged barn wood. Electrical outlets are located around the top of the custom desk where it meets the walls.
L-shaped and corner. These versatile desk types can fit in rooms large and small. They allow you to work on a computer facing one direction, then turn in your chair to talk on the phone or do paperwork on the other side. Some L-shaped desks have undercounter storage on the longer side and just a return for a computer on the other.
This desk crafted from quarter-sawn red oak and sapele is in a Minneapolis house with extensive woodwork. The shelves hold books, boxes, pottery and other objects.
This desk crafted from quarter-sawn red oak and sapele is in a Minneapolis house with extensive woodwork. The shelves hold books, boxes, pottery and other objects.
Rectangular. Single-sided desks may be called writing desks, computer desks, office desks or executive desks. They can be a slim desktop on legs, a countertop built into a nook or a heftier model outfitted with drawers and cabinets.
This Calabasas, California, home office contains a desk against the wall for computer work and storage, and another desk floating in the room for creative work. The desktop on the wall is made from an Ikea kitchen countertop, and the drawers underneath it are from Ikea’s Alex series. The desk in the middle of the room is a Melltorp table, also from Ikea.
This Calabasas, California, home office contains a desk against the wall for computer work and storage, and another desk floating in the room for creative work. The desktop on the wall is made from an Ikea kitchen countertop, and the drawers underneath it are from Ikea’s Alex series. The desk in the middle of the room is a Melltorp table, also from Ikea.
Standing. Sit-stand and standing desks have grown in popularity as health professionals have warned against spending too much time sitting down. When shopping for an adjustable desk, look for one that’s stable and moves smoothly as you adjust the height. You can also buy a desk riser to put on top of a regular desk for standing. Either way, you won’t want to be standing all day, so give yourself options and make sure you have a chair to lean or perch on. A cushioned mat also can add comfort.
The furniture in this San Diego-area office was customized to accommodate its owner, a 6-foot-8 sports photographer. His standing-height computer desk is in the background, attached to the wall. Next to it is a chair for sitting or leaning. The industrial-style island in the foreground has custom cabinets that open on the sides for camera storage. Here’s another view of the room.
The furniture in this San Diego-area office was customized to accommodate its owner, a 6-foot-8 sports photographer. His standing-height computer desk is in the background, attached to the wall. Next to it is a chair for sitting or leaning. The industrial-style island in the foreground has custom cabinets that open on the sides for camera storage. Here’s another view of the room.
Built-in. Custom cabinetry uses space efficiently and can be tailored to your needs. An architect, an interior designer, a contractor or a cabinetmaker can help you get it built.
In this New York home office, a built-in desk wraps around windows to focus views on the nature preserve next door. The corner desk’s curved seating area creates three mini workstations. The streamlined room conceals a generous amount of storage.
In this New York home office, a built-in desk wraps around windows to focus views on the nature preserve next door. The corner desk’s curved seating area creates three mini workstations. The streamlined room conceals a generous amount of storage.
Free-standing. If you want more flexibility or need to keep costs down, you can furnish your office with individual pieces instead — new, secondhand, repurposed or DIY.
This desk combines Pottery Barn filing cabinets and a Carrara marble slab cut to fit. A gallery wall of black-and-white portraits in Ikea picture frames personalizes the Boston office.
This desk combines Pottery Barn filing cabinets and a Carrara marble slab cut to fit. A gallery wall of black-and-white portraits in Ikea picture frames personalizes the Boston office.
Design Your Workstation
If you can splurge on only one thing in your office, make it your workstation. This is the place where the rubber meets the road every day. Having an ergonomic — meaning efficient and safe — arrangement of your chair, desk, computer, keyboard, mouse and telephone can keep you working more productively and prevent repetitive injuries.
Tailor your setup so that it encourages good posture. There’s no one correct way to sit, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration offers some guidelines. OSHA recommends that your forearms, wrists and hands be in a straight line and generally parallel to the floor; your head be level or bent slightly forward and in line with your torso; and your elbows stay close to your body. Your thighs and hips should be roughly parallel to the floor, and your knees about the same height as your hips. Your feet should be slightly forward and fully supported by the floor or a footrest.
If you can splurge on only one thing in your office, make it your workstation. This is the place where the rubber meets the road every day. Having an ergonomic — meaning efficient and safe — arrangement of your chair, desk, computer, keyboard, mouse and telephone can keep you working more productively and prevent repetitive injuries.
Tailor your setup so that it encourages good posture. There’s no one correct way to sit, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration offers some guidelines. OSHA recommends that your forearms, wrists and hands be in a straight line and generally parallel to the floor; your head be level or bent slightly forward and in line with your torso; and your elbows stay close to your body. Your thighs and hips should be roughly parallel to the floor, and your knees about the same height as your hips. Your feet should be slightly forward and fully supported by the floor or a footrest.
Chair. Choose a comfortable chair with wheels, a swiveling seat, good lumbar support and controls that let you adjust every component for height, width, depth and tilt.
Keyboard tray. A pullout keyboard tray or shelf such as this one can help reduce muscle strain. If your desk height is fixed, a tray can allow you to adjust your keyboard and mouse height and distance to help you work in a relaxed, comfortable position.
Other options. A telephone headset and a document holder for typing also can help prevent muscle strain.
Keyboard tray. A pullout keyboard tray or shelf such as this one can help reduce muscle strain. If your desk height is fixed, a tray can allow you to adjust your keyboard and mouse height and distance to help you work in a relaxed, comfortable position.
Other options. A telephone headset and a document holder for typing also can help prevent muscle strain.
Build In Storage Space
The paperless office is not yet a reality for many. Even with computer storage on hard drives and in the cloud, there may be paper documents to file or keep on hand. Older records are not always digitized.
And there are supplies and equipment — printer ink cartridges, batteries, coffee filters, camera lenses, fabric samples — to store as well. You also may want to display family photos, kids’ drawings, professional awards, books or a favorite collection.
The paperless office is not yet a reality for many. Even with computer storage on hard drives and in the cloud, there may be paper documents to file or keep on hand. Older records are not always digitized.
And there are supplies and equipment — printer ink cartridges, batteries, coffee filters, camera lenses, fabric samples — to store as well. You also may want to display family photos, kids’ drawings, professional awards, books or a favorite collection.
Think about what you want to look at and have at your fingertips every day. These things should go on desktops and open shelves — perhaps in baskets, boxes or organizers.
Everything else can be stored in drawers and cabinets, with the most frequently accessed items within arm’s reach and the rest in higher cabinets or drawers farther away from where you work. A fire-safe box can protect important documents.
Find storage boxes and organizers
Everything else can be stored in drawers and cabinets, with the most frequently accessed items within arm’s reach and the rest in higher cabinets or drawers farther away from where you work. A fire-safe box can protect important documents.
Find storage boxes and organizers
Some people like an office where everything is displayed out in the open. For others, busy surfaces are too distracting. Think honestly about how you work best, and take the time to set up your office in a way that will help you stay organized.
Make Way for Technology
Digital devices and other technology should be a primary consideration in your office design. Consider hiring an electronics pro to help you arrange and install everything properly.
When you have a lot of equipment, the dark screens and devices can dominate the room’s decor. But in this Mondrian-inspired office in Canada, the exuberant colors and abundance of photos and mementos keep the room looking lively and personal even with several monitors and a good-size printer.
Some of the items you might have in your office
Digital devices and other technology should be a primary consideration in your office design. Consider hiring an electronics pro to help you arrange and install everything properly.
When you have a lot of equipment, the dark screens and devices can dominate the room’s decor. But in this Mondrian-inspired office in Canada, the exuberant colors and abundance of photos and mementos keep the room looking lively and personal even with several monitors and a good-size printer.
Some of the items you might have in your office
- Computer equipment, such as a desktop model, monitor, laptop, tablet, hard drive, keyboard and mouse
- Printer, scanner, fax, copier (all-in-one or separate units)
- Telephones, cellphone charger, headset
- Wi-Fi router, cable modem, TV screen, cable box, DVR
- Stereo and speakers, recording equipment
- Video conferencing equipment
- Cable and telephone lines, electrical outlets, surge protector
- Paper shredder
In a smaller space. The design of this Connecticut office turns the room’s awkward shape into an advantage. The slim desk surface built into a nook is big enough for two computers. Built-in cabinets to the right hold additional equipment. Under the desk, a rolling cabinet offers storage. The darkness of the office equipment is offset by the floorboards, plants, upholstered chair, framed photos and filtered natural light.
Conceal cords and cables. Space can be left between a desk and a wall to run cords, as was done in this Toronto office, where a repurposed credenza, laminate countertop and file cabinets were fashioned into a desk.
Another way to minimize cords and cables is to run them to outlets through holes cut into desktops, false walls and cabinet backs. You also can have outlets built into cabinetry. Wires can be bundled together or concealed in a housing to minimize their presence. It’s worth arranging wires and cords neatly to make it easier to check connections if equipment malfunctions.
Another way to minimize cords and cables is to run them to outlets through holes cut into desktops, false walls and cabinet backs. You also can have outlets built into cabinetry. Wires can be bundled together or concealed in a housing to minimize their presence. It’s worth arranging wires and cords neatly to make it easier to check connections if equipment malfunctions.
On a floating desk. With a floating desk that holds wired devices, you can run cords down a desk leg to an electrical outlet installed in the floor underneath. Or you can cover the lines and run them along the floor or carpet, as in this traditional office in Greenwich, Connecticut. You also can get a desk with outlets built in.
Wi-Fi networks help minimize the tangle of cords by connecting devices wirelessly. If you have two desks — one against a wall and one floating in the room — you can avoid dealing with cords on the free-standing table by using mobile and laptop devices there, and keeping the chargers and desktop models on a surface near an outlet.
Wi-Fi networks help minimize the tangle of cords by connecting devices wirelessly. If you have two desks — one against a wall and one floating in the room — you can avoid dealing with cords on the free-standing table by using mobile and laptop devices there, and keeping the chargers and desktop models on a surface near an outlet.
Plan Your Lighting
The presence of computer monitors can make office spaces tricky to light. Light needs to be diffused and the fixtures positioned to avoid creating screen glare, which can lead to eyestrain.
Lighting designers say a home office should have layers of light rather than a single light source. The light in this New York office, for example, comes from recessed ceiling lights, a pendant light, a desk lamp and a window with a blind.
Here are basic lighting types and options.
How to create a lighting plan
The presence of computer monitors can make office spaces tricky to light. Light needs to be diffused and the fixtures positioned to avoid creating screen glare, which can lead to eyestrain.
Lighting designers say a home office should have layers of light rather than a single light source. The light in this New York office, for example, comes from recessed ceiling lights, a pendant light, a desk lamp and a window with a blind.
Here are basic lighting types and options.
- Ambient lighting includes recessed lights, ceiling-mounted lights, sconces and uplights. It can be used for both general illumination and localized lighting for work areas.
- Task lighting, provided by desk and floor lamps, should focus light on work surfaces and not on computer screens.
- Accent lighting, from recessed lights, spotlights and picture lights, can be used to highlight shelving areas and art and to outline the boundaries of a room.
- Natural light from windows, doors and skylights shows the true colors of objects (which is important for those who work with color). Position workstations and install blinds, draperies or other window coverings to shield monitors from glare and excessive sunlight.
How to create a lighting plan
Personalize Your Room
No less important than cabinetry, equipment and lighting are the nice extras that make your office more comfortable and functional.
A corkboard, blackboard or whiteboard can be used to display reminders and inspiration or to serve as a communications center or brainstorming tool. This Massachusetts office turns a bulletin board into a decorative element as well.
A sofa, a daybed or an easy chair, like the one seen here, offers a spot for relaxation. You might want a conference table in your office. And a coffee maker, a hot water dispenser and a small fridge can come in handy.
8 Twists on the Office-Bedroom Combo
No less important than cabinetry, equipment and lighting are the nice extras that make your office more comfortable and functional.
A corkboard, blackboard or whiteboard can be used to display reminders and inspiration or to serve as a communications center or brainstorming tool. This Massachusetts office turns a bulletin board into a decorative element as well.
A sofa, a daybed or an easy chair, like the one seen here, offers a spot for relaxation. You might want a conference table in your office. And a coffee maker, a hot water dispenser and a small fridge can come in handy.
8 Twists on the Office-Bedroom Combo
This Sedona, Arizona, office has an executive desk set up for serious work with a computer monitor, phone and keyboard tray. It also has a fireplace, lighted display shelves and a TV concealed behind a painting. A reading chair is positioned next to the windows to take in the view of the mountains.
Hidden TV: VisionArt
Your turn: Do you have a home office that works for you? Post your best pictures in the Comments and tell us about it.
More
Key Measurements to Help You Design the Perfect Home Office
Find design, building and service pros to help you create your home office
Find home office products on Houzz
Hidden TV: VisionArt
Your turn: Do you have a home office that works for you? Post your best pictures in the Comments and tell us about it.
More
Key Measurements to Help You Design the Perfect Home Office
Find design, building and service pros to help you create your home office
Find home office products on Houzz
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A very complete article, thank you for posting!
I'm in the process of re-designing a Den... the rest of our house is an open floor plan that is light and airy. I have light gray/blue on the walls, medium tone wood flooring, and white built-ins in the great room. But the den is closed off with glass French doors, so. it has separation. I put in a darker tone cork floor, have an antique walnut desk, and will have built-in shelves/bookcase... any advice on the color of the built in bookcase? I love darker, cozy, craftsman style dens, so I was thinking of a darker stain/paint. And, what about ceiling light fixture? Does it have to be similar to the rest of the house, or can I go with a simple Tiffany style? Please Advise!!
My home office is a fairly good size spare bedroom. It has a window on one wall and a patio door on another wall going out to a great terrace on top of the garage.
The issue I have is that I have 3 old desks, one with a hutch, that make an L. They are mismatched but that's not the actual problem. The problem is that I have a lot of clutter everywhere. I vow to clean up after we do the tax returns, in April. It's been done before but it never stays neat for very long.
Of the 3 desks only one is any good for working on it. The others are too narrow, they were kids desks. Clutter piles up on them. ANd with clutter, dust!
The one I consider good is quite wide (or is it deep?) It's a 5' x 3' surface which allows me to have 2 monitors and keep the keyboard on it. I have always hated keyboard trays, I need to have my elbows and forearms on the desk not down below and not be too close to the monitors. This works for me.
The room has a small closet where I keep a filing cabinet. I have another such filing cabinet in the closets of another bedroom, and a spare one elsewhere LOL. AGain, after taxes I will see what I can do with them. The small closet in my office holds one filing cabinet and a portable AC unit (needed when it's very hot because the central AC somehow doesn't reach this room very well). So I cannot bring the 2nd filing cabinet into this closet, at least not until the AC comes out. That won't happen until summer is here when I can also move outside to the terrace a bunch of large hibiscus trees currently staying in my office and occupying an entire wall.
When I declutter and clean up this office I also plan to organize the wires and cables which are now somewhere behind all the desks, full of dust bunnies and god knows what else. Butoh I plan to clean this seriously. Maybe even paint the walls as they are pretty yellowed (yeah, I'm a smoker.... *sigh*...)
I love my office though. I was toying with the idea of getting rid of the current furnishings and get one of those beautiful L or even U-shaped units. But the actual desk surfaces are too narrow in those, can't keep my elbows on them. I don't know ... Let me see what happens after I clean up ...