Home office ideas to boss your workspace!

Where to set up your home office

Let’s face it: we all like the idea of working in our PJs whilst sprawled across the sofa, but this is a less-than-ideal home office setup in the long run. For the sake of your comfort, productivity, and health, you should aim to set up a space that you can work from in your home, kitted out with a proper desk and chair.

Finding a room with enough space for you to get your head down is important – you also want to minimise the risk of family members wandering into frame during video calls!

Almost any room can be a home office with a bit of inspiration – though we wouldn’t recommend setting up your desk in the bathroom. That’s asking for trouble.

Study

Having a room in your house that you can devote entirely to your home office is obviously the most desirable choice, though it isn’t a luxury that everyone has! The next best thing is repurposing a box room into a home office. Although space may be limited, there are things you can do about it… more on that later!

Spare bedroom

A spare room is a brilliant choice for a home office, as it’s a room that sits empty a lot of the time.

It becomes a little trickier when guests come to stay, so you’ll probably have to relocate for a bit. You may also be a little pressed for space, so we’d recommend a folding guest bed to make the most of your room when guests aren’t in it. Or, even better, grab a day bed or sofa bed so your home office has a plush seating option for tea breaks!

Living room

Your living room is one of the bigger rooms in the house, if not the biggest, so most home-workers won’t have too much of a problem finding space for a desk. It’s also a comfy and cosy place to be.

However, it’s also one of the busiest spots in the home, so you’ll need to make sure family members are considerate of your work hours if they want to watch TV during the day, and headphones are a must. It’s also very tempting to watch TV yourself if you’re set up in the living room!

Dining room

You’re not likely to be disturbed too much if you set up your home office in the dining room, other than mealtimes. It’s also a room that already has a desk surface ready to go in the form of a dining table, saving you a bit of money on buying a separate desk & chair.

The downside to using the dining room is that you’ll have to pack everything away multiple times a week if you’re having family dinners or friends over. It’s also tempting to spread out and take over the whole table with work supplies, which can get messy very quickly!

Bear in mind that dining chairs aren’t necessarily designed to be used for a whole workday, and can’t be adjusted to give you full support. You may still want to use a purpose-built office chair if you’re in the dining room, for the sake of comfort!

Bedroom

If the idea of rolling straight out of bed and being at work appeals to you, then setting up your home office in your bedroom is the way to go!

If you’re house sharing, this is most likely the best option for you, as it’s a space you can call your own. However, if you share your bedroom with a significant other, you’ll need to be conscious that they may want to sleep in on certain days – so get practicing with quiet typing and don’t forget the headphones!

This is almost certainly where you’ll be working if you’re in student accommodation at uni or college. Your bedroom is a haven, so try and strike the balance between having somewhere to work, but also relax! Storage is a premium in almost all student digs, so making the most of desks with drawers as well as storage boxes is very important.

Kitchen

If your kitchen is big enough, squirreling yourself away in a corner or on the breakfast bar is also a valid option for your home office. However, like the dining table, it may not be the most comfortable setup for the full day, especially if you’re sat on a stool.

Kitchens are prone to getting dirty, and airborne steam and grease particles could play havoc with your work equipment if it’s too close.

Garden office

Why not get away from the hustle-and-bustle of it all and set up a picturesque outdoor office at the end of the garden? Surrounded by nature, a garden office is your very own WFH oasis and is a great place to concentrate.

Although the tapping of rain on the roof is quite a pleasant experience in our eyes, extremes in weather can be a challenge in a garden office. For hot summer days, an air conditioner will help you stay comfortable. Similarly, when the temperature drops, you’ll want a heater in there or your fingers will be too cold to type!

Any garden building also involves a little bit of maintenance to keep it in good condition for years to come, including treating the wood once every year or two. This is vital to make sure your technology and equipment is protected. You can check out our blog on how to maintain your shed for the full rundown – garden offices are no different to sheds when it comes to exterior aftercare!

Tech

Whether you’re freelancing, putting a shift in from home, or simply need a space for you and your family to use for productivity, we live in a world of technology. Kit out your desk with all the essentials (and fun optional extras) from our tech selection!

A laptop or tablet will fit nicely on your desk, but you’ll also find desks with a storage compartment for a good old desktop computer & tower – especially useful if you have a high-powered gaming computer. If you are working from a laptop, investing in a monitor gives you more screen to play with and is better for your eyes – not to mention that having 2 screens makes you feel doubly productive, even if you’re not.

For long shifts, you’ll also be thankful for a separate keyboard and mouse. On smaller desks, you’ll often find pull-out trays for these items which you can slide away when you’re done.

Another home office essential is a good headset for taking those important (and less important) meetings in private, which will make sure you’re not disturbing other members in the household or accidentally giving away classified company secrets.

Depending on your needs, it may be worth investing in a printer; though most documents are online, a printer is handy for keeping hard copies of important documents safe & sound. If you don’t have room on your desk for a printer (only large ones do), don’t panic – just grab a printer stand!

When you’re studying at uni or college, printers are usually easy to come by, but they also tend to charge you! Depending on how often you’re planning on using it, it could end up cheaper (and definitely more convenient) to buy your own printer.

Create an organised office

When you’re working from home, it’s important to keep your workspace as clean and tidy as possible. Not only will this cut down on stress in your day-to-day life, but it’ll also make you feel more productive.

Standalone storage such as filing cabinets or bookshelves are great ways of keeping files, pads and folders in one place so you can access them easily. Desk organisers are brilliant for smaller bits of stationery, making sure your desk is free from clutter and you’re not at risk of accidentally knocking anything over.

And of course, keep track of your daily tasks with a planner. Use yours to plan your workday, as well as set reminders for date nights or kids’ sports days!

Home office décor ideas

Another benefit of a home office is that you have the final say on how it looks – no more boring offices!

Be productive with paint

It’s well-known that colours affect our moods, so if your home office gets plenty of light, try a darker tone of matt paint. This gives the room a sophisticated feel, and we think that shades of blue, green, or grey work brilliantly in home office environments.

If the room isn’t particularly light, or is on the smaller side, try painting the wall behind your desk in a darker shade, while leaving the other walls lighter. Contrast can work brilliantly in home décor, and mixing up your colours can also make it feel livelier! If you’re up to the challenge of painting your office yourself, check out our blog on how to paint walls, and get a grasp on the myriad of different paints available with our paint buying guide.

Work with wallpaper

The same rules apply for wallpaper, though you can have a bit more fun with patterns. If the sophisticated vibe works for you, try one of our brilliant geometric designs for a modern feel. You can always wallpaper one wall and paint the rest – variety is the spice of life, after all.

For the full rundown on wallpaper styles, swot up on our wallpaper buying guide, and learn how to hang it perfectly with our top tips on how to apply wallpaper.

Wall coverings

Even if your home office is part of a shared space like a living room, there are still things you can do to make it feel like yours. We think that the smart appearance of wall panels creates a sophisticated look whilst also giving your section of the room a separate feel.

Alternatively, pop some wall panels in your home office in place of a feature wall. They’re nice and easy to fit, and look classy!

Ultimately, your home office should reflect your personality, and making a space which you feel happy in can really take the slog out of a Monday morning.

Decorating your student office

It’s not as easy as hanging wallpaper or painting a wall when you’re in student accommodation, or renting. Cover up boring walls (and inevitable adhesive tack stains) with photo frames using damage-free adhesive hooks, or keep things productive with a corkboard! Use yours to keep track of deadlines, plan social events, or attach photos for a little touch of home.

If you're after a helpful list of everything you could need for going back to uni, have no fear! Check out our uni essentials checklist to download your shopping list.

Brighten up your workspace

Let’s talk lighting! Having a well-lit home office is a good idea for a few reasons. Aside from being able to see what you’re doing (useful at the best of times), it’ll help you feel more alert during the day and lessen the strain on your eyes if you’re using a screen.

If you’re burning the midnight oil and using your home office after dark, having the option of a desk lamp as well as a floor lamp creates a bit of ambience and ties the room together nicely.

Putting the ‘home’ in home office

With all the basics sorted, you can decorate your home office to your heart’s content! Work feels less like work when you’re in a home office that you’ve filled with things to make you happy.

Artwork

From abstract modern art to novelty prints, or even motivational quotes in script, adorning your walls with some art is sophisticated, expressive, and downright good looking. Whether you go for a canvas or frame, having a few select pieces dotted around your workspace does wonders for the atmosphere.

You could also keep it personal by framing pictures drawn by the kids, or family photos.

Indoor plants

Bring the outside in with a few houseplants, a sure-fire way to bring some life into your home office. Having some greenery in your office creates a nice vibe, and some even say it improves the air quality – what’s not to love?

Don’t know your succulents from your sansevieria? Read our blog on the top 10 indoor plants to find the houseplant that’s right for your home office.

Fragrance

Spreadsheets don’t smell like much, so popping a diffuser in your home office can fill the room with calming scents. Take a deep breath and feel the stress go away… even if it doesn’t, at least it smells nice.

Making the most of a small home office

If your workspace is starting to feel a little small, there are a few things you can do to make it feel less cramped.

You know what we said earlier about dark shades of paint? You may be better off ignoring that and painting your small office in a lighter shade. This will brighten up the room and make it feel less hemmed-in.

Make sure your desk doesn’t become chaotic by only keeping your most-used items within easy reach. For items you don’t use as much, keep them stored away to make your desk freer.

The same goes with desk lamps – they make look great, but they can take up quite a bit of space on smaller desks. Instead, look into installing some wall lights to make use of the height of your room.

Speaking of walls, try using floating shelves for your files and folders. Instead of relying on planners, a wall chart or corkboard is another fantastic way of making the most of the space in your small office!

When the work is done

Don’t forget that all work and no play is no fun for anyone, so make the most of your home office by using it for things other than work.

When the workday ends, you can easily use your home office as a games room. Office furniture is remarkably similar to gaming furniture… they’re simply asking to be used for both! It’s easy to transition your home office into a gaming setup; simply clear away your stationery, change into something more comfortable, and fire up the PC!

Your desk can also be used for things other than pushing envelopes, jumping on calls, and maximising shareholder value – thank goodness. Embrace your artistic side and try out some arts & crafts in the haven of your home office.