Home office design ideas for upstairs, downstairs and even outside

If searching for home office design ideas has become part of your interiors wish list in recent years, you aren't alone. With working from home or hybrid working now commonplace, finding a space for your 9 to 5 is a issue faced by many of us.

For those of you building your own house, or those of you who are planning a major remodel or extension project, you could be enjoying an unrivalled opportunity to flex your home office design skills. For others, it's a case of figuring out how to shoehorn an office space into an existing room.

Either way, being inspired by some ideas is always a great place to start with any new project and we've got plenty of suggestions.

Home office design ideas should include a feel-good factor

Although it can be easy to get hung up on the more practical elements of home office design such as understanding how to organise your home office layout and the best desk chair, it's important not to forget the impact your workspace has on you as an individual.

"Successful home office design ideas promote a visually appealing workspace and also contribute to a sense of balance and well-being," says Kate Palmer, creative director of The Painted Furniture Company.

"They can be used as a neutral canvas for personalisation – whether that be bursts of colour, displaying artwork, or incorporating greenery to allow personal expression without compromising the overall cohesive and stylish aesthetic."

Kate Palmer

Kate Palmer is the creative director at The Painted Furniture Company. With a background in fashion design and passion for colour and interiors, Kate has helped many customers to achieve the exact look they desired for their home. From helping them find the right style for their space, to selecting the perfect colour, Kate is always on hand to help advise and find the best solution.

1. Create a dual home office space

It is common these days for several members of a household to be working from home at once, in which case it can make sense to design a space that can accommodate more than one worker at at time. 

It is actually quite nice to work alongside someone else, but do ensure that each person still has their own space – home is not the place to get into any office politics.

In this well-organised home office idea, built-in desk ideas have been used to create a symmetrical wall of fitted furniture that gives two desk areas, each with its own storage space.

2. Include an office space in your kitchen design

Thinking of kitchen ideas? Why not ask your kitchen designer to include a work space in their plans so that you can base yourself in the heart of the home.

Adding a home office idea to your kitchen means it's never far to walk to the coffee machine. Plus, your desk can transition into the perfect space for homework once the children are home. 

Roller doors on your cabinets would also be a good option if you want to be able to shut away your working environment at the end of the day.

3. Combine a home office with a guest room

Styled right, there’s no reason why you can’t double up your guest bedroom with home office design ideas. If you're investigating loft conversion ideas, this new space can be the perfect solution to your needs. 

Away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, you can zone your newly created space by creating a work area on one wall and a sleeping space on the other. 

Choose a day bed or sofa bed to leave the floor space uncluttered, but decorate walls in the same colours throughout, for a sense of cohesion.

3. Pick your home office colours carefully

"When it comes to home office design ideas, you want them to be practical, functional and inspiring, creating a cosy space that's set for productivity," says Anna Hill, brand director and colour consultant at Fenwick & Tilbrook. 

"The harmonious combination of yellow and blue requires a thoughtful balance of colour psychology and interior design, and using these two hues can create a visually striking and emotionally comforting workspace. 

"Yellow has a warm and cheerful nature, and is ideal for use in a home office as it can bring in a sense of optimism and creativity," explains Anna. "It evokes a feeling of vibrancy without overwhelming the space, and when combined with the calming and introspective nature of a deep blue, can create a sophisticated contrast that adds depth and richness. 

"For the best effect, place these colours strategically and be sure to choose the right shades of blue and yellow. Use muted shades of yellow and deeper tones of blue to create a space that is energising, easy on the eye and set for comfort."

Anna Hill

Anna heads up the family business having earned her stripes understanding the value of colour while working for almost 12 years in corporate merchandising. Offering a range of premium, pigment-rich paints, Fenwick & Tilbrook's extensive palette of colours is available in six finishes, and is made-to-order using only the highest quality ingredients.

4. Build a bespoke home office

If your work from home is a full-time role and you're sat at your desk for long hours, it could be worth calling in the experts and asking them to create some home office design ideas that are purely bespoke to you and your needs.

An interior designer or architect will listen to your needs both on a practical and design level and work their magic to create home office ideas that meet all of your requirements.

Cath Dean, CEO and founder of Studio Dean, the design agency behind this stunning space explains how they approached the project. As both of the homeowners needed an office space, they placed one in a living room then designed this one as dedicated home office.

"As one of the client spends more time working, he needed a separate, quiet room to make calls and concentrate, but still wanted to be in the heart of the house," explains Cathy.

"We went ultra traditional here with panelling to make it a sumptuous haven with a modern interpretation to fit with the style of the house. We built a bespoke desk with hidden printer and cable management and an incredible amount of thought and detail to make it just right for him. 

"This is what you pay a good interior designer for," says Cathy. "We don’t have a catalogue, we just have an imagination which we use to fit to your needs. We used the same shadow gaps that we have used throughout the house for continuity as it is details like this that bring a house together." 

Cathy Dean

Cathy Dean founded Studio Dean in 2016 with a desire to blend architectural thinking with interior design and along with her team has been creating stunning interior designs that work with everyday life for nearly 20 years.

5. Choose modular furniture solutions for flexibility

If your work from home role isn't set to one particular task, or changes on a regular basis, you may find yourself needing more flexibility when it comes to your home office storage ideas. 

Choosing a modular system will not only allow you to set your storage space to suit your work items, but also allow you to add to it over time if your needs increase.

For a design classic, opt for something simple, but highly functional such as String Furniture.

"String shelves are modular, so are ideal for any room size or type," says CMO at String Furniture, Bo Hellberg. "Bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, home offices and even wardrobes, maximise your space all over the house. In a small home, it’s great to be able to change the design once in a while. With the flexibility of string, you can achieve a completely new look whenever you like."

6. Pick practical wall coverings

For a practical but stylish approach to the walls in your home office ideas, cork wall panelling such as these Cork Wall Evora Natural panels from Naturewall are a great solution and one I'm considering adding to my own home office.

Stylish, eco-friendly and highly practical, it's an immediate noticeboard for collating your inspirational ideas, to-do lists or a photo gallery to keep memories within easy reach.

It's also hard wearing and easy enough to paint or wallpaper over if you feel like a colour or interiors change in a few year's time. Although they also come in a range of colours if you prefer to stick with the original concept.

7. Sit close to natural light in bedroom home office ideas

When your work space co-habits with your bedroom, it can sometimes feel hard to escape the feeling of being trapped in one room 24/7. I speak from experience, having found myself needing to create a work corner in my bedroom when I moved list year.

For those home office ideas that need to fulfil the task of work and rest, I'd therefore recommend the following:

• Always place your desk underneath or next to a window where possible. The benefits of natural light are unquestionable and it will give you a different view of your space
• On the same note, try to position your desk and chair so that it faces away from the bed. Looking at your bed all day is guaranteed to make you feel sleepy
• Having enough storage in bedroom home office ideas is key. You need to be able to put your work items away at the end of each day so that they don't disturb you at night
• Alternatively, consider purchasing a moveable screen so that you can temporarily divide or cover your work space when needed

8. Zone your home office space with paint

If you need to define an area in a room to use as a home office then use a paint effect to demarcate where you work from the rest of the space. It's a quick and easy decorating trick that also works well if you're looking of ways to make your open plan living room ideas more broken-plan without adding walls.

Adding a graphic shape such as this blue arch clearly defines the home office idea from the rest of the room and is easily updated if you ever choose to move your home office elsewhere.

9. Get creative with a cupboard

If space is at a premium or you’re only working from home a couple of days a week then you may not want to dedicate a whole room to it. 

Instead, you could take a look at small home office ideas and cleverly incorporate a subtle desk into a cupboard that forms part of a bespoke storage solution. Wondering what you'd sit on? Leave the cupboard beneath empty and choose an ergonomic stool such as this stylish Profim Mickey Peacock Blue Pouffe from Posturite instead. And, to ensure you meet your your home office lighting requirements, make sure you add plug sockets for desk lamps and charging points.

10. Pick pocket doors for larger home office ideas

If you’re building an extension or renovating your home, consider including pocket doors in your design to shut off a home office at the end of the day.

Match your cabinetry detailing to other storage spaces, such as bookshelves or media wall ideas so that when open, your home office design ideas blend in with the rest of your fixtures and fittings.

But, for a contrast at night or on weekends, choose pocket doors in a different finish, colour or design and you'll have a temporary feature wall idea that will transform your spaces.

11. Don't forget the importance of lighting your home office well

When it comes to lighting a home office, while desk lamps are usually a given, thinking outside the box might just give your home office the wow factor it needs. 

Consider including recessed LED lighting in the design of your home office to illuminate the room with a soft glow, as this project from Neil Dusheiko Architects goes to show. The room is wrapped in a warm light while a large picture window cuts into the space to bring in natural light.

12. Extend your worktop outside of an alcove

Dedicating an entire room to the task of home office can often prove tricky in spatially challenged homes. A clever way of achieving dedicated office space is looking to unused circulation space or areas of ‘dead space’ in your home, such as landings and alcoves where there would otherwise be just a decorative chair (or nothing at all).

But if your alcove feels a little too compact, a simple solution is to extend the depth of your worktop and shelving so that it carries on around the corner of the wall and creates an additional shelving space for books and papers.

13. Create a home office under the stairs

If you're main stairs fall in a light and airy living room as opposed to a dark hallway, utilising the available space under your stairs to make way for a desk, chair and shelving can be a great location for your home office design ideas.

With sufficient head height, your under stairs storage ideas can include wall mounted storage as well as a series of cabinets below your worktop. For slightly narrower depths, take inspiration from this idea and wall mount your monitor to free up your desk space and include plenty of spotlights for sufficient lighting.

14. Add a workspace to your snug

Perfect for traditional properties, creating a cosy snug-cum-home office can be the ideal place to retreat to when you need some peace and quiet to get on with work, or simply want to read a book. 

Either way, nestling a desk in between floor to ceiling storage cabinets is guaranteed to provide you with all the work and storage space you need.

15. Build a garden home office

Prefer to work away from home but at home? Take your home office outside to help separate home and work. Garden pods can be an ideal solution for garden offices gaining additional space without the hassle (and price tag) of an extension.

While the most basic models come just as a standard ‘pod’ outdoors, others can be equipped with electricity, heating and ethernet connection so you can carry on with work in private without distractions, all with a great view of the garden. 

To kit out your new space, consider the high street an option. Ikea home office ideas can be a great solution for a space where you need dedicated office furniture that is both practical and stylish.

16. Alternatively, bring nature indoors

Incorporating a little biophilic design into your home office ideas is a great way to encourage a sense of wellbeing. This is a concept which aims to fuse good design with natural elements and one way to do this is to use plenty of greenery in the space. Ensuring the office feels connected to the outdoors and using colours inspired by nature are other good ways to do this.

In this home office, a combination of natural materials, a large window and a layout that allows for the inclusion of a collection of house plants, not to mention the vibrant green wall, all ensure the space feels nurturing. 

17. Don't forget the personal touches

Although your home office ideas need to be located somewhere that inspires productivity and is free from any unnecessary distractions, you shouldn't feel as though you can't include some personal items and more decorative features – after all, this is a space which should reflect your individuality if you want it to help with your creativity. 

In this super stylish home office design idea, the rich wood finishes used for the built-in storage ideas lend a classic, sophisticated look, while the open shelving has been used to display personal possessions.

"Soft furnishings such as curtains, blinds and cushions will help bring comfort to the area and can be used to inject some of your own personal style," suggests Debbie Leigh, design manager at ILIV.

If the luxury of a dedicated home office now seems too appealing to ignore but you'll need to extend in order to create one, find out how much does an extension cost in our comprehensive guide to extending your home.