These days, working from home seems to have become the norm rather than the exception. For this reason, home offices have becoming something of a must-have – not just a room for carrying out the odd bit of paperwork and filing stuff away, but the space where the majority of the week is spent.
Whether your home office design currently involves using a corner of a spare bedroom as your makeshift office, or you have the luxury of a dedicated room in which to house your working space, getting this space spot on is key not only to your productiveness, but also to your overall wellbeing. This should be somewhere you look forward to heading.
I am in the early stages of planning a garden office and am determined that this will be the perfect working space – so I asked the experts for the top home office design mistakes to be aware of.
1. Underestimating your storage needs
To be a productive space, your home office needs to be organised – mounds of paperwork or equipment cluttering up your desk area is something you want to avoid at all costs.
Sophie Chapman, associate and interior designer at The Vawdrey House, explains that one of the most common mistakes she sees within home office design is a lack of storage. "Without adequate storage, paperwork, technology and everyday items can quickly take over a room, making it feel cluttered and distracting. Bespoke joinery or integrated shelving can help keep everything organised while making better use of available space."
Eloise Pfeiffer, interior designer at Pfeiffer Design, agrees that home office storage ideas should be a priority. "When designing a home office, storage should be thoughtfully considered within the overall aesthetic, rather than seen as an ‘add-on.’
"Built-in storage cabinets are a great option as they maximise your available space, provide plenty of storage and ensure the room remains clutter-free, creating a sense of calm. This could be floor-to-ceiling cupboards if you have tall ceilings, or a combination of cupboards and open shelving.
"Open shelves always provide an opportunity to add personal touches. It’s about creating an organised space but with clean lines so the room feels calm and curated, rather than chaotic."
A founding member of The Vawdrey House, Sophie oversees the design team bringing her trademark energy & creativity to projects. With a BA in Interior Design & Environmental Architecture, Sophie develops unique furniture packages, styles projects and loves sourcing trips to antique fairs and French brocantes.
Based in Sussex, Pfeiffer Design was founded by Susie Pfeiffer and has over 30 years of experience in the high-end residential and boutique commercial sectors. The close-knit, multi-disciplinary team of designers, project coordinators and technical specialists work together to create inspirational spaces in the home counties, London and even abroad.
2. Prioritising practicality over personality
Whether we like it or not, for many of us, the week is dominated by work responsibilities meaning a huge proportion of time gets spent in the home office. For this reason, it needs to be somewhere you actually enjoy being in.
Simon Tcherniak, senior designer at Neville Johnson, is keen to highlight that practicality need not mean sacrificing aesthetics. "Home office design ideas should balance style with functionality, creating a space that suits your working needs while also feeling inviting. We often see home offices that sacrifice one for the other, either prioritising functionality at the expense of personality, or eschewing style and creating a home office that, whilst practical, feels uninspiring.
"To design a well-balanced space, incorporate open shelving with closed storage to display decorative items and books that reflect your personality, while still allowing ample storage for essential items or papers you would prefer to keep hidden away," adds Simon.
Simon Tcherniak is a Senior Designer at Neville Johnson. With a background in both cabinet making and sales, Simon works closely with residential clients and interior designers to create unique pieces every time. Simon joined Neville Johnson in 2010 and has since won Neville Johnson Furniture Sales Designer of the Year six times.
3. Leaving your lighting design until last
Lighting is hugely important in any room of the house, but in a space that you need to focus and carry out tasks, it needs really precise planning.
"Don’t leave home office lighting as an afterthought," advises Simon Tcherniak. "Layer desk lamps, ceiling lights, and lighting built into your shelving to allow you to change the atmosphere throughout the day. Your office can then function as a space to focus throughout the day, or become a restful environment for hobbies or reading in the evening."
Ally Dowsing-Reynolds, co-founder and interior expert at Dowsing & Reynolds, has a great tip for lighting a north-facing or gloomy home office. "If your office space doesn’t get much natural light, a quick fix is to choose a lightbulb with a neutral temperature. This will mimic the look of natural light and brighten the room in a less stark way than a cooler temperature lighting option.”
Having spent two decades working in advertising agencies and leading teams of marketing specialists, Ally’s expertise and areas of interest span everything from core brand strategy to championing the customer journey, wider business leadership and team culture. Ally’s is passionate about putting the customer at the heart of everything Dowsing & Reynolds does. Immersed in the world of home interiors, Ally understands just how much our homes impact our lives.
4. Positioning the desk in the wrong place
Your home office layout needs to take into account not just the size of the room and the type of work you will be doing there, but also its orientation and how much natural light it receives. A lack of natural light could mean your home office makes you feel ill, especially when you are spending so much time in there.
"A common oversight is failing to consider natural light," says Sophie Chapman. "Positioning a desk without thinking about glare, views or daylight can make a space uncomfortable to work in for long periods of time. Wherever possible, we recommend locating workstations close to a window to maximise natural light and create a stronger connection to the outdoors."
"Natural light is essential for both your productivity and your wellbeing, especially when you’re working from home," points out Helen O'Connor, product and interior trends manager at 247 Blinds.
"Some people want all of the daylight to get them in the workday flow, whereas others prefer a softer, diffused look. There’s also the issue of unwanted glare, which can cause unnecessary eye strain, headaches, and screen fatigue, and is much more common at home, as we spend more concentrated time on our screens or in unnatural lighting. Consider 'day and night blinds'. They diffuse the harsh sunlight and remove glare, creating a more energising, but natural feel."
Helen O’Connor is Product and Trends Manager at 247 Blinds and one of their experienced team of interior design professionals.
5. Designing a space that feels disconnected from the house
When creating your home office you obviously want it to be somewhere free of distractions and unwanted noise. Not everyone has the space for a dedicated office, while others may be after shared home office ideas, and in this case you need to think about how you can incorporate it into your existing layout.
Alex Main, director at Main, explains the secret behind integrating a home office into your layout. "The challenge for many homeowners is finding enough space for a desk, while still being able to separate it from home life when not in use. As many people work from their living spaces, this can cause home and work life to combine – but you can create distinct zones between the two with clever design solutions.
"To establish boundaries but still ensure your home-work environment is part of the overall design scheme, a broken-plan layout is ideal – and a room divider is a great way to do this," continues Alex. "A custom timber wall, for example, perseveres the light and feeling of space within a larger living area, without closing any of it off. The result is a designated work zone that feels separate, yet still feels connected to the rest of the home."
Alex Main is director at Main, a family-run company that has been creating highly individual bespoke kitchens that are full of personality and unique style since the 1970s. The family business has built up its knowledge from the vast experience gained from trading within the national and international markets.
6. Creating a space that feels cold or impersonal
Whether you are working with a home office garage conversion, or an existing space, this is your office so make it a reflection of your personality as well as the work you'll be doing there.
"Your surroundings can have a significant impact on your mood, concentration and productivity," picks up Debbie Leigh, design manager at ILIV. "Many home offices are designed with practicality in mind but can end up feeling stark or disconnected from the rest of the home. Introducing colour, pattern and texture through soft furnishings such as curtains, blinds, cushions or upholstered seating can instantly make the space feel more homely and comfortable.
"Another often-overlooked element is acoustics. Hard surfaces can create a space that feels echoey and distracting, particularly during video calls," adds Debbie. "Fabrics naturally help to soften a room, improving sound quality."
Debbie is an expert in creating beautifully coordinated fabric collections that can be easily combined to create harmonious interior schemes. With more than 30 years of experience, she takes every design from conception right through to the finished textile – inspired by the latest trends and techniques from every continent.
Shop home office comforts
Perfect for adding a little timeless charm, at the same time as being comfortable and practical, this stylish upholstered desk chair is also height adjustable.
These textured voile curtains will help soften the look of your home office, prevent screen glare and overheating and still allow plenty of natural light through.
If your home office has hard flooring, a desk chair mat can be a great idea, adding a level of soundproofing. This one also has an anti-slip backing and comes in a range of designs.
7. Overcrowding the space
While your home office needs to be capable of fulfilling all your professional requirements, make sure you don't end up trying to fit too much in. This is particularly important when it comes to home offices on landings or in smaller spaces.
According to Kate Palmer, creative director at The Painted Furniture Company, this is a common error. "It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking more furniture will make the room more functional. In reality, overcrowding a home office with large desks, filing cabinets and storage units can make the space feel cramped and distracting, particularly in smaller rooms.
"Instead, it's worth taking the time to consider exactly what you need and choosing well-designed pieces that offer practical storage without overwhelming the space," continues Kate. "Making use of vertical space is another great way to increase storage without sacrificing valuable floor space."
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.
8. Getting the colour scheme all wrong
The colours you surround yourself with can have an enormous effect on your mood and productivity levels, so design your home office with this in mind.
"An at-home office may be one of the smaller rooms in your home, picks up Ally Dowsing-Reynolds. "White is the most popular choice for making a small room look bigger and a clean white shade can reflect light, making the space feel brighter and more open.
"However, I’d actually recommend green for an at-home office," continues Ally. "Not only will it reduce screen glare, compared to white walls, but green is a naturally soothing colour (hence why green bedroom ideas are so popular). Green decor and greenery around our desks, in the form of real or faux plants, can really help us to feel calm and focused. If you want to stay away from neutral walls, it’s believed that light greens and blues are the most welcoming colours, especially for people with sensory issues. Use paints with a sheen, such as a satin or gloss finish. This will reflect even more light around the room and add to the feeling of spaciousness."
Jonathan Clark, creative director at Shelved, also has some advice on how to get this element right. "Softer, neutral tones can reduce visual distraction, while pops of colour through artwork or shelving accessories can spark creativity. Materials matter too, adding natural elements such as wood, plants, or woven textures can make the space feel warmer and more inviting,
Jonathan is a Creative Director with a passion for design and innovation, leading the team at Shelved to create modular storage furniture that combines functionality with modern aesthetics and simple assembly. With over 15 years in the industry, Jonathan has a track record of delivering outstanding products that solve real-life problems and elevate the customer experience.
Shop green home office accessories
Give your space a retro feel with this height-adjustable desk lamp. It has a two-metre power cable and comes with a five-year guarantee. Available in a choice of five colours, including this soft green shade.
Keep paperwork and other office essentials tidy with some simple box storage. This ribbed storage is available in multiple sizes and colours, including this stylish olive green shade.
Give your home working space a more personalised touch with a couple of treasured photos or some favourite artwork on display. This fun striped frame can be mounted on the wall or used as a freestanding item on your desk.
9. Failing to think through your flooring
The type of flooring you fit in your home office needs proper consideration for this to be your perfect work-from-home space – yet all too often this is an element that gets overlooked.
"A smooth, durable engineered wood floor works particularly well in a home office," suggests Adam Robertson, managing director at Urbane Living. "It provides comfort underfoot during long periods at a desk while also being easy to maintain. Wood flooring naturally lends a more refined and professional feel to the space, and introducing a generous area rug can help define the working zone, absorb sound and add warmth and texture to the room."
Jodie Hatton, design manager at Brintons, highlights the importance of the right colour flooring too. "Soft, muted tones underfoot can establish a sense of tranquillity, while richer, grounding colours add depth and sophistication without becoming distracting. Choosing the right palette alongside tactile flooring helps create an office that feels inviting and balanced, making it easier to stay engaged throughout the working day."
Adam Robertson is the co-founder and managing director of Urbane Living, a specialist flooring company recognised for its expertise in parquet, bespoke carpets and runners. With a background in design and a strong eye for detail, Adam is passionate about all things related to quality timber, from floorboards to wall panels.
Jodie is a textile designer with over 10 years of experience in bespoke design, focusing on high-end interior projects. She is the Design Manager at Brintons, purveyors of designer carpets, and she is currently working towards completing a master's in design research, focusing on sustainable and regenerative design solutions.
10. Not including enough electrical sockets
And, finally, don't forget that you will need somewhere to plug in all your electrical office equipment – you really don't want extension leads trailing all over the place.
"Plug sockets are an essential element of an office but, despite their necessity, many people want them hidden out of view," picks up Ali Dowsing. "The best way to do this is by strategically placing them in areas where you will have things plugged in permanently. For example, if you keep a monitor and laptop on your desk at all times, opt for a socket behind them, which means they can be hidden behind the appliances.
"If it’s not possible to hide your plug socket from view, opt for one that matches your colour scheme or decor theme to create a seamless, uninterrupted look," continues Ali. "The key is not to overlook these small details. We once thought that light switches and sockets had to be confined to either black, white or metallic shades, but there’s no reason they can’t have a makeover."
Keep all your cables hidden from view, untangled and neat with this simple, stylish and affordable cable tidy.
FAQs
What is the best way to organise home office shelves?
You really need to make the most of your home office storage. Open shelving is a great idea, not only due to the extra space it gives you to place all your essentials, but also when it comes to adding a few decorative flourishes, including incorporating some shelf lighting ideas.
"Zone your shelves by dedicating one section for work tools, another for decorative touches, and even a small area for personal items, creating subtle boundaries between work and home life," advises Jonathan Clark.
"You can also design a workflow into your storage, using trays or shelving sections to separate 'to do,' 'in-progress' and 'complete' tasks, giving you a visual sense of progress through the day."
Fancy the idea of a home office filled with natural light and with the very best views out over your garden? In that case, a conservatory home office is well worth considering – and there are lots of ways to ensure it doesn't overheat too.
