More Rooms
Simple Ways to Give Your Home Office a Speedy Refresh
Make working from home – or even tackling bills – a pleasure with these easy ideas to smarten up your workspace
Considering so many of us now work at least some of the time from home, the office can be fairly low down on the list of rooms to refresh. But with a bit of a tidy-up and some design-led TLC, it’s easy to turn things around, as these quick fixes demonstrate.
Perk up with wallpaper
Turn your attention to some more interesting paperwork with a lively design on the desk wall. A small area like this could be covered in an afternoon.
Then choose a few accessories, such as pen pots and box files, that pick out a colour from your chosen design to finish off the new look.
Turn your attention to some more interesting paperwork with a lively design on the desk wall. A small area like this could be covered in an afternoon.
Then choose a few accessories, such as pen pots and box files, that pick out a colour from your chosen design to finish off the new look.
Welcome some houseplants
Greenery is good for the soul, so add a natural touch to a home office with some trailing houseplants or sculptural succulents. Many houseplants are also valued for their purifying properties – perfect if you’re trying to fill in a toxic tax return.
Greenery is good for the soul, so add a natural touch to a home office with some trailing houseplants or sculptural succulents. Many houseplants are also valued for their purifying properties – perfect if you’re trying to fill in a toxic tax return.
Soften the space
A workspace doesn’t have to be all hard edges and sleek lines. Introduce some easy-to-add home comforts with a fabric blind, cushions and throws to cosy up the space.
The aim is to make the space somewhere you’re happy to be in, so choose patterns and finishes that will encourage you to undertake your mini daily commute from kitchen to office in a positive frame of mind.
Find home office furniture in the Houzz Shop.
A workspace doesn’t have to be all hard edges and sleek lines. Introduce some easy-to-add home comforts with a fabric blind, cushions and throws to cosy up the space.
The aim is to make the space somewhere you’re happy to be in, so choose patterns and finishes that will encourage you to undertake your mini daily commute from kitchen to office in a positive frame of mind.
Find home office furniture in the Houzz Shop.
Coordinate filing
A messy office overflowing with paper isn’t going to inspire anyone to buckle down, so invest in new box files to keep everything looking smart.
Choose a bright colour, like this snappy orange, or go for the tried-and-tested black and white combo for a classic look.
Alternatively, relive the new-term tradition of covering school exercise books and try brightening box files with stylish wallpaper or gift wrap for a purse-friendly alternative to splashing out at the stationers.
See more ways to keep on top of the paper mountain.
A messy office overflowing with paper isn’t going to inspire anyone to buckle down, so invest in new box files to keep everything looking smart.
Choose a bright colour, like this snappy orange, or go for the tried-and-tested black and white combo for a classic look.
Alternatively, relive the new-term tradition of covering school exercise books and try brightening box files with stylish wallpaper or gift wrap for a purse-friendly alternative to splashing out at the stationers.
See more ways to keep on top of the paper mountain.
Pull out the furniture
There’s no rule that says your desk has to be up against the wall. If you have the space, try pulling it out a few feet and putting the chair behind rather than in front of it. Or even just turn it at an angle to give yourself a different perspective as you work.
In this room, the deep wall colour adds contrast to the white and provides a smart backdrop, but the worker can look out into the light, bright space in the rest of the room.
Want to get a professional finish for your walls? Find painters and decorators in your area.
There’s no rule that says your desk has to be up against the wall. If you have the space, try pulling it out a few feet and putting the chair behind rather than in front of it. Or even just turn it at an angle to give yourself a different perspective as you work.
In this room, the deep wall colour adds contrast to the white and provides a smart backdrop, but the worker can look out into the light, bright space in the rest of the room.
Want to get a professional finish for your walls? Find painters and decorators in your area.
Brighten with a rug
All white can be calm and non-distracting – useful in a working environment – but it can also look a bit sterile and cold. By simply laying down a patterned rug, you can dramatically alter the feel of the space. Pinch one from another room first to try out the look.
All white can be calm and non-distracting – useful in a working environment – but it can also look a bit sterile and cold. By simply laying down a patterned rug, you can dramatically alter the feel of the space. Pinch one from another room first to try out the look.
Paint the desk
Got an unloved pine desk or boring white worktop? Get out the colour charts and choose a cheery hue to inject some creative flair into your workspace.
There are lots of specialist paints that can be used on laminated or varnished surfaces – ask for advice at the DIY shop. This bubblegum pink would certainly liven up a session poring over spending forecasts and spreadsheets.
Got an unloved pine desk or boring white worktop? Get out the colour charts and choose a cheery hue to inject some creative flair into your workspace.
There are lots of specialist paints that can be used on laminated or varnished surfaces – ask for advice at the DIY shop. This bubblegum pink would certainly liven up a session poring over spending forecasts and spreadsheets.
Cover with cork
Here’s a quick fix that ticks the all-important practical box, as well as tapping into the voguish Seventies revival vibe: how about spending a weekend adding a cork wall to your office space?
You can buy rolls of cork with an adhesive backing online, or you could even use cork tiles if you don’t mind seeing the joins.
Check out online tutorials for tips on how to measure up and get the neatest finish. Then use the wall to pin up memos, swatches, lists and notes to clear valuable space on the desk.
Tell us…
What have you done to spruce up your home office? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
Here’s a quick fix that ticks the all-important practical box, as well as tapping into the voguish Seventies revival vibe: how about spending a weekend adding a cork wall to your office space?
You can buy rolls of cork with an adhesive backing online, or you could even use cork tiles if you don’t mind seeing the joins.
Check out online tutorials for tips on how to measure up and get the neatest finish. Then use the wall to pin up memos, swatches, lists and notes to clear valuable space on the desk.
Tell us…
What have you done to spruce up your home office? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
Give office bits and bobs a stylish home with a pegboard behind the desk. This one is white to blend in with the wall, but you could choose a colour to add contrast instead.
There are lots of designs similar to this on the market, or you could have a go at making one yourself with some plywood, dowels and a drill with a flat wood drill bit.
You can buy hooks and containers, including pen pots and trays, that are designed to hang from pegboard, so you can enjoy a satisfying afternoon arranging your display.