Black-and-White Badajoz for a Stylish Condo

Inside a classic Portland, Oregon, condo building, Em Shephard, the project manager for Jessica Helgerson Interior Design chose our Badajoz cement tile to cover several floor spaces, including the den, creating a chic, unified and graphic look. Interior Design: Jessica Helgerson Interior Design / Photograph: Lincoln Barbour / Cement Tiles: Granada Tile

West Roy Condo

SkB Architects

Originally built in 1955, this modest penthouse apartment typified the small, separated living spaces of its era. The design challenge was how to create a home that reflected contemporary taste and the client’s desire for an environment rich in materials and textures. The keys to updating the space were threefold: break down the existing divisions between rooms; emphasize the connection to the adjoining 850-square-foot terrace; and establish an overarching visual harmony for the home through the use of simple, elegant materials. The renovation preserves and enhances the home’s mid-century roots while bringing the design into the 21st century—appropriate given the apartment’s location just a few blocks from the fairgrounds of the 1962 World’s Fair.

Watches of Mayfair

Ola Jachymiak Studio

Inspiration for a small traditional study room in London with black walls, painted wood floors, no fireplace, a freestanding desk and black floor.

Tivoli Office Collection

ITALIA FURNITURE

Design ideas for a large contemporary study room in Atlanta with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and black floor.

Transitional Home Office

This is an example of a transitional home office in Denver with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and black floor.

仙台の木造オフィス

Ka design Inc.

Design ideas for an expansive industrial home studio in Other with white walls, carpet, a freestanding desk, black floor, exposed beam and wallpaper.

ЖК «LIFE-Ботанический cад»

Anastasia Kovalchuk

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary study room in Moscow with brown walls, a built-in desk and black floor.

Ashland Midsummers Night

Suzanne Childress Design

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional study room in San Francisco with black walls, dark hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and black floor.

Lady Boss DC Pied-a-Terre

Breeze Giannasio Interiors

Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional study room in DC Metro with no fireplace, a freestanding desk, black walls and black floor.

Glass House 2

Rob Bowen Design Group

This is an example of a contemporary home office in Tampa with grey walls and black floor.

Tribeca Duplex Loft

And Masters

This is an example of a small modern home office in New York with a library, blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a built-in desk and black floor.

Surbrunnsgatan

Stylingbolaget

Photo of a scandinavian study room in Stockholm with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and black floor.

Beautiful Bayswater Home

Klimstar Ltd

Inspiration for a contemporary study room in London with white walls, carpet, a built-in desk and black floor.

Old World Elegance

Ivanka's

Large traditional home office in New York with a library, beige walls, porcelain floors, a freestanding desk and black floor.

1960's Washington D.C. Townhouse

Hillary Thomas Designs

Inspiration for an eclectic home office in San Francisco with a library and black floor.

Portland Street

Twelve Chairs Interiors

Photo: Samara Vise
Inspiration for a large industrial study room in Boston with dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, black floor and white walls.

The Aramore - Buckhead

Designer Deanna

Inspiration for a small traditional home office in Atlanta with a library, blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a built-in desk and black floor.

Commercial Woodwork in New Jersey

WL Kitchen & Home

Custom library living room.
This is an example of a large traditional home office in New York with a library, brown walls, a wood stove, a wood fireplace surround, black floor, coffered and panelled walls.

Luminare Office Drawer Unit by Fiam Italia

RoomService 360

Founded in 1973, Fiam Italia is a global icon of glass culture with four decades of glass innovation and design that produced revolutionary structures and created a new level of utility for glass as a material in residential and commercial interior decor. Fiam Italia designs, develops and produces items of furniture in curved glass, creating them through a combination of craftsmanship and industrial processes, while merging tradition and innovation, through a hand-crafted approach.

Lafayette House 1

Daydream Projects

Vivian Johnson Photography
Inspiration for a modern study room in San Francisco with black walls, porcelain floors and black floor.

Black Home Office Design Ideas with Black Floor

A home office has many uses and isn’t a mere luxury anymore. You might work from home, or bring work home, or you might just need a place to go through bills, mail or store important paperwork. Kids can use a home office to do their homework, or quietly play a game online. Browse the photos on Houzz for home office ideas and inspiration, and strike up a conversation with the architect or designer or your favourite picks. For more home office ideas, check out the Stories section.

How much office storage do I need?

To ensure your home office or study room isn’t buried under a deluge of paperwork, books and supplies, incorporate plenty of shelves, cabinets and drawers. Floating or built-in shelves with cubbies can stock books and magazine holders; or for a more traditional look, make room for a large bookcase that fits in with the decor of your home. Invest in a filing cabinet to store paperwork, and opt for a lockable filing cabinet if you have sensitive documents. A tray organiser can store incoming mail and will help prioritise bills. The type of desk you choose is also key to keeping things organised. Look for desks with deep drawers and plenty of surface space, and add tray organisers to the drawers to keep track of staples like pens, pencils, highlighters and sticky tape. If you want a streamlined look, find a way to conceal any computer cables or wires, too. One solution is to install a false back on your desk, if it doesn’t already have one.

How do I choose an office desk and chair?

If you spend long hours hunched over your work desk at home, invest in ergonomic office chairs with wheels for better back health and comfort. Consider optimal lumbar support with flexibility in adjusting handles and back angle. Most rolling office chairs come upholstered, typically in leather, but that’s no reason why you can’t have one custom-made to suit your home decor. When picking out your work desk, be sure to consider its overall function. If you work from home and hold meetings, pick an oversized, sturdy desk that is double-sided (can be accessed from both sides). You’ll want it to look professional, so opt for dark timbers over high-shine finishes. It’s also a good idea to create a separate study desk for the kids, so homework doesn’t go missing among your files. If your home office is for the whole family a two-person desk or built-in long work bench are more suitable. Where space is tight, look for a retractable computer desk, or utilise an awkward corner with a corner desk.

What home office decor will encourage productivity?

Use your walls for to-do lists: hang a pegboard and paint it in your favourite colour or be adventurous with chalkboard paint and whiteboard panels. Bulletin boards that keep the whole family in order are an extra feature that always come in handy. Use your stationery and office accessories – think pencil cups, paper trays and magazine holders – to add colour and pattern, and desk lamps, clocks, maps and calendars to personalise the space. Above all else, aim for ease of use.