Victorian Family Home in South West London

Photo of a traditional study room in London with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and beige floor.

Nottinghill

Frahm Interiors - Burlington ON

Mid-sized contemporary home office in Toronto with medium hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround and a freestanding desk.

Bright and open home in Houston

By Design Interiors, Inc.

One of the first rooms you see through the front entry is this beautiful study mixed with traditional and contemporary furnishings. Brightly colored abstract artwork pops against the neutral walls and metallic groin vaulted ceiling. Photographer: Daniel Angulo

As Seen in Redbook - Cape Cod Inspired

Viscusi Elson Interior Design - Gina Viscusi Elson

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional study room in San Francisco with green walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround and a freestanding desk.

Nash Terraced Family House in Regent's Park

Adam Butler Photography

A Nash terraced house in Regent's Park, London. Interior design by Gaye Gardner. Photography by Adam Butler
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional study room in London with blue walls, carpet, a plaster fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and a standard fireplace.

Serene Design Vacabulary, Richmond

Yoko Kloeden Design

Photography: YAYOI
This is an example of a traditional home office in London with black walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and black floor.

Finca Señorial, Palma de Mallorca

Oksana Vladi

Inspiration for a mid-sized eclectic study room in Palma de Mallorca with white walls, a standard fireplace, ceramic floors, a plaster fireplace surround and a freestanding desk.

5" Solid Hickory W/ Character Hand Scraped Hand-Hewn Hand-Rubbed Finish

Quality Floor Co.

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional study room in Oklahoma City with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Traditional Residence - Fairview Farms

Jim Quigley Custom Homes LLC

Design ideas for a large traditional study room in Oklahoma City with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround and a freestanding desk.

Sloane Street

Gordon-Duff & Linton

Office with bespoke blue joinery. Photograph by David Butler
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary home office in London with blue walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and grey floor.

Office Cabinetry

Kitchens by Hastings, Inc.

Mid-sized traditional home office in Boston with a library, blue walls, brick floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and beige floor.

Villa C.

Karl Kaffenberger Architektur | Einrichtung

Die Galerie mit Bibliothek und Ruhemöglichkeiten. Fotograf: Kristof Lemp
Expansive contemporary home office in Frankfurt with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a freestanding desk, no fireplace, a library, a plaster fireplace surround and brown floor.

Contemporary Home Office

Large contemporary study room in Phoenix with brown walls, dark hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround and a freestanding desk.

Modern Residence

Taylor Lombardo Architects

Photo by Michele Wilson
Inspiration for a modern study room in San Francisco with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround and a freestanding desk.

Old Montreal Loft

Unique Home Solutions Inc.

Design ideas for a small contemporary home studio in Montreal with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Denver Home Office- Photo by Emily Minton Redfield

Griffin Design Source

Mid-sized traditional home office in Denver with blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Harringay Victorian Flat

Emilie Fournet Interiors

Kasia Fiszer
Inspiration for a large eclectic study room in London with purple walls, painted wood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and white floor.

Home Office

Tim Barber Architects

Traditional home studio in Los Angeles with blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a freestanding desk, brown floor and panelled walls.

Windsor PH16 Renovation

CGU Homes

This is an example of a modern home office in Other with a library, brown walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a freestanding desk, white floor and wood walls.

Kenwood Residence

Petersen Design Associates, LLC

This is an example of a large contemporary home office in San Francisco with blue walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Home Office Design Ideas with a Plaster Fireplace Surround and a Freestanding Desk

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.