Photo of a large transitional home office in Other with grey walls, a library, light hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Malvern Victorian Italianate

Brownlow Interior Design

Christine Francis Photographer
This is an example of a small traditional home office in Other with a library, green walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and grey floor.

Italian Style Custom Home

Ever-Green Homes, LLC

Definitely the most beautiful library we have ever designed and built. It is absolutely stunning.
Photo of an expansive mediterranean home office in Denver with a library, brown walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Private Residence

Colette van den Thillart

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional home office in Toronto with a library, grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Dream House on the Lake

YFI Custom Homes

Rob Karosis
Inspiration for a traditional study room in Other with a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a freestanding desk.

Spring Creek Library

New Leaf Remodeling

Design ideas for a large traditional home office in Chicago with a library, green walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Home Office

Pen Woodworking

Photo of a mid-sized traditional home office in Toronto with dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk, brown floor and brown walls.

Ranch remodel & addition

Architectural Design & Restoration, Inc.

Total Concepts Construction
Inspiration for a large eclectic home office in San Francisco with a library, white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Home Library

RIC design build

We provided the design for this bedroom to library conversion. By opening up the ceiling and going into the unused attic space, we were able to create floor to ceiling library shelving that finally housed this academic's literary collection. Original transom windows in the attach as well as three floor level windows let in lots of natural light for working and reading.

Creekstone Custom Home

Celtic Custom Homes

Large traditional study room in Other with blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Long Island Residence

DLT Interiors-Debbie Travin

Glamorous Black & White Home Office Photographer John Neitzel
Photo of a mid-sized transitional study room in Miami with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a freestanding desk.

Buro REMAX Freren

Lubach Interior Design, Home Staging und Restyling

Für das neu zu öffnen REMAX Immobilien Büro in Freren habe ich das neue Büro gestalltet. Von 3D zeichnung bis ausführung in diesem fall fast alles selber gemacht. Nur der Elektriker muss noch kommen das mache ich nicht selber.

Lake Travis Hill Country Craftsman #7049

Sterling Custom Homes

tre dunham - fine focus photography
This is an example of a large arts and crafts study room in Austin with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a freestanding desk.

Wayzata Estate

Grace Hill Design

Alyssa Lee Photography
Inspiration for a traditional home office in Minneapolis with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a freestanding desk.

Office

Fratantoni Luxury Estates Design/Build/Remodeling

We love this traditional grand office with dark millwork, a chandelier, and custom shelving unit.
This is an example of an expansive traditional study room in Phoenix with brown walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a freestanding desk.

Historic Home Renovation & Addition

Joy Martin Architecture

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional study room in Minneapolis with dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and grey walls.

New Silicon Valley Estate

Kathleen Bost Architecture + Design

Mid-sized traditional home office in San Francisco with a library, brown walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

South London Victorian Family Home Renovation

Robert Rhodes Architecture + Interiors

Bedwardine Road is our epic renovation and extension of a vast Victorian villa in Crystal Palace, south-east London. Traditional architectural details such as flat brick arches and a denticulated brickwork entablature on the rear elevation counterbalance a kitchen that feels like a New York loft, complete with a polished concrete floor, underfloor heating and floor to ceiling Crittall windows. Interiors details include as a hidden “jib” door that provides access to a dressing room and theatre lights in the master bathroom.

Custom cherry wood paneled study and office for the Philadelphia Magazine's Desi

Tague Design Showroom

Rich cherry wood panel study and home office designed by the Tague Custom Mill for the Philadelphia Magazine Design Home.
Inspiration for a large traditional study room in Philadelphia with a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a freestanding desk.

Jukoffka 40

ALTERCASA

Андрей Хачатрян
Photo of a traditional study room in Moscow with multi-coloured walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a freestanding desk and a wood fireplace surround.

Home Office Design Ideas with a Wood 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.