Photo of an expansive traditional home office in Chicago with a library, brown walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Advantage Residential Designs

This is an example of a large traditional home office in Boston with a library, brown walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

From Seasoned to Sophisticated Home Renovation

Corinthian Fine Homes

Our busy young homeowners were looking to move back to Indianapolis and considered building new, but they fell in love with the great bones of this Coppergate home. The home reflected different times and different lifestyles and had become poorly suited to contemporary living. We worked with Stacy Thompson of Compass Design for the design and finishing touches on this renovation. The makeover included improving the awkwardness of the front entrance into the dining room, lightening up the staircase with new spindles, treads and a brighter color scheme in the hall. New carpet and hardwoods throughout brought an enhanced consistency through the first floor. We were able to take two separate rooms and create one large sunroom with walls of windows and beautiful natural light to abound, with a custom designed fireplace. The downstairs powder received a much-needed makeover incorporating elegant transitional plumbing and lighting fixtures. In addition, we did a complete top-to-bottom makeover of the kitchen, including custom cabinetry, new appliances and plumbing and lighting fixtures. Soft gray tile and modern quartz countertops bring a clean, bright space for this family to enjoy. This delightful home, with its clean spaces and durable surfaces is a textbook example of how to take a solid but dull abode and turn it into a dream home for a young family.

Modern Farmhouse-Upstate

Crisp Architects

Home library. Photographer: Rob Karosis
Photo of a large country home office in New York with a library, white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Cozy home office

Petrucci Johnson Homes

Photo of a small transitional study room in Detroit with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Art Collector's Apartment

Pure Interior Design by Stine Hollesen

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

William T Baker Houses

William T Baker

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

New Silicon Valley Estate

Kathleen Bost Architecture + Design

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

Woman's Glam Home Office

Michael Molesky Interior Design

This home's formal living room was repurposed as the wife's home office. A new mirror wall of custom cabinetry was added to provide much needed storage. Two lounge chairs provide additional seating for family members. The blue and coral color scheme is a homeowner favorite.

Lakeside Renaissance

AOME Architects

The warm, cozy office, adjacent to the formal entrance, resides in what had originally been an indoor swim spa with a rock grotto waterfall.
This is an example of a large traditional study room in Seattle with a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk, brown walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Wynstone

Signature Innovations LLC

From the rustic Tuscan floor to an elegantly carved mantel to the dramatic main staircase, woodgrain is celebrated in this richly hued home. For added interest, a diamond patterned border of Marrón Emperador marble completes the dining room floor. Floor: 6-3/4” wide-plank Vintage French Oak | Rustic Character | Victorian Collection | Tuscany edge | color Coffee Brown | Semi-Gloss Waterborne Poly. For more information please email us at: sales@signaturehardwoods.com

Haute Home Office

Laurie DiGiacomo Interiors

A luxe home office that is beautiful enough to be the first room you see when walking in this home, but functional enough to be a true working office.

Paul Green Historic Home/Chapel Hill, NC/Vacant Home Staging

Successful Staging/Bobbie McGrath

Playing to the pedigree of the home, the fireplace surround and window molding are original to the house. Carefully Staging the unique details of a home is what makes the difference. Photo by Marilyn Peryer

Bristol Farm - Maine

Burrow & Nest

This home office was dubbed the library, due to its built in bookshelves and handsome wood paneling. The client loves textures, and there is an abundance of it here. The desk has a concrete top, the ceiling solitaire fixtures the same. The walls are covered in a rich gray grasscloth from Phillip Jeffries, that warms the room. RL Linen drapery block the glare when needed. A washable rug grounds the room, in case of accidents when snacking at his desk. The room doubles as a guest room, the performance linen covered sleep sofa impervious to spills. It's a great place to curl up with a book and a fluffy throw.

Lakeforest Library

HCI Cabinetry

Inspiration for an expansive traditional home office in Chicago with a library, brown walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Gentleman's Study

Reed & Acanthus Interior Design

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional home office in New Orleans with a library, brown walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Home Office with masculine touches

Joni Spear Interior Design

Alise O'Brian Photography
Photo of a large traditional home office in St Louis with a library, blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Modern Farmhouse

Casa Arte Group

Inspiration for a country study room in Orange County with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

General

C&C Quality Home Improvement LLC

Design ideas for a large traditional study room in New York with brown walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and brown floor.

Waterfront Shingle Style in Old Greenwich

Thompson Raissis Architects

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional home office in New York with a library, medium hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, brown walls and brown floor.

Home Office Design Ideas with a Wood Fireplace Surround and Brown 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.