Large transitional home office in Detroit with a library, white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and brown floor.

Library with custom Built-Ins

Kimmel Studio Architects

Photo of an expansive home office in Baltimore with a library, white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and brown floor.

Clapboard Ridge

Auburn Landing, Inc.

Inspiration 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.

Mendota Hearth Gallery

McVety's Hearth and Home

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional study room in Portland Maine with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Cherry Hills Renewal

Studio 10 Interior Design

Photo of a large transitional study room in Denver with black walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Windsor PH16 Renovation

CGU Homes

Photo of a study room in Other with brown walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk, brown floor, coffered and wood walls.

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.

Home Remodel

Environments by Design

Photo of a large country study room in Cleveland with dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a freestanding desk, brown walls, a wood fireplace surround 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.

Bradbrook House

Granit Architects + Interiors

Photo Credit - Andrew Beasley
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional home studio in London with a freestanding desk, beige walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace, a wood fireplace surround 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.

Rye Beach Shingle

VanderHorn Architects

Relish in the splendor of a beautifully stained library where American cherry wood paneling, parades around walls, deep jambs, glazed openings, custom built-in bookcases, a hidden doorway, and a lavish mantel with the abstracted lapstrake hull of wooden sailboat. James Merrell Photography

Advantage Residential Designs

Inspiration for 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.

Chinoiserie Cape

Bee's Knees Design, LLC

This is an example of an expansive transitional study room in Boston with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Iron Rock

My Cabinet Factory

A custom Knotty Alder home office/library with wall paneling surrounding the entire room. Inset cabinetry and tall bookcases on either side of the room.

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.

Harris Street

Bloomquist Construction, Inc.

This is an example of a transitional home office in Atlanta with a library, green walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Hamptons Style on Mercer Island

Seattle Staged to Sell and Design LLC

A home with timeless sophistication & storybook charm.
Inspiration for a large traditional study room in Seattle with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Martis Camp Mountain Contemporary

SANDBOX

Hard not to want to spend time in the office when it's this special, with its large window walls and custom linear fireplace. Photo by Vance Fox
This is an example of a large contemporary home office in Sacramento with white walls, light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Spring Creek Library

New Leaf Remodeling

Photo of a large traditional home office in Chicago with a library, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a freestanding desk 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.