Photo of a country home office in Other with brown walls, light hardwood floors, a freestanding desk, beige floor and wood walls.

English Countryside Manor

Patrick Dyke Collaborative l.l.c.

Dayna Flory Interiors Martin Vecchio Photography
Inspiration for a large transitional home office in Detroit with a built-in desk, black walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Southgate Estates Home

Celtic Custom Homes

Inspiration for a large transitional study room in Other with black walls, light hardwood floors, a built-in desk and panelled walls.

Contemporary Home Office

Inspiration for a small contemporary study room in San Diego with black walls, light hardwood floors, a built-in desk and beige floor.

Urban Modern Scandi

Traci Connell Interiors

Contemporary home office in Dallas with black walls, medium hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Great Northern Lodge

Centre Sky Architecture Ltd

Gibeon Photography
Home office in Other with brown walls, medium hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Portland Street of Dreams – 2015

Hartmann&Forbes

Designer: Maison Inc (Joelle) Photographer: David Papazian Roman Shades: LE1242 Tissage - Arabian
Photo of an asian home office in Portland with brown walls, carpet and a freestanding desk.

Equestrian Office

Haus of Rowe Interiors

We transformed this barely used Sunroom into a fully functional home office because ...well, Covid. We opted for a dark and dramatic wall and ceiling color, BM Black Beauty, after learning about the homeowners love for all things equestrian. This moody color envelopes the space and we added texture with wood elements and brushed brass accents to shine against the black backdrop.

Golden Hour Garden

Interiors by Herlong

Photo of a large mediterranean study room in Charleston with brown walls, a built-in desk and vaulted.

Arcadia Lights

AFT Construction

Design ideas for a large transitional home office in Phoenix with a library, black walls, light hardwood floors, a built-in desk, beige floor and panelled walls.

Multi-Use Office-Den

Interior Enhancement Group, Inc.

The combination den-office is a cozy place to take care of business, play a game of chess, read or chat. Though the overall home is transitional, this space leans more toward the traditional, anchored by the client's ornately carved desk.

Lago-a-Lago Palm Beach Contemporary

DKOR Interiors Inc.- Interior Designers Miami, FL

Inspiration for a contemporary study room in Miami with black walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, a freestanding desk, brown floor, wood and wood walls.

Ashland Midsummers Night

Suzanne Childress Design

Design ideas for 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.

Greenwich, CT III

Rayon Richards Photography

Photo of a traditional home office in New York with a library, brown walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Gilbert - Full Interior Remodel

Elton R Construction

Inspiration for a large transitional home office in Denver with brown walls, a freestanding desk, brown floor and dark hardwood floors.

Media

Advanced Woodwork, INC.

Inspiration for a contemporary home office in Other with brown walls, medium hardwood floors, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Classic Traditional Exterior

Timber Trails Development Company

Design ideas for a transitional home office in Chicago with black walls, dark hardwood floors, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Memorial Riad

Marion Interior Design

Expansive mediterranean study room in Houston with brown walls, medium hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Property Brothers At Home: Drew's Honeymoon House

Breeze Giannasio Interiors

Gilles Mingassan
Design ideas for an eclectic study room in Los Angeles with black walls, dark hardwood floors and a freestanding desk.

Hampstead Home, Bold & Bright

Clifton SMR

Graham Gaunt
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional home office in London with dark hardwood floors, a freestanding desk, brown floor and black walls.

Home Office Design Ideas with Black Walls and Brown Walls

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.