Transitional home office in DC Metro with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional home office in San Francisco with a library, grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Modern Dining Room, Living Room, and Workspace

Erotas Custom Building

Transitional study room in Minneapolis with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Transitional Home Office

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional study room in Richmond with grey walls, a freestanding desk, brown floor, dark hardwood floors and decorative wall panelling.

New Rochelle Westchester Modern

D. Wang Photo

Inspiration for a transitional home office in New York with a library, grey walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace and a freestanding desk.

Home Office/Library with Black Wainscoting and Black Cabinetry

Orren Pickell Building Group

The home office/library features a dark painted wainscot wall and wall papered tray ceiling. The trim detail at the ceiling is painted in Benjamin Moore 2136-10 "Black Knight" in a satin finish. The cabinetry is maple and painted in the same black satin finish.

Chevy Chase MD

Annie Elliott Design

Inspiration for a traditional home office in DC Metro with a library, beige walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace and a freestanding desk.

New home office

Ellsworth Design Build

The clients loved the concept of bringing the colors of nature from outside their windows into the space, so different shades of green, blue and natural wood tones were used throughout.

Upscale Farmhouse

Owen Homes LLC

Photo of a large country study room in Kansas City with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Mother-in-Law Suite

Muscarella Interiors Design & Decor

Photo of a beach style home office in Charleston with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Queen Anne II

Dyna Builders

Photo of a transitional home office in Seattle with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Federal Style Single Family: Home Office

DANE AUSTIN INTERIOR DESIGN Boston & Cambridge

The pairing of antiques, including the French desk and two occasional chairs, with iconic mid-century modern furniture and contemporary art adds interest with a worldly feel. Project designed by Boston interior design studio Dane Austin Design. They serve Boston, Cambridge, Hingham, Cohasset, Newton, Weston, Lexington, Concord, Dover, Andover, Gloucester, as well as surrounding areas. For more about Dane Austin Design, click here: https://daneaustindesign.com/

Ohio Timber Frame Home

Riverbend Timber Framing

A large and elegant study is complemented with a full wall of custom shelving and clever storage. Photo by: JE Evans
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional home office in Columbus with a library, grey walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Well Read

Laurie Demetrio Interiors

Private Residence, Laurie Demetrio Interiors, Photo by Dustin Halleck, Millwork by NuHaus
Inspiration for a small transitional home office in Chicago with a library, multi-coloured walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Gorgeous Grasscloth!!

Paper Moon Painting

Fabulous home office with walls covered in dark blue grasscloth. Photo by Matthew Niemann
Design ideas for a large transitional study room in Austin with blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and a built-in desk.

Woods Cove

User

Inspiration for a midcentury home office in Orange County with a library, white walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace and a built-in desk.

Indian Hill Estate

Newgard Custom Homes

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

Eclectic Modern | NODA Townhome

House of Nomad

Design ideas for a transitional study room in Charlotte with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Ridge Road Project

Kara Theresa LLC

Inspiration for a small modern home office in New York with a library, black walls, dark hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

やはぎの家

星設計室一級建築士事務所

やはぎの家　２階ワークスペース　Photo by 永石秀彦
Design ideas for a midcentury home office in Other with brown walls, dark hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Home Office Design Ideas with Dark Hardwood Floors

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.