Study/Library in beautiful Sepele Mahogany, raised panel doors, true raised panel wall treatment, coffered ceiling.
Photo of a mid-sized traditional home office in Raleigh with medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, a freestanding desk, a library and brown walls.

Danville Project

Applegate Tran Interiors

Large transitional home office in San Francisco with a library, blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a built-in desk, no fireplace and brown floor.

Historical Home Renovation and Addition | Cambridge

Hickox Williams Architects, Inc.

Photography by Peter Vanderwarker This Second Empire house is a narrative woven about its circulation. At the street, a quietly fanciful stoop reaches to greet one's arrival. Inside and out, Victorian details are playfully reinterpreted and celebrated in fabulous and whimsical spaces for a growing family - Double story kitchen with open cylindrical breakfast room Parents' and Children's libraries Secret playspaces Top floor sky-lit courtyard Writing room and hidden library Basement parking Media Room Landscape of exterior rooms: The site is conceived as a string of rooms: a landscaped drive-way court, a lawn for play, a sunken court, a serene shade garden, a New England flower garden. The stair grows out of the garden level ordering the surrounding rooms as it rises to a light filled courtyard at the Master suite on the top floor. On each level the rooms are arranged in a circuit around the stair core, making a series of distinct suites for the children, for the parents, and for their common activities.

Home Office Under Stairs

Christine Lakas, The Designer, LLC

Inspiration for a small eclectic home office in Other with a library, brown walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk, brown floor and wood walls.

Rénovation d'une Maison Parisienne

Lagom architectes

This is an example of a large contemporary home office in Paris with a library, beige walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk and beige floor.

Comfortable and Collected

Ann Lowengart Interiors

The family living in this shingled roofed home on the Peninsula loves color and pattern. At the heart of the two-story house, we created a library with high gloss lapis blue walls. The tête-à-tête provides an inviting place for the couple to read while their children play games at the antique card table. As a counterpoint, the open planned family, dining room, and kitchen have white walls. We selected a deep aubergine for the kitchen cabinetry. In the tranquil master suite, we layered celadon and sky blue while the daughters' room features pink, purple, and citrine.

Family villa in Cannes

Ikonup - The Agency

@ ikonup
Contemporary home office in Other with a library, white walls, no fireplace, a freestanding desk and beige 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.

Bell Mountain

Amity Worrel & Co.

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional home office in Austin with a library, blue walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Lake Union Floating Home

Atelier Drome Architecture

This is an example of a beach style home office in Seattle with a library, white walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk and beige floor.

Hills Drive

Duet Design Group

This home office/library was the favorite room of the clients and ourselves. The vaulted ceilings and high walls gave us plenty of room to create the bookshelves of the client's dreams. Photo by Emily Minton Redfield

home library

Eleven Four LLC

Photo of a small transitional home office in Charlotte with a library, beige walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace and brown floor.

Rustic Murphy Bed

PSI Tops | Plastic Specialties Inc

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional home office in Salt Lake City with a library, beige walls, carpet, no fireplace and beige floor.

Chappaquiddick, Martha's Vineyard

Banks Design Associates, LTD & Simply Home

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional home office in Boston with a library, a freestanding desk, white floor, white walls, porcelain floors and no fireplace.

Other Spaces

Jaymark Cabinets

Mid-sized traditional home office in Boise with a library, white walls, medium hardwood floors and no fireplace.

State Street

General Assembly

Joe Fletcher
Photo of a mid-sized scandinavian home office in New York with a library, blue walls, medium hardwood floors and no fireplace.

Contemporary Home

Patrick Widing Custom Homes

This is an example of a large contemporary home office in Detroit with a library, black walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace and a freestanding desk.

Chicago Artist's Office and Studio

Space Interior Design

sleek white and natural wood double office, and artist's at home office, mini kitchen area and sleeping area make it a bedroom suite as well, tv and stereo, customs millwork by Legacy, photos by Jorge Gera, counter tops by The Tile Gallery

Boise Residence

Hsu McCullough

Music Room. Photo by Clark Dugger
Photo of a small contemporary home office in Los Angeles with a library, white walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Southampton Builders- Luxury Custom Home in St. Charles Illinois

Southampton Builders

Paul Schlismann Photography - Courtesy of Jonathan Nutt- Southampton Builders LLC
Photo of a large traditional home office in Chicago with a library, brown walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Home Office Design Ideas with a Library and No Fireplace

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.