Photo of an expansive midcentury home studio in Brisbane with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a freestanding desk, brown floor, vaulted and wood walls.

Kenilworth Project - Mid Century Modern Whole House Remodel

Haven Design and Construction

The light filled home office overlooks the sunny backyard and pool area. A mid century modern desk steals the spotlight.
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury study room in Austin with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a freestanding desk, brown floor and exposed beam.

Quimby Mid-Century

James Frank Construction Inc

Mid-Century update to a home located in NW Portland. The project included a new kitchen with skylights, multi-slide wall doors on both sides of the home, kitchen gathering desk, children's playroom, and opening up living room and dining room ceiling to dramatic vaulted ceilings. The project team included Risa Boyer Architecture. Photos: Josh Partee

Sandy Remodel

Village West Design

Small midcentury home studio in San Francisco with white walls, light hardwood floors, a built-in desk, no fireplace and beige floor.

Office and guest room

Jula Cole Design

Home office with custom builtins, murphy bed, and desk. Custom walnut headboard, oak shelves
Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury study room in San Diego with white walls, carpet, a built-in desk and beige floor.

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.

Mad Men Study/Chill Room

VBM Home

This is an example of a small midcentury study room in Los Angeles with white walls and brown floor.

Orinda Mid-Century Modern

The Home Co.

This is an example of a small midcentury study room in San Francisco with white walls, light hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and beige floor.

Modern Ranch

Norman Design Group, Inc.

Midcentury study room in Los Angeles with white walls, no fireplace, a freestanding desk and medium hardwood floors.

Garden in Hackney

Natalia Urbon

Natalia Kuptsova
Design ideas for a midcentury home office in London with white walls, a built-in desk and grey floor.

Livable Mid-Century Home

Beth Dotolo, ASID, RID, NCIDQ

Highly edited and livable, this Dallas mid-century residence is both bright and airy. The layered neutrals are brightened with carefully placed pops of color, creating a simultaneously welcoming and relaxing space. The home is a perfect spot for both entertaining large groups and enjoying family time -- exactly what the clients were looking for.

Brooklyn Townhouse

Lucy Harris Studio

Notable decor elements include: West Elm white Parsons desk with drawers, CB2 Arc table lamp in copper and vintage mid-century chair. Photography: Francesco Bertocci

Home Office

The Container Store Custom Closets

Container Stories Blog INSPIRED SPACES RETRO + ROCK & ROLL WORK IT OUT IN SPENCER'S OFFICE
This is an example of a midcentury study room in Other with white walls, light hardwood floors and a freestanding desk.

Dreaming in Southern France

Susan Fisher Photography

Susan Fisher Plotner/Susan Fisher Photography
Design ideas for a midcentury study room in New York with white walls and a freestanding desk.

A Modern Miami Home

DKOR Interiors Inc.- Interior Designers Miami, FL

A young Mexican couple approached us to create a streamline modern and fresh home for their growing family. They expressed a desire for natural textures and finishes such as natural stone and a variety of woods to juxtapose against a clean linear white backdrop. For the kid’s rooms we are staying within the modern and fresh feel of the house while bringing in pops of bright color such as lime green. We are looking to incorporate interactive features such as a chalkboard wall and fun unique kid size furniture. The bathrooms are very linear and play with the concept of planes in the use of materials.They will be a study in contrasting and complementary textures established with tiles from resin inlaid with pebbles to a long porcelain tile that resembles wood grain. This beautiful house is a 5 bedroom home located in Presidential Estates in Aventura, FL.

Mar Vista Mid-Century Remodel

Sato Architects, Inc.

Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury study room in Los Angeles with white walls, porcelain floors, a built-in desk, white floor and vaulted.

West Roy Condo

SkB Architects

Originally built in 1955, this modest penthouse apartment typified the small, separated living spaces of its era. The design challenge was how to create a home that reflected contemporary taste and the client’s desire for an environment rich in materials and textures. The keys to updating the space were threefold: break down the existing divisions between rooms; emphasize the connection to the adjoining 850-square-foot terrace; and establish an overarching visual harmony for the home through the use of simple, elegant materials. The renovation preserves and enhances the home’s mid-century roots while bringing the design into the 21st century—appropriate given the apartment’s location just a few blocks from the fairgrounds of the 1962 World’s Fair.

Midcentury Home Office

Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury home office in San Francisco with a library, white walls and light hardwood floors.

Colin

Carriage Lane Design-Build Inc.

Small midcentury study room in Toronto with white walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk and beige floor.

VIVIENDA CALVET

The Room Studio

Proyecto realizado por Meritxell Ribé - The Room Studio Construcción: The Room Work Fotografías: Mauricio Fuertes
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury study room in Barcelona with white walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace and a built-in desk.

Midcentury Home Office Design Ideas with White 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 midcentury 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 midcentury 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 midcentury 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 midcentury 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.