Photography by Laura Hull.
Photo of a small transitional home office in Los Angeles with blue walls, dark hardwood floors and a freestanding desk.

Transitional Kitchen and First Floor Leesburg Remodel - Naperville

Redstart Construction, Inc.

Picture Perfect House
Inspiration for a small transitional study room in Chicago with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Palma Plaza

Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects

Small contemporary home office in Austin with white walls, dark hardwood floors and a built-in desk.

Sophisticated Lux

User

Our client works from home on certain days and wanted a beautiful and inspiring office. We accented the neutral walls with colorful art along with an area rug that matched the tones in the artwork. A comfortable accent chair was selected to mimic the transitional lines of the desk. The chandelier is quite obviously the focal point and adds to the mixed metal elements along with it's feminine lines.

Lincoln Park Condo

Third Coast Interiors

Dustin Halleck
Small contemporary study room in Chicago with black 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
Small transitional home office in Chicago with a library, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk, brown floor and brown walls.

Classical Revival

VanderHorn Architects

This en suite office comes with the perfect view of the harbor. Paneling adjoins oversized double hung windows with a nautically themed upper sash.
Photo of a small beach style study room in Other with white walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace and a built-in desk.

High Tech Model

Synergy Systems Group

Listen to music, Watch TV and do school work or work work in this high functional space.
This is an example of a small modern home studio in Toronto with grey walls, dark hardwood floors and a built-in desk.

Gray Painted Cabinetry in Home Office

Orren Pickell Building Group

A home office off the kitchen can be concealed with a pocket door. Gray-painted maple Wood-Mode cabinetry complements the kitchen finishes but makes the space unique. **Project Overview** A small, quiet, efficient office space for one that is perfect for sorting mail and paying bills. Though small it has a great deal of natural light and views out the front of the house of the lush landscaping and wildlife. A pocket door makes the office disappear when it's time to entertain. **What Makes This Project Unique?** Small yet incredibly functional, this desk space is a comfortable, quiet place to catch up on home management tasks. Filled with natural light and offering a view of lush landscaping, the compact space is light and airy. To keep it from feeling cramped or crowded, we complemented warm gray-painted maple cabinetry with light countertops and tile. Taller ceilings allow ample storage, including full-height open storage, to manage all of the papers, files and extras that find their way into the home. **Design Challenges** While the office was intentionally designed into a tiny nook off the kitchen and pantry, we didn't want it to feel small for the people using it. By keeping the color palette light, taking cabinetry to the ceiling, incorporating open storage and maximizing natural light, the space feels cozy, and larger than it actually is. Photo by MIke Kaskel.

Old Beach Road

Studio M Interiors

Scott Amundson Photography
Photo of a small transitional study room in Minneapolis with blue walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Home Office Remodel

Decorlift Design Co

Home office design in Rochester, MI
Photo of a small traditional study room in Detroit with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Open & Creative Spaces

Equinox Development

Inspiration for a small modern home office in Toronto with white walls, dark hardwood floors and a built-in desk.

House at Kelmscott Road

Charles Barclay Architects

Small contemporary study room in London with white walls, dark hardwood floors and a freestanding desk.

Elegant White Wallbed Room

Pacific Coast Custom Design

With the wallbed closed the space for Home Office is visually increased. The Glass tops not only add to the clean look but creates a very smooth and durable writing surface. Guest room to functional office in an instant.

Royal York Residence

LUX Design | Interior Design Build

Our client wanted a home office that could be hidden away in an instant. The only space within the house to house the office was next to the living room therefore we created a nook where we installed a built-in desk that can be hidden away by a set of sliding bi-fold doors. LUX Interior Design and Renovations Toronto.

Contemporary Home Office

Inspiration for a small contemporary home office in Seattle with no fireplace, a freestanding desk, grey walls, dark hardwood floors and turquoise floor.

Kleinburg

Frahm Interiors - Burlington ON

This closet was converted into a built in desk area with a custom corkboard. Fraser Hogarth Photography
Photo of a small transitional home office in Toronto with grey walls, dark hardwood floors and a built-in desk.

Downtown Condo

User

Michelle Peek Photography
Design ideas for a small contemporary study room in Toronto with white walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Mountain View Townhouse

Studio Revolution

Designed by: Studio Revolution Photography by: Thomas Kuoh
Photo of a small scandinavian home office in San Francisco with white walls, dark hardwood floors and a freestanding desk.

Downtown Escape

User

Custom Built bunk bed system allows for extra accommodation within the home, and can be folded up when not in use.
This is an example of a small contemporary home office in Detroit with white walls, dark hardwood floors and a built-in desk.

Small 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.