Chris Snook and Emma Painter Interiors
Small transitional study room in Sussex with blue walls, light hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and beige floor.

Design Loves Detail - Office

Deco Design

Design ideas for a beach style study room in Salt Lake City with white walls, light hardwood floors and a freestanding desk.

2018 Home Show

Unique Homes Iowa

Mid-sized industrial study room in Other with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Bridge Street

Marcye Philbrook

Siri Blanchette of Blind Dog Photo
Design ideas for a small contemporary study room in Portland Maine with grey walls, carpet, beige floor and a built-in desk.

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.

2018 Parade

Mike Becknal & Company, Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized traditional study room in Austin with white walls, carpet, no fireplace, a freestanding desk and grey floor.

Talbot in Laureate Park

Dream Finders Homes

Transitional study room in Orlando with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Woodforest

Studio G Interior Design

This is an example of a traditional study room in Houston with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Wilton Colonial

Dalia Canora Design, LLC

Inspiration for a transitional study room in DC Metro with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Osmond Home

OSMOND DESIGNS

Large transitional study room in Salt Lake City with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a freestanding desk and beige floor.

Coastal Contemporary

The Decorators Unlimited

This contemporary home is a combination of modern and contemporary styles. With high back tufted chairs and comfy white living furniture, this home creates a warm and inviting feel. The marble desk and the white cabinet kitchen gives the home an edge of sleek and clean.

South Florida Oceanfront Mansion

Bravas Boca Raton

Oceanfront office with automated lighting control, Crestron touch panel, discrete temperature sensor, Vantage keypad, and Samsung tv.
Large traditional study room in Miami with beige walls, carpet, a freestanding desk and beige floor.

Historic Renovation

Designs by Aaron Olson, Inc.

Amboyna burl panels and mahogany rails, stiles, cornice, and running trim. Mako Builders and Clark Robins Design/ Build Trademark Woodworking Sheila Gunst- design consultant Photography by Ansel Olson

Masculine Home Office

Grace Thomas Designs

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional study room in DC Metro with blue walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

The Wilson at Heathcote Commons

Stanley Martin Homes

Design ideas for a contemporary study room in DC Metro with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

richWOmanWB

Widell + Boschetti

This is an example of a transitional study room in Philadelphia with white walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Entertaining Open Kitchen and Study

Covenant Kitchens & Baths, Inc.

This home office enables the owner to work at home with lots of natural light through windows.
Photo of a mid-sized traditional study room in Bridgeport with a freestanding desk, brown floor, brown walls and dark hardwood floors.

Forest Grove

Joseph Aparicio Interiors

Photo of a mid-sized transitional study room in Dallas with white walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Valley Run

JLF & Associates, Inc.

History, revived. An early 19th century Dutch farmstead, nestled in the hillside of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, offered a storied canvas on which to layer replicated additions and contemporary components. Endowed with an extensive art collection, the house and barn serve as a platform for aesthetic appreciation in all forms.

Turn of the Century Home

W Design Interiors

This is an example of a transitional study room in Cleveland with dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Study Room Design Ideas

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.