Mid-sized contemporary home office in Melbourne with white walls, carpet and a built-in desk.

Photo of a large contemporary study room in Brisbane with white walls, light hardwood floors, a built-in desk, brown floor, vaulted and decorative wall panelling.

Custom design and build

Horizon Homes

First impression count as you enter this custom-built Horizon Homes property at Kellyville. The home opens into a stylish entryway, with soaring double height ceilings. It’s often said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. And that’s literally true with this home. With the kitchen in the centre of the ground floor, this home provides ample formal and informal living spaces on the ground floor. At the rear of the house, a rumpus room, living room and dining room overlooking a large alfresco kitchen and dining area make this house the perfect entertainer. It’s functional, too, with a butler’s pantry, and laundry (with outdoor access) leading off the kitchen. There’s also a mudroom – with bespoke joinery – next to the garage. Upstairs is a mezzanine office area and four bedrooms, including a luxurious main suite with dressing room, ensuite and private balcony. Outdoor areas were important to the owners of this knockdown rebuild. While the house is large at almost 454m2, it fills only half the block. That means there’s a generous backyard. A central courtyard provides further outdoor space. Of course, this courtyard – as well as being a gorgeous focal point – has the added advantage of bringing light into the centre of the house.

Study

Johnston Home Interior Design

This study off the kitchen acts as a control center for the family. Kids work on computers in open spaces, not in their rooms. Green linoleum covers the desk for a durable and cleanable surface. The cabinets were custom built for the space. The chairs are from Overstock.com. photo: David Duncan Livingston

Painted Maple Corner Office - Armonk, NY

transFORM Home

Convert a small space to a polished eye-catching and functional home office. We used white painted maple wood veneers and solid wood painted doors, moldings and trims to give the space a formal style. This home office boasts under cabinet LED lighting, doors with glass inserts, upper cabinets surrounded by wrap around shelving for books and accent pieces and sturdy maple wood drawers for storing office supplies or filing important documents.

California Scandi-Modern

Libby Raab Architecture

Home Office with built-in laminate desk, and white oak floating shelves
Design ideas for a mid-sized scandinavian study room in San Francisco with white walls, light hardwood floors, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Grand Junction 2019 Parade House

Fixture Studio

Design ideas for a scandinavian home office in Denver with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Islington

Stuart Carlisle

Inspiration for a transitional study room in London with white walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace and a freestanding desk.

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

Oh So Spanish House

Courtney Thomas Design

Our La Cañada studio juxtaposed the historic architecture of this home with contemporary, Spanish-style interiors. It features a contrasting palette of warm and cool colors, printed tilework, spacious layouts, high ceilings, metal accents, and lots of space to bond with family and entertain friends. --- Project designed by Courtney Thomas Design in La Cañada. Serving Pasadena, Glendale, Monrovia, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, and Altadena. For more about Courtney Thomas Design, click here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/portfolio/contemporary-spanish-style-interiors-la-canada/

Coastal Home Office

BRNS Design

This is an example of a large transitional study room in Dallas with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a freestanding desk and brown floor.

Hidden Storage

Lisa & Leroy

Hidden in the murphy bed built in are printer and laundry hamper. Can you guess where?
Photo of a small transitional home office in DC Metro with white walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Art and Craft Studio and Laundry Room Remodel

Tracy Tesmer Design/Remodeling

Art and Craft Studio and Laundry Room Remodel
Large transitional craft room in Atlanta with white walls, porcelain floors, a built-in desk, black floor and panelled walls.

Atherton Estate Casual Rooms

Form + Field

This is an example of a small traditional home office in San Francisco with white walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Class Romantic Ranch

KBG Design

This is an example of a small study room in San Francisco with white walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk and beige floor.

Hamptons House

Santamaria Design

Design ideas for a small beach style study room in Sydney with white walls, a built-in desk, light hardwood floors and no fireplace.

Jamestown Modern Farmhouse

DK Homes

Modern Farmhouse designed for entertainment and gatherings. French doors leading into the main part of the home and trim details everywhere. Shiplap, board and batten, tray ceiling details, custom barrel tables are all part of this modern farmhouse design. Half bath with a custom vanity. Clean modern windows. Living room has a fireplace with custom cabinets and custom barn beam mantel with ship lap above. The Master Bath has a beautiful tub for soaking and a spacious walk in shower. Front entry has a beautiful custom ceiling treatment.

Invermarge

CO Interiors

This office was created for a couple who both works from home and collaborate together from time to time. We created a custom T-shape desk surface which creates a partition between the two work stations yet offers a collaborative surface if necessary. The most interesting feature within the office is the photographic artwork of Italian architecture in the middle of the upper shelving unit. It’s actually divided into three sections and attached to a pair of sliding doors, which open and close part of the storage unit.

Calender

ALLEN ARCHITECTURE LLC

Brian McWeeney
This is an example of a transitional study room in Dallas with white walls, concrete floors, a built-in desk and grey floor.

Austin Texas Project

Studio McGee

Our clients moved from Southern California to Austin, Texas and had some adjusting to do. Their home had a Texas traditional theme, but they wanted to bring in their California bohemian style. They had a lot of great pieces, really cool style, and a ton of books we had to make room for.

White 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 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.