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.

Pacific Spirit Art Estate & Gardens

Garret Cord Werner Architects & Interior Designers

David O. Marlow
Inspiration for a contemporary home office in Seattle with grey walls, a standard fireplace, a freestanding desk and grey floor.

Sunset Idea House

Lauren Nelson Design

This is an example of a contemporary home office in San Francisco with blue walls, medium hardwood floors, a built-in desk and brown floor.

Charming Cape Cod Renovation

Knight Architects LLC

Charming library with cherry counter and custom cabinetry, pocket doors hide TV Weigley Photography
Photo of a large traditional home office in New York with a built-in desk, white walls and medium hardwood floors.

Home Office Design

Modsy

Design ideas for a mid-sized modern home studio in Phoenix with yellow walls, dark hardwood floors and a freestanding desk.

OXFORD

Interior Particulier

Mid-sized industrial study room in Los Angeles with brown walls, concrete floors, grey floor, wood walls and a freestanding desk.

LE PRINTEMPS DE NINA

La Valise Rouge

Photo of a mid-sized scandinavian home office in Nantes with white walls, dark hardwood floors and wallpaper.

Joyful Housewhite

Mihaly Slocombe

The mezzanine study space looks down over the living room. Photo by Tatjana Plitt.
Design ideas for a contemporary home office in Geelong with yellow walls, carpet, a built-in desk and grey floor.

Rénovation aux accents scandinaves

Agence ATDECO

Dans cet espace, le placard et la cheminée ont été déposées pour gagner de la place. Des carreaux de ciments sont venus complétés le trou laissé par les plaques de l'ancienne cheminée. L'accent a été mis avec ce triangle jaune pour mettre en valeur ce petit coin.

Map Room Library

Santa Barbara Design & Build

Mid-sized traditional study room in Santa Barbara with brown walls, concrete floors and a built-in desk.

Old Irving

Elizabeth Krueger Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary study room with dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a freestanding desk and grey walls.

Leatherhead Grade 2 Listed House

Forbes Rix Design

Alex Wilson
Traditional home office in London with blue walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a library.

Mendocino County House

Cathy Schwabe Architecture

Built in Desk. Cathy Schwabe Architecture. Photograph by David Wakely
Design ideas for a country home office in San Francisco.

Eclectic Home Office

Mid-sized eclectic study room in Los Angeles with grey walls, painted wood floors, a standard fireplace, a built-in desk and a plaster fireplace surround.

Avant/après : un appartement métamorphosé par des couleurs flamboyantes

Olivier Francheteau EIRL

This is an example of a contemporary home office in Nice with yellow walls and marble floors.

Francis Ave

Positive Space Staging and Design Inc.

This is an example of a contemporary home office in Vancouver with yellow walls, dark hardwood floors and a freestanding desk.

my office

TINEKE TRIGGS

This is an example of a contemporary home office in San Francisco with carpet, a built-in desk and beige floor.

"Her" Office

Angela LaVista

Inspiration for a contemporary home office in Chicago with beige walls and a freestanding desk.

Pacific Heights Penthouse

Isolina Mallon Interiors

Photo of a small contemporary home office in San Francisco with white walls, carpet, a freestanding desk and beige floor.

Lakeside Farmhouse

David Charlez Designs

Home office with built ins and a great view - Photo by Sky Definition
Inspiration for a mid-sized country study room in Minneapolis with light hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in desk, beige floor and multi-coloured walls.

Yellow Home Office 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.