With working from home now a regular part of everyday life, creating a space that feels comfortable, practical, and actually enjoyable to spend time in can make a real difference to your day.
Whether you have a dedicated office, a desk in the spare bedroom or a small corner of the living room, the right layout and decorating choices can help the space feel more considered. From clever positioning and lighting to choosing the right colour and wallpaper, there are plenty of ways to create a workspace that suits both your home and how you work.
Read on for our favourite home office ideas, with expert tips from Helen Fraser, Managing Director at I Love Wallpaper.
Contents
- How to set up a home office for productivity
- Home office design ideas for a stylish, productive space
- Small home office ideas
- Bedroom office ideas
- Living room office ideas
- Frequently asked questions
How to set up a home office for productivity
Willow Leaf Panel Wallpaper in Pink with Pink Panel
A good home office set-up should make it easier to concentrate, stay organised, and feel comfortable throughout the day. Before thinking about colours and finishing touches, start with the practicalities.
1. Choose the right location for your workspace
If you have a dedicated room, you’ll have plenty of flexibility when planning your workspace. But you don’t need a separate office to create somewhere that works well. A spare bedroom, alcove, or quiet corner of a living space can all make effective work areas with the right set-up. If you’re working with a dual-purpose room, take a look at our spare bedroom decor ideas for more inspiration.
Where possible, choose an area with plenty of natural light and some separation from the busiest parts of your home. Having a defined place to work can also make it easier to switch into work mode, particularly if your office sits within another room.
2. Plan a practical home office layout
Obscura Wallpaper in Cool Tones
When deciding how to set up a home office, start with the furniture you’ll use most. Position your desk somewhere that gives you enough room to sit comfortably and move around without making the space feel cramped.
Keep everyday essentials within easy reach, whether that’s stationery in desk drawers or paperwork on nearby shelving. A comfortable, supportive chair is also worth prioritising, especially if you spend several hours at your desk each day.
3. Get your lighting right
Natural light can make a home office feel brighter and more inviting, but consider where it falls throughout the day.
Where possible, position your desk so natural light comes from the side. Sitting with a window behind you can cause reflections and glare on your screen, while facing a bright window can create uncomfortable contrast and eye strain.
A desk lamp or other task lighting will give you more control on darker days and during the winter months. If the room itself doesn’t get much daylight, lighter wall colours can also help make it feel brighter. Read our guide on colour theory for more advice on choosing shades to suit the natural light in your space.
4. Keep clutter under control
An organised workspace can help your home office feel calmer and easier to use, so build storage into your layout from the very beginning. Drawers are useful for smaller everyday items, while shelving gives books, folders and decorative pieces a dedicated place.
If floor space is limited, make use of your walls with floating shelves or wall-mounted storage.
Home office design ideas for a stylish, productive space
Once the practical layout is in place, you can start thinking about how you want your workspace to look and feel.
Here are some of our top home office design ideas:
Create a focal point with wallpaper
Raffia Curves Wallpaper in Cream on Pistachio
Wallpaper is an easy way to give your home office its own identity, particularly if your desk sits within a bedroom, living room, or other multi-purpose space. Using a patterned wallpaper behind your desk can visually define the work area without needing to physically divide the room.
In a bedroom, this can be especially useful for creating some separation between where you work and where you relax, so the two areas don’t feel as though they’re blending into one.
Helen says: “If your office is part of another room, creating a feature wall behind your desk is a simple way to make the workspace feel more defined. I’d recommend picking out one or two colours from the wallpaper and carrying them through the rest of the room with paint or accessories. It helps the office area stand out, but still feel connected to the overall scheme rather than looking like a separate space that’s been added as an afterthought.”
Create a calm workspace with blue
If you’re looking for home office colour ideas, blue is a great place to start. Often associated with calm and clarity, it can help create a workspace that feels settled and easy to spend time in. Softer blue wallpapers work well for a light, relaxed scheme, while deeper navy tones can make a dedicated office feel more sophisticated.
Blue is easy to style, too. Pair it with soft greys or greens for a more tonal look, add gold accents for extra warmth, or introduce touches of orange for a bolder contrast. For more colour-pairing inspiration, read our guide to what colours go with blue.
Helen recommends: “I’d always suggest testing a few wallpaper or paint samples in the room before making your final choice. Colours can shift quite a lot as the natural light changes throughout the day, so it’s worth checking how they look in both the morning and evening before you decide.”
Add character with panel-effect wallpaper
For home office decor that feels polished without requiring major DIY, panel-effect wallpaper can add instant architectural detail. Designed to recreate the look of traditional wall panelling, it’s an easy way to add character to your workspace without having to fit individual mouldings or timber panels.
A classic panel design brings structure to otherwise plain walls, while wood-panel and slat-effect styles can create a more contemporary finish. Pair them with a wooden desk, warm metallic lighting, and simple shelving for an office that feels sophisticated but still welcoming.
Bring nature into your workspace
Tropical Paradise Wallpaper in Dusky Pink
If you want your office to feel softer and less corporate, take inspiration from the outdoors. Botanical wallpaper, leafy prints, and delicate florals can introduce pattern while giving the room a calmer, more relaxed feel — ideal for making busy Mondays feel that little bit less stressful.
Continue the look with houseplants, natural timber, and woven textures to create a workspace that feels warm and inviting. You don’t need to turn the whole room into a botanical scheme, either — a leafy print behind the desk paired with simple furniture and neutral accessories can be enough to bring in that sense of nature without overwhelming the space.
Finish the space with thoughtful home office decor
Zara Shimmer Metallic Wallpaper in Soft Grey and Silver
The finishing details are what make a workspace feel like part of your home rather than a purely practical office. Add artwork you enjoy looking at, a well-placed desk lamp and a rug to soften the space, then use shelves to display a small selection of books, plants or decorative pieces.
Helen says: “The key is to balance personality with practicality. I’d keep your desk relatively clear, then use the surrounding areas to bring in colour, texture and a few favourite pieces. That way, the space still feels personal without becoming cluttered or distracting.”
Small home office ideas
A compact workspace can still feel stylish and practical with a few clever design choices. From making use of overlooked corners to choosing space-saving furniture, these small home office ideas can help you get more from the room you have.
Make use of vertical space
Fluted Panel Wallpaper in Charcoal
When floor space is limited, look upwards. Floating shelves and wall-mounted storage give you somewhere to keep books, paperwork, and office essentials without surrounding your desk with bulky furniture.
Keeping more of the floor visible can also help a small home office feel less crowded and easier to move around.
Use colour and pattern to make the space feel bigger
Zelda Metallic Wallpaper in Cool Grey with Metallic Silver
Choosing lighter colours can help a compact office feel bright and open, while subtle patterns add interest without dominating the room. Striped wallpaper can work particularly well in smaller spaces, with vertical designs naturally drawing the eye upwards and creating depth.
Helen says: “In a small office, I’d avoid trying to fit too many competing colours and patterns into one space. A lighter palette with one carefully chosen wallpaper design gives the room personality while still keeping it feeling calm and uncluttered.”
Choose furniture that works harder
Orion Metallic Wallpaper in Warm Grey and Silver with Gold Sparkle
Look for furniture that makes the most of every centimetre. Slimline desks, designs with built-in drawers, and wall-mounted or foldaway desks are useful when you don’t have room for a full-sized office setup.
Multi-functional pieces can also be a smart choice in bedrooms and living areas. A desk that doubles as a dressing table, shelving with a built-in workspace, or seating with hidden storage can help the room transition more easily between work and everyday life.
Try colour drenching for a seamless look
Colour drenching can be particularly effective in a small home office, as reducing strong visual breaks between walls, woodwork and furniture can help the space feel more cohesive and open.
Helen explains: “Colour drenching doesn’t mean everything has to be exactly the same shade. I like using a tonal palette, such as pairing a soft blue on the walls with a slightly deeper blue on shelving or woodwork. You still get that seamless effect, but the variation in tone adds depth and stops the room from feeling flat.”
You could also bring in a wallpaper from the same colour family to add a subtle pattern while keeping the scheme cohesive. For more advice on choosing and layering shades, read our colour drenching guide.
Bedroom office ideas
If your bedroom needs to double as a workspace, thoughtful positioning can help the two areas feel distinct without compromising on style.
Make an unused corner work harder
A corner desk can make better use of awkward bedroom space than a standard straight desk, particularly in smaller rooms. To make the area feel intentional, wallpaper the wall behind the desk or fit floating shelves above it to frame the workspace and separate it visually from the sleeping area.
Swap a desk lamp for wall-mounted lighting
Free up valuable desk space by choosing a wall-mounted light instead of a traditional lamp. An adjustable design still gives you focused task lighting while keeping the surface clearer and making a compact desk feel less cluttered.
Keep your desk out of your direct sightline
Where possible, avoid positioning your desk directly opposite the bed. Placing it to the side of the room, rather than directly in front of you when you’re lying down, can help work feel less visually present when it’s time to switch off.
Helen explains: “Your desk doesn’t have to be completely hidden away. Even positioning it slightly to one side, so it isn’t directly in your eyeline from the bed, can help create a little more separation between work and rest.”
Living room office ideas
When your office shares space with the living room, you want it to feel easy to switch off at the end of the day. A few thoughtful choices can keep work clutter out of sight, so you’re not staring at your laptop and paperwork while trying to relax or watch TV.
Zone the workspace with a rug
Helen recommends: “A rug to anchor a desk area within an open-plan living room is a good idea. It gives the workspace its own little zone without putting up any physical barriers, and helps it feel more considered as part of the room.”
Choose a desk that complements your living room furniture
Avoid anything that feels too corporate. A console-style desk in wood, painted timber, or a finish that echoes your existing furniture will help the workspace blend more naturally into the room.
Use closed storage to hide work at the end of the day
In a living room, visible paperwork, chargers, and office supplies can quickly make the space feel cluttered. Choose drawers, cupboards, or baskets that let you clear everything away after the workday is done, so the room can return to feeling relaxed in the evening.
Frequently asked questions
How do I set up a home office?
Start by thinking about how you actually work. If you spend most of the day on video calls, a tidy backdrop and good lighting will be especially important. Where possible, position your desk so natural light comes from the side, rather than directly behind or in front of you, to help reduce screen glare, eye strain on a bright day, and harsh contrast.
If you work across several screens or documents, prioritise desk depth and easy access to plug sockets.
If you’re setting up a bedroom or living room office space, try to create a clear boundary between your work area and the rest of the room. You could use a wallpapered section behind the desk, a rug beneath your workspace, or shelving to visually frame the area. That way, it will feel like somewhere you can properly switch into — and out of — work mode.
What is the best colour for a home office?
There isn’t one colour that suits every home office, but blue is a strong choice if you want the room to feel calm and considered, while green can bring in a softer, more natural feel.
Warm neutrals such as beige, stone, and taupe are ideal if you prefer a quieter backdrop. You can then introduce more colour through artwork, accessories, shelving, soft furnishings, or patterned wallpaper.
Is wallpaper a good choice for a home office?
Yes — wallpaper can help turn a home office into somewhere that feels inviting, rather than simply a functional space you have to sit in every day. Choosing a design you genuinely enjoy can make the room feel more personal and somewhere you’re happier to spend time.
Think about what sits in your eyeline, too. A more detailed pattern can work beautifully behind you as a backdrop, while a calmer or more tonal design may be better on the wall you face throughout the working day.
Where should I position my desk in a home office?
Rather than automatically pushing your desk against the nearest wall, consider the view, daylight, and movement around the room first. Side-on natural light is often a practical choice as it gives you daylight without placing a bright window directly behind or in front of your screen.
It’s also worth thinking about what you can see from your chair. Facing into the room or towards a window can feel less enclosed than staring directly at a blank wall, provided the layout still leaves enough space to move comfortably around the desk.
What do I need for a basic home office?
You don’t need to fill the room with office furniture. Start with the essentials, then add storage and accessories based on how you use the space:
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A desk with enough depth for your laptop, monitor, or paperwork
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A supportive chair that’s comfortable for longer periods
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A table lamp for darker days and evenings
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Accessible plug sockets or cable management for chargers and equipment
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A small amount of storage, such as drawers, shelves, or a nearby cabinet
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A clear surface for everyday essentials so your desk doesn’t become overcrowded
If the office shares another room, closed storage can be particularly useful for putting work away once the day is finished.
