Much of our lives are spent working in our offices. In fact, experts calculate that we spend at least one-third of our lives working.

That should serve as a reality check to all of us that the places we work are as important as any place we spend time in. As such, we should treat our office, wherever that might be, as a sanctuary that deserves constant attention.

Here are some of the most topical tips this year for creating a home office that's fit for productive, comfortable work.

When it comes to the interior design of your office area, less is more. Free yourself of distractions by having almost only the necessities. Creating and organizing a big or small home office shouldn’t take too many elements.

You don’t have to be a dedicated minimalist to enjoy the benefits and aesthetics of minimalist home office design ideas. Minimalism has really taken off in popularity not merely in corporate offices but in homes as well. One of the biggest draws to the style is that it simply looks really, really good.

If the minimalist decor style looks familiar, there are a few good reasons why. Perhaps it reminds you of minimalist-focused retail locations — Apple, Tesla, Glossier, and more. Maybe it reminds you of your favorite vloggers and YouTubers who have been consistently using minimalism.

In stores and how-to videos, the minimalist aesthetic shows well on camera and in person and is pleasing to the eye. They will often have muted colors with maybe a couple of pops of vibrancy.

Not only does it look great, but it happens to be extremely functional for nearly all types of occupations.

• Artists benefit from the free space on their desks by allowing for more freedom of movement.
• Technicians don’t have to navigate around piles of bits and bobs to attack projects on their work surfaces.
• All other professionals aren’t distracted by knick-knacks and other non-essentials and can get more work done.

If your home office is shared between you and a loved one or roommate, you don’t have to worry about moving your stuff out of the way every time you’re done with the room or desk. Simply pack up your laptop, and you’re done!

Natural lighting is essential. Mirrors can be a big support if your workspace or home office doesn't have a lot of light coming in through a window. They’ll reflect the natural ambient light throughout the room if placed properly.

If you have too much direct sunlight coming in, but don’t want to completely block out those natural rays, try for shades that only allow about half the normal amount of light in. While all kinds of shades are available, bamboo shades, in particular, are perfect for this particular request.

Think about some of the things you will be making physical contact with for most of the workday. One of those things will be your desk chair. The chair’s ergonomic features play a key role in your productivity and how you physically feel by the end of the day.

Optimal ergonomic posture has users in the back-most part of their office chairs with their feet flat on the floor. The wrists and elbows should occupy the same general plane of existence, and the knees and ankles should be in a line as well. Position the monitor at eye level to help reduce eye strain.

Not all of us can be absolute minimalists, but we’re here to help you find ways to organize your desk necessities and keep things tidy. There are a few ways to store your things, like a filing cabinet, under-the-desk hidden storage, and open shelving on your desk.

If you have the space, a credenza provides a stylized way to store your things and gives you a new space to decorate and express yourself. Our Credenza offers three drawers, a movable locking cabinet, and roomy display shelves.

Desk shelves elevate your monitor while providing storage right underneath where you usually couldn’t put anything before. It’s the perfect space for charging hubs, ports, pens, and other necessities.

Why shouldn’t your home office desk be as supportive and customizable as your chair? Standing desks let you prioritize your comfort and health. Plus, they immediately become a stunning focal point of any room while never stealing attention from other decor pieces.

You can either get in the zone with your standing desk for one. Or, you can pull in a coworker for a brainstorming session with a Double Standing Desk, for no employee is an island upon themselves.  

The distant future is wireless but let’s at least make it look that way for now with proper cable management. There are more tools and products than ever to make your workspace look neat but remain super functional. This tip can be especially helpful if your office also doubles as your dining room or living room.

Zip ties and velcro cable ties are your friends, keeping your cables and wires uniform and tidy. These tools are extremely cost-efficient and are easily replaced if need be.

If you constantly find yourself needing to plug and unplug charging cables at your desk, magnetic cable management systems anchor your cables in a particular place on your desk. The cables can then be easily accessed and put away when not needed.

Cables can also be managed by a dedicated tray and port hub underneath your desk that’s tucked away behind the frame. These look incredible in a home office setup and help maximize the hide-away purpose of your In-Desk Power Port (compatible with our Standing Desks).

For some setups, you’ll need extra long cables for monitors, chargers, etc. If you plan on using an adjustable standing desk, make sure you leave enough slack for the cables to be able to move without getting snagged.

Working from home is no longer a niche way of employment since 2020. And people are embracing this trend by converting rooms into home offices. Double Standing Desks are the epitome of healthy teamwork and healthy ergonomic choices.

Plan your home office space together, be it for students, co-workers, roommates, or romantic partners. You can choose to have a cohesive and matching space or have fun with high contrast between your desks and the other furniture in your office, such as your bookcases and cabinetry.

If possible, try not to set up the main workspace in the bedroom. Maintaining a physical separation between where you sleep and where you work can help nourish your work-life balance.

A quiet place in the home, where you can set up one or two desks with plenty of natural lighting, is key. In any case, think about how to integrate artificial lighting in the home office. Desk lamps and bulbs that are on the warmer end of the color spectrum will create a natural feel that invigorates late-night planning sessions.

A matching modern color palette doesn’t mean you only choose one or two colors; it means far more than that. It can involve multiple shades of colors, textures, and accent pieces (or even an accent wall) to visually break things up.

There is a fine balance to this process, though, because these things can get distracted easily. Remember that less is more, but it’s also important to have fun. After all, this process and space are all about you!

Don’t be afraid to experiment with paint color combinations you might not immediately think to go together.

For example, consider:

• Desk organizers that are from the same brand, for example, but are different colors.
• Break up the monotony with a sitting area with a brightly-colored guest chair and a small end table that contrasts your other office furniture.
• Customizing the seat and frame color of your Ergonomic Chairs to create a sense of continuity.

Create a gallery wall, complete with framed pictures, diplomas, and floating shelves featuring your favorite books

Shelving in a home office is where functionality and self-expression collide. Shelving can be a way to add lighting in a unique and fun way, whether it’s a simple table lamp or LED light fixtures installed underneath.

Installation is another way you can be creative when it comes to room decor ideas. For instance, try installing some DIY shelving that is equally staggered instead of perfectly level with each other. This will give your shelves a modern and interesting vibe. Or, if you don’t want to put holes in the walls, bookshelves require no mounting or installation.

Ultimately, the most important thing is that the space feels comfortable for you. Your home office is for getting work done, but it’s still your home.  

It’s hard to go back once you’ve worked on a multiple-monitor setup. Switching back and forth to different windows and applications can be visually tiring. Multiple monitors will give you a bigger canvas to work with.

Multiple monitors shine their best when mounted to a monitor arm that allows for freedom of movement. No matter what kind of office work you do, it’s nice to be able to have multiple full-sized windows up at once instead of multiple applications cluttering on one screen.

This new year is an opportunity to take a look at your existing home office and imagine what it could be with inspiration from the room ideas listed above. With a little planning and some intentionally-sourced home office decor, you can modernize your home office with both feet firmly in 2023.

Sources:

Beyond the Bulbs: In Praise of Natural Light | The New York Times

What happens when you work from bed for a year | BBC Worklife

One third of your life is spent at work | Gettysburg College

What Is Minimalist Design? | The Spruce

How to Choose an Ergonomic Chair | Environmental Health and Safety | University of Pittsburgh