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How to Design a Contemporary Home Office

Want a contemporary look for your home office? Keep reading to learn how to achieve both functionality and aesthetic in your office space.

Home offices can be both functional and beautiful. Designing your home office space is an opportunity to create an attractive, comfortable workspace that is personal and unique to you—making your work life more productive and enjoyable.

In this post, we’ll be exploring ideas for styling your very own contemporary home office: the perfect balance between function and aesthetic.

What is a Contemporary Aesthetic?

The “modern” style that we are familiar with today is characterized by a cold-tone, monochromatic palette with a very minimalist touch. Contemporary interior is an elevated approach to this style, and all about embodying the sophistication found in simplicity:

“Contemporary style embraces minimalistic elements highlighting grays, beiges and shades of white. Sleek, thoughtful, hidden details emphasize an edited aesthetic. Contemporary style offers an 'everything in its place' interior featuring designs that are high on function and simplicity and low on collections and fuss.”

-Kerrie Kelly, the Chair of the ASID National Board

Below are a few tips and tricks for how to achieve a contemporary home aesthetic.

Choose a Natural Color Scheme

Choose a natural color scheme. A home office can be a space to work, relax, and play—but it's also important to keep the colors neutral so that it doesn't feel too distracting to focus there.

The key is balance: Avoid making any one component stand out too much by choosing neutral shades throughout the rest of the office space when possible.

Choose the Right Desk

The desk will be your workspace, so you want to make sure it is functional and comfortable. Consider how you’ll use it, and get a desk that matches your needs.

Ensure you choose a desk that fits the available space and is the right height and material for you—our adjustable Standing Desk is a classic, and comes in a diversity of color options. For example, the white top surface with white legs is an elegant pairing that matches the contemporary aesthetic of the space.

Keep it Light and Airy

Keep it bright, but not too bright. The goal is to have a home office that's pleasant and relaxing to work in, so you want a nice balance of natural light and artificial lighting.

It’s best to avoid dark colors like black, navy blue or deep greens—they can make your space feel cramped and closed off from outside influences such as nature or other people passing by outside your window. Instead opt for lighter hues like creams and whites.

Add Some Accents

Keep in mind that contemporary design embraces such thoughtful details while avoiding all clutter. It is thereby important to place accents that execute both clean organization and sleek contemporary design.

For example, our Desktop Organizer in Stone (gray) or Linen is the perfect partner to any desk surface. Its steel and oak construction allows for durability with a textured matte finish that melts into the space’s organic color palette—adding a gentle touch.

Some other ideas:

Use a desk lamp. A desk lamp is an excellent way to add style and subtle flair to your workspace. You can choose one with a modern design, or with more traditional elements like clean, neutral lines.
Add some plants. If you want your office space to feel more than just a room where you work all day, add some greenery! Plants will help bring nature into the room while also adding warmth that makes the area feel more organic and inviting.
Choose rugs wisely and experiment with different styles until you find something that matches your tastes and personality—they're not just for decorating floors anymore! Rugs are great accessories because they're so versatile: they can be used as decor on desks or shelves; they can be used as chairs when paired with pillows; they can even act as dividers between spaces if needed when spaces aren’t well-defined.

Ready to Design Your Contemporary Home Office?

Designing a home office is an opportunity to create an attractive, comfortable workspace that reflects your personality. You can also design it to be a space that reflects your personal interests and hobbies.

We know that the start is often the hardest part of the process, so we’re here to help. Our Design My Office feature provides personalized office furniture recommendations after asking you a short series of questions about your home office needs and goals.

Of course, if you'd rather do the shopping yourself, you can head over to our selection of home office furniture to find what you need. We're always here to help!

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