We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
Designing an office for your home is a lot different than designing a standard office, especially if you live in a small space. There’s a lot to consider: How do you find place for a home study if you have an open floor plan? How do you make sure your work space stays true to your personality, while still offering an atmosphere that promotes focus? How can you make an office space that also doubles as other things, such guest room?
Well, allow us to help: We scoured through all the homes we’ve featured recently that boast inventive, yet chic home office spaces, and showed you how to do it all, no matter what your style—sleek, minimalist, dramatic, or tiny.
Designer Jenny Kirschner knows a thing or two about maximizing space. Every inch of her Brooklyn loft serves a dual purpose, and there’s no room where this is more true than her office. The sliding glass doors allow for plenty of natural light while she’s working, but the curtains create privacy so the space can be used as a guest room—that paneled wall hides a Murphy bed.
Sky-high windows lend so much light to this home office space tucked into a stair landing in this country-chic Calgary home. The small space is kept uncluttered, with just a few plants and an abstract painting to add personality.
Creating a bright space that would outshine the frigid Minnesota winters was key for Melissa Coleman, founder of The Faux Martha, when designing her home office. Glass doors allow light to shine through the home into the workspace, while the neutral furnishings stand out against a deep green accent wall.
Blogger Cara Irwin keeps things simple in her whitewashed boho office, where a pegboard over the desk allows for an ever-changing moodboard. Pro tip: No matter what your office is like, try to incorporate a plant or two. Greenery has been shown to boost productivity by 15 percent.
When blogger and designer Erin Hiemstra of Apartment 34 was working on a friend’s home office, she knew the area had to make a huge statement and stand out from the rest of the home. The best way to do that? A moody emerald green hue and sleek black furniture that transformed the area into a modern living space that allows for endless inspiration.
This New Orleans home office is literally #goals. While the built-in desk and shelving unit looks high-end, designer and homeowner Dabito actually picked up all of the pieces to craft the mid-century modern-inspired set-up at Home Depot and spray painted the metal tracks gold for an extra punch.
Designer Lauren Willis loves color, so her goal was to create a workspace that reflected that in a subtle, yet unique way. She chose a minty blue-green that matches the color of her business cards to create a calming environment, and painted the skylight well a punchy pink.
Can you have a home office in a teeny space? Heck yes—this 300-square-foot Upper East Side apartment makes that abundantly clear. By using a small nook in the bedroom, the design team carved out a work space that also incorporates additional storage.
This newlywed home mixes the minimalist simplicity of Scandi decor with Japan’s unfinished, Wabi Sabi aesthetic—and this couldn’t be more evident than in the office area. Playing double duty as both a guest room and workspace, it needed be both comforting and relaxing enough for someone to sleep, as well as focused enough for work. By using neutral tones in the rugs and throws with subtle pops of color through accent pillows and furniture, the couple managed to strike the right balance.
Art director Alyssa Hoppe uses neutral tones and organic materials to create a tranquil work space that brings the outdoors in, which was her goal for the entire plant-filled home.
Living in a rental can provide serious restrictions when it comes to designing your own space, but this Austin pied-a-terre manages to inject some personality with a fun take on the gallery and some bold color moments. An awkward storage nooks was turned into a work space where brass accessories add character.
Talk about a clever use of space: Elizabeth Diomede created a makeshift work space by building in a sleek marble desk next to the mudroom in her Illinois home.
See more inspiring spaces:
The Coolest Kid’s Rooms We’ve Ever Seen 28 Tiny Bedrooms With Big Ideas 26 Stunning Kitchens We’re Pinning Right Now
Learn to love your inbox again—sign up for Domino’s daily email.