Having a functional and modern home office is a must now hybrid working has become the new norm. With the new restrictions and ‘Work From Home’ message, a suitable home office set up is non-negotiable. Creating a stylish office space that works for you is a lot of fun. You can create lots of moodboards to see what kind of colours, furniture, lighting and even plants you want in your home office. We’ve done a lot of the hard work for you, and compiled a list of the best modern home office design ideas for you to be inspired by!

Your home office is where you’re going to be spending most of your time, so you want it to be perfect. The average work day is 8 hours, 5 days a week. That’s 40 hours a week! You really should carefully consider what you want to put into your home office if you’re going to be spending such a long time there.

The way your home office is set up does have an impact on your productivity and your mood. The wrong set-up can leave you feeling unmotivated and low, and you won’t get your best work done that way. Your home office should make you feel inspired, creative and positive. A lot of things can affect this, such as lighting, colour scheme and even furniture placement. Optimising your home office isn’t something that can be done quickly. You must take time to think about what makes you feel productive and will get you excited to work.

We’ve got a whole blog post dedicated to helping you create the best home office layout, so be sure to give that a read once we’ve helped you pick your new home office items!

As we mentioned earlier, there are a lot of different elements that need to come together to make the ideal modern home office. 

You need to consider the colour scheme you want to go with. Making sure that the walls don’t clash with your furniture. Lighting is massively important as it can affect both your mood and productivity levels. Considering the different textures you want in your home office isn’t something you should rush. A variety of textures that come together will give your home office more depth. Final touches like artwork and plants are important to keep you inspired and show your personality in your workspace.

Lighting plays a huge role in your productivity and mood. You need appropriate lighting to prevent eye-strain and to keep you feeling positive and productive.

Your ceiling light should fill the whole room so you can see everything clearly. Ensure that the shade you choose doesn’t block the light too much. If it’s too dark, this will put a lot of strain on your eyes when looking at a screen and reading. It may also make you feel a little sleepy! The colour of the lightbulb also matters. Warmer light mimics natural light more closely. Natural light makes you feel positive and many find that they’re more productive when they are working in natural light. Cooler lights have a blue hue to them and will often make you feel more alert. These bulbs can usually be found in traditional offices for this reason. Who knew how carefully you’d have to choose your lightbulbs?

You should also consider investing in a desk lamp. Having a desk lamp not only will make reading at your desk considerably easier, but will also add ambiance to your home office. If you’re beginning to wind down for the day, you may not want a ceiling light filling the room. This is when you should switch to your handy desk lamp and get your brain into wind down mode.

Colour has a larger impact on your overall mood than you might think. While responses to colours are somewhat subjective, certain colours can evoke the same thoughts and feelings in multiple people. 

For example, many people associate the colour red with energy and love. Green is a colour often linked to nature, healing and calmness. Blue is often connected to peace but also with focus. Whether these feelings ring true for you depends on your experience with these colours. Research like this does show that you should consider what colours you bring into your home office carefully. You don’t want to cover the walls in a colour that invokes negative feelings.

Shades of blue and green are popular colour choices for modern home offices because of the feelings associated with them. Blue is excellent to encourage productivity, and that is definitely something that you want when you’re working! If you find yourself stressed at work, then green may be the best colour for you. It will bring you a feeling of calmness and remind you of nature. 

Studies have shown that spending time in nature can help reduce feelings of stress, so it would make sense to bring a little bit of nature into your home office. You could even take it a step further and include some plants. A lot of modern home offices, and office buildings, are incorporating biophilic design into their workspaces. Not only will these plants make you feel calmer, but they will add texture to your home office too.

Adding texture into your home office will give it a lot more depth. Layering different textures will help give your home office more definition, and enhance the feeling that you’re trying to create in that space. If you’re wanting an ultra modern look then sleek glossy surfaces, such as the one on the Luxor Gloss Workstation (£89.99), are what you need to include. For those of you wanting to bring a more organic feel, then you’ll want a wooden desk like the Teknik Canyon Lane Desk (£199.99). 

Rugs, cushions and even wall art can add texture to your home office. They’ll also make it feel cosier and more comfortable. After all, you won’t get much work done in a space that makes you feel uncomfortable. Remember, textures like wool, cotton and wood will give your room more depth, while sleek materials like smooth leather will create a modern space.

If your room is quite small and you’re limited in how many texturised accessories you can bring into your home office, wallpaper is a perfect choice! Carefully select a feature wall where you want your paper to go and you’ll immediately lift the room and give it more personality.

Artwork is created to inspire, invoke multiple emotions, start conversations, but mostly to be enjoyed. Incorporating art into your home office can give your space a more modern twist. Traditionally, the only things you’d expect to be on an office wall are charts and health and safety posters. Why not add something different and hang a print of your favourite painting on the wall? You could even choose to have your favourite inspirational quote printed and framed.

Looking at a piece of art you admire will make you feel more motivated, inspired and creative. When you’re working in your home office, it’s important to have inspiration around you to help prevent creative slumps.

Including artwork in your home office will truly make it your own space. You want people to know it’s your office without having to hang a huge name tag on the door. It’s also a brilliant option for those who are renting and are unable to paint or wallpaper the walls. Make sure you choose something that compliments the other colours in your office. Don’t design your home office around one piece of art, or you may find yourself becoming unstuck.

When working from home first came into play, many people turned to their dining chairs, stools and sofas as a makeshift office chair. However, there are some downsides to using these pieces of furniture in place of office chairs. Improperly designed furniture can cause problems such as back pain and bad posture. These issues can worsen over time if not corrected. For these reasons, it’s best to invest in an ergonomic office chair. Don’t worry though, there are many stylish and modern office chairs available so you won’t have to worry about it sticking out in your home office.

If you’re wanting to stick with more cosy textures in your office then the Stokes Ergonomic Office Chair (£149.99) is the one for you. This ergonomic office chair comes with a built in headrest and footrest, so you can be certain that you’ll be working comfortably. The high quality fabric that the Stokes chair is made from is durable and will suit any modern home office.

Sleek and smooth textures may be more your thing, if that’s the case then you need the Teknik Office Warwick Traditional Executive Chair (£179.99). This elegant chair will look perfect in your home office and give it a real executive feel. Not only that, but it will recline and is packed with comfortable padding ensuring you will be comfortable for long periods of time.

We have a blog post dedicated to finding you the best office chair for posture, why not give it a read?

What kind of desk you include in your modern home office is vital. It's just as important as choosing a bed for a bedroom. Your desk will be the focal point of the office, so it’s definitely worth careful consideration and investing in one that you’re completely happy with.

For anyone looking for a sleek modern look to their home office, the Bray Corner Home Office Desk (£59.99) is ideal. The glossy white finish on this desk will draw your eye straight to it. It will give a clean and crisp feeling to your home office. It’s also perfect for anyone who has a small office space due to its shape and built-in shelving.

If you’re wanting a rough and earthy feel in your home office then the Arden Industrial L-Shaped Desk (£109.99) is the desk for you. The dark wood will add a lot of texture to your office space. It comes with built-in storage so you’ll have plenty of space for your documents, or plants if you want to incorporate biophilic design into your home office. This desk is perfect for anyone wanting a modern home office with an organic touch.

There is a lot to consider when designing the perfect modern home office. It is definitely worth taking the time to carefully consider your colour palette, textures and furniture. Invest in pieces that you love, and will make you feel motivated and excited to get up and work in the morning. The design of an office space has a huge impact on your overall mood and well-being, make sure your home office is one you enjoy working in.

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