Home office setup help
Hi all,
I need your advice for setting up my home office, where I will be receiving clients. I'm including pictures and a plan of office, with the walls named so we can better understand each other when referring to them.
Non negotiables : No painting the honey oak trim, nor the walls (SW Pediment at 40%, which is a soft taupe with warm undertones (greige), nor changing the hardwood floors (taupey with mocha and grey spots) or moving the hot water radiator under the window.
I also already have certain items, which I would like to keep and incorporate into my office setup:
- Ikea Billy charcoal bookcases (2 open large ones, 1 large with doors and 2 smaller bookcases that have small cubes). I've already built these, as pictured, but have not yet anchored to wall nor added shelves, as I would like advice on which wall to put them against.
- If possible, I'd really like to incorporate the 2 dark blue velvet armchairs that I want to use for clients to sit on. They have brassy-gold legs. I have 2 identical ones, only 1 is pictured.
I am willing to change light fixtures if you think it will help. Open to all suggestions.
Not yet purchased, but need advice on : a desk; rug; various filing cabinets (at least 2), and end table to put between client chairs (so they can set purses and their personal objects on). Perhaps a coat hanger and some kind of lighting fixture.
You can ignore : everything you see on the wall with the ikea kallaxes, which is facing the wall the bookcases currently are on will be or can be removed- it's temporary. Same with objects on bay windows, the small beige bookcase at end of grey bookcases & art on floor which may or may not be used in this room.
I like :
- color and would like to have another accent color other than blue (the 2 armchairs, as I have other armchairs);
- seeing the outdoors, so an office desk setup that allows me to is preferred;
- plants
Consideration : In about a year, the current entryway (see plan & on pictures, it is door with hooks on it) where clients come in through will change. From then and on, clients will then come in from the other door (the one facing the bay window, to the left of where the painting is). Ideally, I'd like a setup that looks nice when entering from either door.
Please give me your advice on where to place what (include wall of bookcases), how to position furniture and what style of desk, rug, light fixture, filing cabinets, end table etc. you think would suit my room. I am open to many different styles. Thank you so much in advance 🙏🙏🙏
The bookcase is currently (temporarily) on wall A on my plan of the room:
Wall C:
Wall D (the door pictured to the left of the painting will be the future entryway for clients):
Better picture of floor color in my office (https://appalachianflooring.com/product/travertine-maple-e):
Picture of bookcase with shelves in them, ** this is not my space ** :
And finally, here is a plan of my office, I've named the walls, so we can better understand each other when referring to them :
Comments (9)
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Comments (9)I work from home as well - and a lot of those cord storage solutions aren’t realistic for a true WFH setup. I’ve got dual monitors, printer, docking station... and the cords seem to be mating a multiplying. Oh and I have to be hard wired (not Wifi) per company rules... so more cords tethered to wall. Realistically, I’d say place your desk along that “back” wall without the window. Then place a low credenza or shelf under the window for additional items (printer, binders, whatever you’ve got.) I’m a flincher - I jump when people approach me from behind, and was nervous about having my back to the door. But honestly, at home there aren’t many interruptions :) In my office I chose to place my desk along the wall with the window - so I can see everyone walking their dogs all day long. (Haha) And- see deliveries coming so I can go on mute before the bell rings and the dog barks like crazy....See MoreHelp me design my home office please
Comments (18)@einportlandor ouhhh I like that idea! do you think it will match nicely ? please see updated colors in original post. The bookcases are a king of metallic-ish charcoal. Do you think that would clash? Light fixtures are silvery-pewter (can change if necessary) and feet of velvet blue armchairs are brassy-brushed gold. What should I do metal wise and will it marry well with burnt orange? I think burnt orange could be good to go with the honey oak trims and taupey floors too- what do we think? @kandrewspa thanks for your input! love the color recommendations. Do you think it will match the rest? See additions to original posts re better view of colors. Also what is your opinion on colors for metals that I should use? If I understood correctly, you would put the bookcase on wall A and the desk straight in front of wall A facing the current door (see annotated plan please)? @Molly please see updated post, I think it will help! Love your suggestions and Yes, I would love to see outside as well. Do you think an L shaped desk might help with one side pointing towards outside? I'll have both a screen and laptop so my screen can be my laptop when I want to move. So shelves on wall B in your opinion (see anotated plan in original post)? Love the rugs! what are your thoughts on colors for metals I should use? @housegal200 love your ideas! Could you kindly take a look at the updated annotated plan I posted on original post and tell me which wall you are referring to? I want to be sure I'm clearly visualizing the plan you are proposing please (I'm extremely visual lol) Thanks so much!! love love that rug and table as well, but am worried about metals clashing with metallic charcoal bookcases + current silvery-pewter light fixtures (can be changed if necessary). I added more pics of these on my original post as well. I updated the plans in OG post to keep it simple as well, I think it was adding to confusion if anything, unfortunately the big closet with mirrored doors is not part of the office and is accessible only through a complete other section of the home. No closed closet space will exist once the door on wall D becomes the clients' entry point. Can't wait to get more amazing feedback from you all. Thanks again a thousand times! This is our first apartment, so it's definitely a first in decorating for me, your help is so very appreciated 🙏😄...See MoreDual Office set-up
Comments (2)Pottery Barn, Ballard Designs, etc, have furniture style filing cabinets. Googling should pull up some more options. The last two examples are probably custom....See More
housegal200
last yearFey P.
last yearlast modified: last year@Susan the beige bookcase to the left of the radiator is only temporary and will be gone once I set up the office
I'd say the view is best on the right hand side of the window. I'm posting a photo of the view with blinds up, right now it's winter, but the objects outside covered with tempos are a swing set (white tempo) & a water fountain (pointy grey thing lol).
This is an office where clients will be received, I'm an attorney. The shelving units will have law books that I need to be able to access during meetings, but I also will need to have a printer near my desk (which doesn't fit on shelving units). I also have zoom meetings so background is something to consider. I'm pretty organized so not worried about the shelves being neat and presentable. thanks again for your help 🙏
This is an office where clients will be received, I'm an attorney. I also have zoom meetings so background is something to consider as well as outside glare. Ideally, I'd like a setup where I can see outside. There is a light fixture on the top + 2 spots lights nearer to the window (different switches) and the room gets decent natural light in the PM (this photo is right before sunset).
@housegal200 You mentioned that it was difficult to understand the setup of the room on my other post and that I should post each wall with lights on. We also built the bookcases since to get a better feel for the space they occupy. I really appreciate the advice I received, but it was difficult to get an understanding for how I should lay everything out because people didn't understand how the room was structured (totally my fault). I took your advice and posted a picture of each wall with lights on and only 1 plan of the room. I want to get advice with people answering having a clearer picture of the room which is what I'm hoping for so that I can get concrete advice as to what to put where with walls clearly identified.
Fey P.
last year- PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year Susan
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Susan