10 Smart and Stylish Home Offices
These spaces combine good looks with hardworking design features
There are stylish home offices and there are practical home offices. But a home office that’s stylish and practical? That’s a winning combination, and these 10 home offices hit the mark. They reduce clutter by providing cabinetry for storing files, equipment and other items that otherwise could pile up on surfaces. And although power cords often are removed for photo shoots — which is why you don’t see them here — some of the offices may have desks that conceal or minimize them in real life as well. See how the designers, architects and builders who helped create these rooms did it, and take away ideas for your home office remodel.
2. Crisp and Coastal
This California home office looks out over the Pacific Ocean, and that brings an automatic wow factor to the space. But the room would hold its own as a practical and stylish space even without the view.
The office has a blue, wood and white color palette that coordinates with the adjoining master bedroom. Navy grasscloth, found on the bedroom walls, is used to dramatic effect in the office behind built-in open shelving. The live-edge wood desktop and countertop add an organic quality to the CM Natural Designs room.
Live-Edge Wood: A Natural Bridge to a Cool Blended Style
This California home office looks out over the Pacific Ocean, and that brings an automatic wow factor to the space. But the room would hold its own as a practical and stylish space even without the view.
The office has a blue, wood and white color palette that coordinates with the adjoining master bedroom. Navy grasscloth, found on the bedroom walls, is used to dramatic effect in the office behind built-in open shelving. The live-edge wood desktop and countertop add an organic quality to the CM Natural Designs room.
Live-Edge Wood: A Natural Bridge to a Cool Blended Style
3. New England Nautical
A more traditional take on coastal style is on display in this warm and woodsy New England home office by TMS Architects. The wooden desk’s distinctive spiral legs suggest giant seashells. You could feel like the captain of your own ship sitting in the high-backed leather chair at the roomy desk.
Beadboard paneling, built-in cabinetry and other wood elements are painted deep blue. Lighting comes from the circular ceiling fixture, the picture light over the counter and the glass-fronted display cabinet, as well as the large window. An oatmeal-colored rug and checked draperies add a cozy feel.
A more traditional take on coastal style is on display in this warm and woodsy New England home office by TMS Architects. The wooden desk’s distinctive spiral legs suggest giant seashells. You could feel like the captain of your own ship sitting in the high-backed leather chair at the roomy desk.
Beadboard paneling, built-in cabinetry and other wood elements are painted deep blue. Lighting comes from the circular ceiling fixture, the picture light over the counter and the glass-fronted display cabinet, as well as the large window. An oatmeal-colored rug and checked draperies add a cozy feel.
A porthole window in the room’s custom cabinetry brings more nautical style.
Find a cabinetry professional on Houzz
Find a cabinetry professional on Houzz
4. Sunny Mix
This home office by Livia Drennan of Your Story by Design shows what you can do with a plain white or gray room. The neutral backdrop, bright yellow accents, geometric patterns and clean lines give the Toronto home office a cheerful transitional look.
Chevron-patterned curtains cover a short window but hang ceiling to floor, creating a focal point behind the dark wooden desk. The chandelier and the desk and table lamps bring in circular shapes and a mix of metals. The freestanding white cabinet unit provides plenty of storage and display space. A soft gray, yellow and off-white rug pulls it all together.
Tip: If you want to float your desk in your office but don’t want to look at messy power cords, you have options. Many desks today come with a concealed power center with outlets and charging stations. You can run a power cord down a desk leg to a floor outlet. Or you can take a cord to a wall outlet by concealing it under a rug (cutting a small hole in the rug near the desk).
Browse desks with a built-in power center
This home office by Livia Drennan of Your Story by Design shows what you can do with a plain white or gray room. The neutral backdrop, bright yellow accents, geometric patterns and clean lines give the Toronto home office a cheerful transitional look.
Chevron-patterned curtains cover a short window but hang ceiling to floor, creating a focal point behind the dark wooden desk. The chandelier and the desk and table lamps bring in circular shapes and a mix of metals. The freestanding white cabinet unit provides plenty of storage and display space. A soft gray, yellow and off-white rug pulls it all together.
Tip: If you want to float your desk in your office but don’t want to look at messy power cords, you have options. Many desks today come with a concealed power center with outlets and charging stations. You can run a power cord down a desk leg to a floor outlet. Or you can take a cord to a wall outlet by concealing it under a rug (cutting a small hole in the rug near the desk).
Browse desks with a built-in power center
5. Pattern on Pattern
The streamlined white office desk and floating white shelves in this Austin, Texas, home office provide plenty of workspace and storage space for two. That plain and practical foundation gets a big style boost from the emerald green-and-black animal wallpaper, the boho-style curtains, the bamboo window shade and the black desk lamps. Plants and collectibles personalize the eclectic space.
5 Things You Need in Your Home Office
The streamlined white office desk and floating white shelves in this Austin, Texas, home office provide plenty of workspace and storage space for two. That plain and practical foundation gets a big style boost from the emerald green-and-black animal wallpaper, the boho-style curtains, the bamboo window shade and the black desk lamps. Plants and collectibles personalize the eclectic space.
5 Things You Need in Your Home Office
6. Neat Window Seat
A gray, blue and white palette with touches of yellow and red add up to a workspace that’s both calming and uplifting. Custom white cabinetry with Shaker-style detailing lines two long walls of the San Francisco home office by Gast Architects. The built-ins provide abundant workspace and storage, as well as a roomy window seat. Undercabinet lighting illuminates the desk, and a statement pendant gives the room a warm glow.
A gray, blue and white palette with touches of yellow and red add up to a workspace that’s both calming and uplifting. Custom white cabinetry with Shaker-style detailing lines two long walls of the San Francisco home office by Gast Architects. The built-ins provide abundant workspace and storage, as well as a roomy window seat. Undercabinet lighting illuminates the desk, and a statement pendant gives the room a warm glow.
The window seat is big enough for a nap or use by an overnight guest. A custom window treatment brings filtered light into the room and provides privacy. The shades and bolster pillows introduce lively patterns that bubble with energy without overwhelming the space.
Shop for decorative pillows
Shop for decorative pillows
7. Refreshingly Light
Colorful dragonfly wallpaper takes this hardworking home office by Clean Design to another level. The bold but delicate green, gray and turquoise pattern offsets the creamy white and off-white in the rest of the room. Sofa throw pillows pick up the wallpaper colors, as do objects on display. A David Trubridge woven pendant keeps the light feeling going, while task lights for reading are located in key spots around the room. A painted inset area in the cabinetry creates a nice cubby for a computer desk.
Colorful dragonfly wallpaper takes this hardworking home office by Clean Design to another level. The bold but delicate green, gray and turquoise pattern offsets the creamy white and off-white in the rest of the room. Sofa throw pillows pick up the wallpaper colors, as do objects on display. A David Trubridge woven pendant keeps the light feeling going, while task lights for reading are located in key spots around the room. A painted inset area in the cabinetry creates a nice cubby for a computer desk.
At the end of a lengthy run of cabinets is a second desk area with a Meelano rolling chair. Sash windows let natural light into the room. Turquoise shows up again in the framed photo and figurine.
Tip: Computer equipment, including screens, printers and scanners, can be placed in or on cabinetry with holes cut in the desk or back of the cabinet for wires and cables.
Find an office chair
Tip: Computer equipment, including screens, printers and scanners, can be placed in or on cabinetry with holes cut in the desk or back of the cabinet for wires and cables.
Find an office chair
8. Elegant Impression
This Minnesota home office by John Kraemer & Sons shows how a key piece — in this case, a striking chandelier — can set the tone in a room. The decorative fixture draws the eye up to the embossed ceiling. Down below, chinoiserie upholstery takes the office chair beyond the ordinary and works with the wall color and the textured surface behind the desk.
As pretty as the blue, white and wood office is, it also has a functional built-in desk with drawers, cabinets and cubbies. Woven baskets help keep things neat on the shelves.
This Minnesota home office by John Kraemer & Sons shows how a key piece — in this case, a striking chandelier — can set the tone in a room. The decorative fixture draws the eye up to the embossed ceiling. Down below, chinoiserie upholstery takes the office chair beyond the ordinary and works with the wall color and the textured surface behind the desk.
As pretty as the blue, white and wood office is, it also has a functional built-in desk with drawers, cabinets and cubbies. Woven baskets help keep things neat on the shelves.
9. High Contrast
Two massive black-paneled walls frame the desk area in this London office by Cheyne Construction. Open shelves climb up to the high ceiling. A long credenza with closed storage sits in the bright bay window. An area rug and curvy modern guest chairs soften the contemporary space.
Shop for area rugs on Houzz
Two massive black-paneled walls frame the desk area in this London office by Cheyne Construction. Open shelves climb up to the high ceiling. A long credenza with closed storage sits in the bright bay window. An area rug and curvy modern guest chairs soften the contemporary space.
Shop for area rugs on Houzz
10. Cool and Collected
This lower-level London home office by Sims Hilditch gets its natural light from above. Sconces above the desk and recessed lighting over the table provide additional illumination. The framed black-and-white photos open up the transitional-style office more with their sky-high perspectives.
A floating desktop is built into an alcove on the left and offers a roomy work area and leg space underneath. On the right, a round table with comfy upholstered chairs can handle a meeting, a big project or a lunchtime break. The round shape of the table is repeated in the round area rug and curved chair backs. Built-in cabinetry contains an abundance of storage and display space.
This lower-level London home office by Sims Hilditch gets its natural light from above. Sconces above the desk and recessed lighting over the table provide additional illumination. The framed black-and-white photos open up the transitional-style office more with their sky-high perspectives.
A floating desktop is built into an alcove on the left and offers a roomy work area and leg space underneath. On the right, a round table with comfy upholstered chairs can handle a meeting, a big project or a lunchtime break. The round shape of the table is repeated in the round area rug and curved chair backs. Built-in cabinetry contains an abundance of storage and display space.
Tip: Home professionals on Houzz can help you design, build and decorate a home office. Go to our professionals page to find designers, architects, contractors, cabinetmakers and other pros to help with your project.
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Beautifully detailed millwork and cabinetry pair well with classic furnishings and accessories in this traditional East Coast home office designed by John Douglas Eason Interiors. The L-shaped desk configuration creates two convenient work surfaces. When it’s time to read or relax, a cozy chaise with pillow and throw awaits.
Neatly trimmed draperies frame the tall multipane windows and reach almost to the ceiling in line with the scale of the space. The office’s warm neutrals, wood flooring and patterned rug are timeless elements, while the geometric pendants give the room a contemporary touch.