There is no one-size-fits-all solution for designing a home office. The design must be based on the way the office is used, which can vary significantly from one home to another. Your home office may be headquarters for your home business or a convenient place to do taxes once a year. Effective home office design will be customized to meet the needs of everyone who uses the space.

Ideas for Designing a Home Office

• Give Everyone Their Own Space: You may not have enough room for everyone to have a desk, but you can designate a shelf or drawer for everyone who needs to use the home office. Two people sharing one office might also divide the room into a combination of shared and personal spaces.
• Choose a Mood for the Office: Will this be a space where you want energy to get things done, or a relaxing oasis for creating and decompressing? The function of the room will help determine color scheme and home office design elements that should be included. In general, bold colors are good for active spaces and subtle hues are best for passive spaces.
• Create Space to Think: The first things you probably make room for are the most functional elements: computers, storage space and work tables. But don't forget to give yourself room to think. This might mean adding a comfortable chair near a window or simply hanging a favorite piece of art above your desk to help you get into a more creative frame of mind.
• Balance Substance with Style: Home office design doesn't have to be cold to be functional. You can get home office ideas from pictures of bedrooms, kitchens or beautiful beaches. Focus on what a piece needs to do, like store paperwork, and look for something pretty that can do the job just as well as a bland filing cabinet.
• Add Textures and Textiles: Fabrics and finishes on walls and furniture are a great way to soften a home office without interfering with productivity. Hang curtains you love, reupholster your office chair and bring in a rug to add visual interest to your home office.

Remember that a home office is a functional space, but it's also part of your home. Before you begin designing and buying furniture, take the time to consider how you'll use the space and how you want to feel while you're doing it. A great design will accomplish both goals.