How To Achieve Decorating Nirvana For Your Home Office

Maybe it’s not quite nirvana, but your home office should be as pleasing and comfortable as you can make it, if you are a work at home mom this is especially true. Home offices are quickly becoming a vital part of many people’s working life and they can be the hub of a family’s home.

Use these 9 tips to help decorate your home office space to best effect.

Functionality Reigns Supreme

 A lot of people who may be new to working in a home office, just gather up a few pieces of spare furniture and hope for the best. But if you can make the space as functional and pleasing to your eye as possible, you will be able to work more efficiently, and you will be happier. Think of how the room will be used, and by whom, and start from there. There has to be room for computers, peripherals, sitting at your desk, and writing. Storage and electronics must also be taken into consideration.

Strong & Attractive Office Furniture

“Sturdy, functional and attractive” has to be your motto when buying office furniture. It can be functional, but so ugly that you’ll want to flee every time you enter your office. There are compromises. An attractive and comfortable office desk and chair are the basic pieces you’ll need. One of the best places to buy office desks now is the internet, free delivery and hassle free returns are standard practice with reputable websites.

Colour It Moody

Your home office’s colour palette is critical in setting the mood of your office. White walls will make you crazy and brilliant lime green or bright red ones can make you ill. Choose complimentary colours and fit your accessories into that range of hues. Colour changes attitude and mood. It can make you happy or sad or angry or depressed. This is why it bears a little bit of study. Even if it turns out to be not what you wanted, you can repaint fairly quickly.

Lighting is Crucial

Proper and sufficient lighting, but not too much, is critical. You have to see the print on paper, but not feel like you are in the middle of a dessert with the temperature reading 120 degrees, or in the middle of a stadium with a night game on and the lights blazing away. A couple of floor lamps and perhaps a few focused desk lamps should work. Bulbs can vary between very “eco-friendly” ones to those simulating natural light. If they don’t work out, change them.

Balance & Good Karma

Vary the shapes of your furniture if you can, but don’t lose sight of functionality. Most surfaces will have to be flat.

Plants Need Love

Try and squeeze in one or two live plants. They give us so much, and in return all they need is enough light and a little space and water, and a dusting off occasionally. You can choose plants according to their colours, or just by the fact that they appeal to you.

Decorate the Way You Like

You are absolutely the only person you have to answer to in your own home office. You may have whatever view outside your window (whether you have a window or not) that you want. Hang a great photo or painting on the wall across from your desk. This works wonders in a basement office.

Make An Office Art Gallery

Put pleasing-to-you objects d’art on the walls of your office. Floating shelves work great for sculptures or such, as they don’t have those ugly brackets hanging down. If your spouse dislikes your collection of miniature perfume bottles, then put them in there so only you can look at them.

Make Those Memories Last

Make over your home office to resemble a favourite holiday spot, but don’t go to the extreme. There has to be functional space in there somewhere. Perhaps you love the Caribbean or Disneyworld? What about the lovely wine region of Western France? Whatever pleases you can be your theme decorations.

You’re In Charge

Since, in all probability, you will be the one putting in the long hours in your home office, make the decor please you. Arrange furniture how you like, put up what you like, and make your home office make you happy. Make use of these 9 decoration tips, add your own ideas to the pot, the bouillabaisse will be so much richer!