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DESIGN 101
How To Design and Decorate a Modern Home Office
In professional settings, we’re constantly measuring performance — but how would you rate your modern home office’s performance? Does your setup support your body or leave you feeling achy and stiff at the end of the day? Do you find its modern style beautiful and inspiring enough to fuel your best ideas? With remote and hybrid work here to stay, let’s bring some intention to the way we design and decorate our workspace. Here’s your guide to a modern office design that plays up a simple and timeless style.
Find the Right Spot for Your Home Office
Bloomingdale's
Where should you put your modern home office? It’s the first step to designing your home office. And yes, it’s possible to work at the dining table or even propped up in bed with a laptop for most office workers. But there’s nothing like a dedicated workspace to get you into the right mindset and kickstart that flow state of ultra-productive focus. Here are a few things to consider when you’re looking around your home for the perfect place to put your home office — whether it’s a setup for studying, working, or crafting.
Abundant natural light
Unless your work requires dark and low lighting, modern-style home offices are all about an airy, bright, and minimalist vibe. Welcome in natural light by setting up your home office near a window or in a room with a skylight. Just make sure to pair any large windows with drapes or blinds that can moderate the level of brightness, helping to reduce unwanted glare against your computer screen. Bonus points if you can find a window with a calming view of nature or a beautiful skyline.
Room’s size and shape
Home offices can be tucked into even the smallest corners, but you should ensure that the space you designate is able to accommodate all your work essentials. Usually a home office, at its most rudimentary level, will include a desk that’s large enough to hold all your equipment (monitor, keyboard, laptop, mouse, etc.), a comfortable chair, a small lamp, and any other storage solutions that are necessary, like a bookshelf or filing cabinet.
Undisturbed peace and quiet
If possible, it’s best to create a quiet sanctuary that’s far away from the hubbub of daily life — kids, partners, and other everyday responsibilities. If you don’t have a spare room to dedicate to a home office, many workers put their home office in attics and basement because they’re a bit removed from the heart of the home. You can also use some unutilized and overlooked spaces like an awkward nook, hallway, or mezzanine level. If you have no choice but to set up your workspace in the bedroom, living room, or other well-used room, consider investing in a decorative screen or curtain to create a bit of privacy.
Go for a Clean and Bright Aesthetic
Rooms To Go
A traditional study or library is all about heavy oak furniture, ornate accents, and dim moody lighting. Conversely, a modern home office taps into an uncluttered and minimalist design. Here’s how to brighten your home for a clean look that still retains enough personal flavor to keep you feeling inspired and creative.
Neutral color scheme
To create a bright and refreshing atmosphere, instead of a cozy and sleepy one, consider bright walls and light colored wood furniture á la Scandinavian style. And especially in the case of small or dimly-lit home offices in the basement or attic, keeping the walls and furniture lighter will also make your home office seem larger than it is by reflecting and enhancing any natural light streaming into the room — however much it may be.
Small touches of modern office decor
Let’s put the home in home office. Unlike the cookie cutter look of a corporate office, your home workspace should retain the inviting warmth and personality of your home. Make sure you’re adding just the right amount of visual interest without having things look cluttered and messy.
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For a personal touch
Curate your home office decor with the intention of fueling motivation and fulfillment. Sentimental framed photos or beautiful wall art that you can glance at throughout the day will not only inspire you but also to give your eyes a break from the computer screen.
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For dimension and depth
Add some visual interest so your neutral-toned home office doesn’t feel flat. Popular accessories include a patterned rug, eye-catching accents in black or glittering metal, and lush green plants for a dose of soothing natural influence — especially if your home office doesn’t offer a beautiful view of the outdoors.
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For an aesthetic background
If you have to attend virtual meetings regularly, think of how you can curate a backdrop that showcases your personal tastes and interests. Storage shelves and bookcases offer an easy way to display books and other accessories like vases, candles, and memorabilia.
Choose Your Modern Essentials
Hudson’s Furniture + Mattress
There are four main components of a home office, but there’s an art to choosing the right ones to create an overall modern effect. Here are the functional and stylistic features you should look for in your modern desk, chair, storage solution, and lighting.
Modern desk
The beauty of a modern desk is that not only is it beautiful, but it’s also designed to address the needs of the modern-day office worker. Here’s a quick primer on popular features often found in modern desks:
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For storage
Modern desks come in a range of sizes and shapes so make sure you purchase one that can fit all the equipment you need on its surface. Other common features we recommend are desks designed with built-in cord management, desktop outlets for all your tech accessories, and extra storage, whether you choose a ladder desk with shelving or opt for one with more traditional drawers. All these features can help you maintain a focused, minimalist, and clutter-free space.
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For movement
Because there are so many workers who are trying to distance themselves from an unhealthy sedentary lifestyle, you can find a lot of height-adjustable desks that allow you to stay active throughout the day. This high-tech design allows you to easily switch from a sitting to a standing posture, and back again. There are even advanced standing desks that allow you to save your height, similar to a luxury car seat that remembers your preferred seat position.
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For a modern aesthetic
Unlike the bland look of a cubicle, you can get creative with materials in your home office. There are a few go-to options for a modern home office desk. A classic option is a wood desk with rounded edges, which offers a bit of a warmer and inviting feel. For a sleeker contemporary feel, you can go for marble or something transparent like glass or acrylic that can catch the light and enhance the room with an airy and open atmosphere.
Modern office (or non-office) chair
Is a side chair adequate for your workspace setup, or do you need a fully souped-up ergonomic office chair? Here’s some guidelines to help you narrow down the limitless seating choices for your home office:
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For ergonomic support
The key requirement for an office chair is one that can deliver comfort through long periods of focused, seated work. Depending on your job, you may need an advanced ergonomic chair that is designed specifically to deliver support for your back and spine. Most ergonomic chairs are also highly adjustable, making it easy to fine-tune the chair to fit your body for maximum comfort. We recommend heading to your nearby furniture store to test out office chairs. This will be the best way to find one that can deliver the perfect seat height, tilt, and lumbar support for your body.
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For comfortable fabrics
If you decide to forgo an ergonomic office chair for a more standard side chair, you can get an elegant upholstery option like cozy boucle, or classic leather. But don’t forget to factor in breathability when you’re shopping for various upholstery options. If you tend to overheat when sitting in one seat for a while, consider more open and woven materials that allow for better airflow like woven rattan or a mesh performance fabric.
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For movement
If your everyday is fairly active and dynamic, with you moving from room to room or table to table to complete your work, we highly recommend a chair with casters. This will allow you to wheel from various zones and give you the flexibility to work the way you want. Make sure you get casters that are specifically calibrated for your type of flooring — whether that’s carpeted, hardwood, or a combination of both.
Modern storage solutions
One of the main tenets of a modern style is to keep things clean, tidy, and clutter-free, especially for a home office where you need to dial down any distractions and stress. Here are some ways to create the right atmosphere with modern storage furniture and decor:
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For closed storage
If you’re looking to place your mess out of sight, closed storage is your new best friend. Popular examples include a desk with drawers, filing cabinets, and baskets. For smaller home offices, we recommend subtle and versatile multipurpose pieces, such as storage benches and storage ottomans that can also serve as seating when needed.
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For open storage
If you’d like to put some beautiful decor and books on display, consider adding some strategic open storage. This can be as extravagant as a built-in custom shelf that take up an entire wall or just a few artfully hung floating shelves. This can provide a great background for all your virtual calls as well as a spot to house any books and notebooks you may need to reference throughout the workday.
Modern lighting
To really set the right tone for a room, you need to focus on your lighting. In a home office, you want a lamp that can help you avoid straining your eyes and doesn’t create a harsh glare against the computer screen. Here are some ideas for the modern home office lamp:
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For lighting
The most popular type of lighting for a modern home office is a table-top lamp. You can opt for a curvier mushroom-shaped table lamp or an angular and edgy task lamp. Another option, if you’re interested in layering your lighting, is to add a modern-style pendant. This overhead spotlight can help delineate your home office setup from the rest of the room — a great design trick for workspaces that are tucked into a bedroom or living room.
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