7 Stylish Home Offices
Whether you’re firing off a few emails or running a business from home, a dedicated office space helps you get focused and organized. But a sterile corporate office environment is the last thing a home needs. Here, design and remodeling pros share ideas on bringing style and function to a home office.
1. Business Blues
Designers: Laura Umansky and Blair Usnick of Laura U Design Collective
Location: Houston
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners wanted a home office that was serene and conducive to productivity,” designer Laura Umansky says.
Special features. “The soft blue paint, Little Falls by Benjamin Moore, pays homage to the homeowners’ alma mater, Rice University, and the beautiful built-ins to welcome the family’s extensive book collection,” Umansky says. “Our client’s fun-loving personality also allowed us to include unique design elements, like a hidden door in the bookcase of the study that opens into the kitchen and entertainment wing.
“We chose light fixtures inspired by the industrial elements and streamlined silhouettes of midcentury modern design,” she says.
The desk and side chair are walnut.
Designer tip. “Enveloping a smaller space in a beautiful hue like Benjamin Moore Little Falls is a simple way to set the mood of the room,” Umansky says.
Desk: natural walnut, Lawson-Fenning; sconces: Merrick in distressed bronze, Hudson Valley Lighting
2. Waterfall Worktop
Designers: Dylan Henderson of Salt Architecture and Rita Chan Interiors
Location: Santa Ynez, California
Size: 250 square feet (23 square meters); 12½ by 20 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The original building was an agricultural shed with failing framing, roofing and siding, so it was a real trick to turn the project into a usable office,” architect Dylan Henderson says. “The goal was to keep the existing footprint intact and turn the structure into an open, beautiful space where work could be done with all windows and doors open for fresh air and light.”
Special features. “On one side of the office we have window seating for reading and relaxing,” Henderson says. “On the opposite side is storage cabinetry. The floor is a black-stained concrete and the walls are clad in tongue and groove painted White Dove by Benjamin Moore. The ceiling is smooth plaster in a clay gray. It is a very simple palette of materials and colors to keep it simple and clean.”
Designer tip. “Light and air was the goal, so we really focused on keeping usable storage and seating areas while still maintaining a lot of fenestration,” Henderson says. “Keeping a nice level of symmetry really helped balance the space.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The real ‘uh-oh’ moment of this project was once we stripped the structure down and realized how poorly it was originally built,” Henderson says. “There is always a moment where you have to evaluate the reusability of an existing condition. The client really loved the little structure, so we kept it and worked around its failings. Sometimes it is worth it for a number of reasons, and this is one where we worked with what we had.”
3. Floating Function
Designer: Regan Baker Design
Location: Sonoma, California
Size: 88 square feet (8 square meters); 8 by 11 feet
Homeowners’ request. “Being a weekend retreat, our clients’ Sonoma home was in need of desk space without the prerequisite of an entirely dedicated office,” designer Regan Baker says. “To achieve this, we designed a multifunctional room that incorporates a built-in desk, closed storage cabinetry, wine storage and laundry. In a space-saving effort, we maximized the space for multiple uses while also allowing for a bright and beautiful setup to send those occasional weekend emails. The building designer added a corner window to maximize the view of the garden while working. The irony is that this became one of the most-used rooms in the house during COVID when our clients lived at the home for four months.”
Special features. “To continue the flow of the home’s soothing palette of watery blues, the cabinetry was painted in Benjamin Moore Solitude, punctuated with oil-rubbed bronze hardware,” Baker says. “The built-in floating desk was customized to maximize desk and folding space and was well positioned to run just under the window trim. The stained desk was customized to match the color of the hardwood flooring that runs throughout the home.
“A white tile backsplash paired with a solid quartz top was selected to optimize easy cleanups for laundry spills. Cabinets were built to maximize both laundry, office and wine overflow storage. The top built-in drawer above the desk on the left was built to easily stow laptops and iPads, with a hidden charging station, or easily accessible desk accessories.
“There is also a cabinet under the built-in desk that hides all the AV equipment for the home — Wi-Fi routers, Sonos speaker hub — to keep all the electrical equipment hidden and out of sight.”
Designer tip. “When designing in a small space, minimizing visual clutter is essential in creating an open and airy feel,” Baker says. “The floating desktop was constructed with this in mind, while the built-in cabinetry and movable filing cabinet provide necessary yet tucked-away storage and organization.”
4. Double Duty
Designers: Stacy Scharf, Kacie Lilley and Marlis Kapellusch of K and Q Interiors
Location: Queen Creek, Arizona
Size: 204 square feet (19 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. This is a home office for a husband and wife. “They needed a shared space to run their family business,” designer Marlis Kapellusch says.
Special features. Black cabinetry. Custom upholstery. Waterfall-edge quartz desktop. Horizontal shiplap walls. Gold accents.
Designer tip. “Start with function,” Kapellusch says. “Ask yourself: ‘What will make this space work for me? Do I need file drawers or supply storage? How many people work in the space?’ And then move on to the things that will make you feel happy to see. In this case, it needed to feel open, airy and bright. These clients also like high-contrast materials in black and white.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The client is a little short and the countertop came out a little high,” Kapellusch says. “So the trick was getting the right height for the custom chairs. It took a couple of tries, and some eye roll moments from the upholsterer, but we got it done.”
Custom cabinets: Burdette Cabinet Co.
5. Neat Neutrals
Designer: Kelly McGuill Home
Builder: Foley Custom Builders
Location: Concord, Massachusetts
Size: 130 square feet (12 square meters); 10 by 13 feet
Homeowners’ request. “They are a young family with three small children,” designer Kelly McGuill says. “Both parents work remotely but travel often for work. We were asked to create a mudroom, pantry, laundry room and small office. By combining several rooms and reconfiguring the spaces that weren’t being used to their capacity, we were able to give them so much more function, organization and joy.”
Special features. “Our clients love neutrals but also blues,” McGuill says. “We kept this room simple, uncluttered and bright. The windows in the front of the house bring in so much natural light. The walls and trim are Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White. The built-in cabinet with oak countertop adds contrast and storage.”
Designer tip. “We are huge fans of contrasts for every room,” McGuill says. “Black and white, wood and metal, shiny and dull — this works in every room and every home.”
6. Window Winner
Designer: Elizabeth Mathieson of M House Development
Location: Naperville, Illinois
Size: 121 square feet (11 square meters); 11 by 11 feet
Homeowners’ request. “This homeowner wanted the space to feel relaxed and like an extension of the adjacent great room,” designer Elizabeth Mathieson says. “They had this special artwork that we wanted to showcase, so we designed the built-in and lighting with that in mind.”
Special features. “The large interior window all the way to the floor really opens the space to the hall, which connects the kitchen to the foyer, and makes the space feel special, even though it’s not that big,” Mathieson says. “The built-in is painted Sherwin-Williams Gauntlet Gray, and at one point we considered painting the whole room the same color, but we decided we didn’t want that sort of monochromatic moodiness. Instead, we opted to paint the walls a lighter shade and landed on Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray, which provides a great soft backdrop to the built-ins and art. The black light and brass hardware finishes add another layer and added interest.”
Designer tip. “Consider adding interior windows to smaller rooms to open the space and provide an elevated aesthetic,” Mathieson says.
7. Wood-Wrapped Workhorse
Designers: Susan Hersker and Elaine Ryckman of Design Directives
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Size: 400 square feet (37 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. This office was part of a new-build contemporary home by Prull Custom Builders. “This home office is also known as ‘command central,’ ” designer Susan Hersker says. “Our client wanted a functional working office with lots of countertop space to lay out papers and documents. The Herman Miller Aeron chair easily swivels between the desk and the computer credenza. Extensive counter space above the cabinets is also used to display books, photos and sculptures. The homeowners wanted a bright, welcoming space. The large windows bring in natural light and offer views of the nearby mountains. Dimmable direct and indirect lighting make the room usable day or night.”
Special features. Rift-cut walnut desk by cabinetmaker Quail Hill Interiors. Ribbon mahogany built-in cabinets custom made by local furniture maker Ernest Thompson. Engineered European oak flooring. The walls are painted Floating Feather by Dunn-Edwards.
Designer tip. “Clearly identify needs, carefully design to accommodate the needs, review the plan — measure, draw and review again,” Hersker says.