Creating a small home office that works for you can feel like a challenge, especially when your workspace doubles as a living room or bedroom. With remote and hybrid work options becoming more common—41% of workers are now working on a hybrid schedule, according to Pew Research—many of us are finding the need for a dedicated, functional space at home more pressing. But if your current setup involves a worn-out desk or an uncomfortable chair that was supposed to be “temporary,” it’s time for an upgrade.
Designing a small, multi-functional office requires a balance of aesthetics and practicality. As Ghislaine Viñas, an ELLE DECOR A-List designer, notes, creating a space that’s both functional and stylish doesn’t have to be complicated. For instance, your desk can serve multiple purposes—think of it as a vanity or console table to save space without sacrificing style. Pair it with a comfortable, ergonomic chair that adds personality to your office, and pay attention to your background if you’re regularly on Zoom calls.
In this blog, we’ll share 25 small home office ideas that will inspire you to create a space that makes you feel like the boss you are. Whether you’re designing a dedicated office or carving out a corner in a shared room, these ideas will help you transform your home workspace into a place of productivity and style.
Neat Niche Office
Carve out your professional space with style! This cozy office alcove, designed by ELLE DECOR A-List designer Tiffany Howell for writer and director Mara Brock Akil, has its own distinct vibe. With a calming dusty blue paint, a vintage lamp, a floating desk, and an abstract Peter Beard artwork, it’s the perfect blend of functionality and personality.
Moody Blue Office
This sultry study, tucked away in a Melbourne home designed by Powell & Glenn, exudes both elegance and power. A rich turquoise paint color and boudoir-inspired furnishings, including a Cassina chair and a Gubi mirror, create a space that’s perfect for both getting glamorous and getting down to business.
Office with a View
Studies show that natural light and views of nature can boost productivity, so if you’re lucky enough to have a window, take full advantage. In this tranquil setup in a Pebble Beach, California home, the designers at Workshop/APD positioned a CB2 desk to face the breathtaking ocean view, creating an inspiring workspace that invites both focus and relaxation.
Memphis-Inspired Home Office
Who says your home office can’t be playful? In this vibrant Wisconsin lake house, designer Victoria Sass of Prospect Refuge Studio brings a postmodern twist to work life. The custom floating desk, along with a quirky blue desk lamp from The Future Perfect, a bold primary-colored chair from Dims, and a fun Cold Picnic rug, all combine to create an office that’s as much about fun as it is about productivity.
Modern & Minimal Home Office
For those without the luxury of a dedicated office room, art and accessories can help define a work area. In the Brooklyn home of Calico Wallpaper founders Rachel and Nicholas Cope, a cozy study nook in the living room features a Danish rosewood desk, a playful magazine rack by Arthur Umanoff, and a mobile by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio. A painting by Leon Benn adds a creative, midcentury vibe to this modern, minimal workspace.
Midcentury Office
This Los Angeles home office strikes the perfect balance between elegance and playfulness, as suggested by the Ed Ruscha artwork. Designed by Cliff Fong of the ELLE DECOR A-List firm Matt Blacke, the space features midcentury icons like a 1967 Peter Lovig Nielsen desk and an Arne Jacobsen chair, but is softened by a glamorous vintage French chandelier and an all-white paint scheme. It’s sophisticated without feeling too formal, offering a timeless yet inviting atmosphere for work.
Neutral Oasis Home Office
This home office, tucked within a bedroom of a Timothy Godbold-designed house, blends seamlessly into the room’s neutral decor. A vintage Danish teak desk, sculptural lamp, and artworks, along with the cozy NOOM chair, create a calm and inviting atmosphere. It’s a perfect example of how a work area can be functional yet soothing, ensuring your 9-to-5 doesn’t feel overwhelming—even if it shares space with your sleeping quarters.
Nautical Home Office
Set in the French vacation home of ELLE DECOR A-List designer Jean-Louis Deniot, this nautical-inspired study radiates a relaxed, seaside vibe. A regal blue-upholstered chair sits at a petite Peter Lovig Nielsen desk, while a rattan lamp and whimsical rope details on the floor lamps and door trim echo the coastal charm. A sunny Slim Aarons photograph adds the perfect touch, making it feel like the ideal spot to retreat to for work or leisure.
Patterned & Playful Home Office
If corporate vibes aren’t your thing, let patterns infuse your home office with personality. In this elegant Rome home, art historian Carolina Vincenti opts for a 19th-century table and antique cane chair instead of a typical desk. Playful textiles, like an Isabella Ducrot abstract polka-dot wall hanging and floor-length curtains in a vibrant GP & J Baker fabric, add whimsy and charm. A touch of floral decor further lifts the space, proving that flowers can brighten any workday.
Mural Home Office
Even if your home office lacks a scenic view, you can create one with a mural. Architect Carmel Greer transformed her husband’s study by installing custom jungle wallpaper inspired by a Henri Rousseau painting. If you prefer a more temporary option, consider a scenic wallpaper or stick-and-peel variety that can be easily changed while still offering the visual escape of a lush landscape.
High-Impact Home Office
Small spaces can make a big statement, as demonstrated by ELLE DECOR A-List designer Ghislaine Viñas in her Bucks County, Pennsylvania home. In this hybrid workspace located in her bedroom, a minimalist shelf, a striking 1960s scalloped chair by Charles Hollis Jones, and sentimental touches, like artwork by her daughter, make the room both functional and visually impactful.
Camouflaged-Desk Office
Desks can often feel like a constant reminder of work, so why not blend them into your decor? ELLE DECOR A-List designer Sheila Bridges cleverly camouflaged the front of this antique secretary desk with the robin’s-egg blue wall color. Above it, antique landscape paintings encourage a daydreaming escape to nature, keeping your mind at ease while tackling your to-do list.
Jewel-Toned Home Office
Creativity thrives in immersive environments, a concept designer Summer Thornton embraced for this Chicago home office. The space features a lustrous blue-green hue (Benjamin Moore’s Jack Pine) and matching chairs that complement the breathtaking view of Lake Michigan through the window. This cozy setup encourages focus while surrounding you with color and calm.
Pretty and Pink Home Office
In her colorful living room, hostess extraordinaire Rebecca Gardner cleverly incorporates a home office nook, seamlessly blending work with style. A chic glass-topped table serves as both a laptop workspace and a console for entertaining guests. The maximalist accessories, from vibrant decor to artistic touches, ensure this office corner stays stylish, whether you’re working or hosting cocktails.
An Artist’s Home Office
For creative professionals, work and life are often intertwined. Artist Roy Dowell’s Los Angeles studio beautifully exemplifies this balance. His works, including a floor sculpture and collages, bring vibrancy to the humble sawhorse desk and chair, making the space a perfect fusion of creativity and functionality.
Wallpapered Home Office
In today’s virtual world, a striking Zoom backdrop is essential. In their Rome apartment, architects Massimo Alvisi and Junko Kirimoto create a stunning backdrop with a delicate floral wallpaper behind their custom bookshelf. Sweet sculptures by Giuseppe Palermo sit atop the antique mantelpiece, lending sophistication to their home office setup.
Patterns and Plants Home Office
Vibrant prints and eclectic decor fill Nathalie Farman-Farma’s bohemian London home office. Surrounded by her own fabric creations, she pairs a Napoleon III stool with an antique Danish rolltop desk, adding coordinating textiles and a bold zigzag cactus for an eye-catching touch that balances function and flair.
Green Lacquered Home Office
For true work-life separation, consider hiding your office. In this Miami Beach apartment, designed by Charlap Hyman & Herrero, the desk area fades into the room with a slick emerald lacquer (Benjamin Moore’s Alligator Alley). As Adam Charlap Hyman explains, using one color or material throughout the space blurs the lines between room and furniture, creating an expansive and almost infinite effect.
Pops-of-Red Office
All-white rooms exude classic calm, and in this Palm Beach house, ELLE DECOR A-List Titan Victoria Hagan amplifies that tranquil, resort-like vibe with a palette of white, blue, and soft gray. However, the small guest bedroom workspace gets an energetic pop thanks to vibrant red botanical prints and matching accessories, making the room bright, fun, and transportive.
Bohemian Home Office
A home office should offer a sense of grounding, not chaos, and designer Schuyler Samperton achieves that in this bohemian beach house. The workspace is centered around the client’s stunning 18th-century Chinese painter’s desk, surrounded by soulful items like a 1948 Greta Magnusson Grossman lamp and a 1930s French armchair. The terra-cotta grass-cloth wallcovering, paisley curtains, and patterned rug enhance the welcoming, cozy atmosphere.
Rustic Barn Home Office
For ultimate coziness, opt for vintage wood furniture in your home office. Restaurateur Keith McNally’s second-floor study in his Martha’s Vineyard farmhouse is wrapped in reclaimed barnwood and filled with rustic flea-market treasures, creating a warm, inviting space perfect for getting work done.
Painterly Home Office
If your study doubles as a studio, let in plenty of natural light. Designer Antony Todd did just that when he added an art studio to a guest cottage on his Hudson Valley property. Here, work takes place on a vintage French table, with a painting by Lautaro Tambutto adding a touch of energy to the otherwise crisp, all-white room.
Glamorous Home Office
This dramatic bedroom, designed by Vancouver firm PlaidFox, blends evergreen-hued velvets and sophisticated furniture. The study space, or vanity, fits perfectly into the luxurious mood, with a matching Juliana Vasconcellos chair, a custom burlwood desk, and a funky vase by Gaetano Pesce, making it ideal for both work and relaxation.
Vintage Charm Home Office
In this 300-year-old Connecticut home, cozy rooms and charming wonky angles create a warm atmosphere. Designer Ryan Lawson brought that charm into the guest bedroom office, adding layers of vintage details like an antique writing desk, a bentwood chair, gauzy gold curtains, and a hand-painted lampshade, making this tiny room feel full of personality.
Small Child’s Office
Transform homework time into fun with a playful home office setup for your child. Designer Christina Wang’s New York City home features a cherry-red desk from Home Union, custom blue wallpaper with endangered animals, and a mustard-yellow rug from Anthropologie, making this space both functional and whimsical.
