Inspiring home office spaces

When you spend a lot of time working from home, you owe it to yourself to make the office a pleasant place to be. Avoid distracting prints and patterns, and keep it simple with a colour theme to suit your taste. As you can see from this example of quirky, modern design from Fraher Architects, you don't need a large room to make a statement. Introduce bold colours in the form of seat covers, wall hangings or lamps. You might not be feeling adventurous enough to recreate the exposed wire wall pictured here, but you could create a similar effect through playful lighting and exposed beams. 

Introduce pieces of furniture that can really hold their own in an otherwise minimalistic space. Choosing certain statement pieces gives the room personality, without it becoming too crowded or busy. 

Glass desks create an illusion of space if you're only working with a couple of square metres, but they can also add a modern edge to more traditional, larger rooms. Another advantage of a glass design is that you can match the desk with any selection of seating and it wont clash: you can keep your comfy desk chair, bring out your best restored vintage seats, or find a bold, colourful alternative to liven the place up. 

Simplicity is key in creating a space that is both ordered and inspiring. A sleek storage unit can make your home office (almost) stress free. Hide away the files and papers in built-in draws and cabinets that look elegant, but are in fact extremely practical. Although it is more than likely that most of your files are stored electronically, it is often tempting to keep paper copies ´just in case´, or let them build up on the desk. Thinking about the way you organise your office can make your work-load lighter and your home office smarter.

At work, it is important to feel like your ideas can thrive and that your ability to focus is on point. Utilise the light to avoid feeling confined, and this will help you to keep a clear head. Though the dark winter mornings and early evenings mean you might not see much light during the working day, you can make the most of the hours in between by installing floor to ceiling window panels such as those pictured. It helps if you have a great view, though ultimately large windows can make a big difference to any room all year round, creating a calming and welcoming atmosphere.

Additionally, glass panels can separate your office from your living space, giving you the feeling of freedom whilst creating a definitive line between work and play. Mastering a balance between being free to roam and acknowledging an actual work-space should create a healthy, focused professional environment.