Small Office Design Ideas

Working from home in a small space does not have to lack coherent design. There are many budget-friendly office designs and décor ideas that work well in small offices.

Remember that you will likely spend a lot of time at work, and you may want to make it refreshing, comfortable, and productivity-oriented.

Here are a few simple ideas to help you design your home office.

How can I decorate my small office?

Paint the walls with light colors

It is a well-known fact that lighter colors can make a room feel airier and bigger, while darker colors may make a space feel smaller.

Also, bright walls are more reflective to ensure your office is well-lit by capitalizing on the effect of natural light.

For the best results, paint your small office with soft tones that are either white, light blue, or green. Paint any trim in a color brighter than your walls which will make them appear further back thus making the roof seem bigger.

Focus on natural light

Allowing natural light to flood your office opens up the space to make it look larger. If you do not have enough natural light available, you can always add some ceiling and desk lamps.

If you have access to natural light, make sure you invest in large windows to instantly connect your small office to the great outdoors.

Light the area with lamps

Typical office lighting can be dull, particularly when you work far from a window that lets in natural light. Use a decorative lamp in your small office to brighten things up.

It is an interesting way of bringing extra light into the workspace in the form of a personal touch. You can opt for a colorful lamp which will add a bright pop of color to the otherwise neutral space.

Add area rugs

A little patterned area rug will give your small office a soft underfoot feel while adding visual interest to give the space some energy.

Bring in some books and journals in place of full notepads

Set aside some space for a few of your beloved journals and books which can be propped up with a bookend.

Decorative journals are a good way of inserting visual glam while providing an organized and easy-to-reach way of jotting down ideas and tasks to be done.

This will help you stay neat as you can get rid of messy notepads and basic sticky notes.

Repurpose kitchenware

Rather than buying too many new containers and organizers, you can repurpose kitchen glassware in the workspace and use them to hold common office items like pens, scissors, clips and other small things.

Place your photos in fun frames

You can take those favorite photos displayed somewhere in your office space and put them in decorative frames. This will add further visual interest to your space and reduce the chances of ending up with a cluttered picture wall.

Add some greenery

You can bring some life into your workspace by inserting some succulents and terrariums in your small office. These are space-friendly ways to bring some of the outdoors into your office space.

Use calendars as wall art

While you may not need a tangible calendar in your workspace, a calendar with a cute print can inject some charm into an otherwise blank wall and desk space.

Ideal furniture arrangement

Furniture can occupy too much space when placed inadequately. One way to get around this is to use multi-functional furniture such as office cabinets that can be used as a coffee table or a standing desk.

Place large furniture against a wall to maximize the open space. Make sure you get the right-sized furniture that fits your home well and does not block pathways.

Avoid placing too many accessories that make your office look cramped.

When picking furniture, make sure it is a similar color as your walls so that they can blend in with the décor. Using glass tables can also help you maintain the appearance of a larger office space.

How do you lay out a small office?

Before making any acquisitions, make a plan and budget for what your small office will have. If you have enough resources, consider hiring an interior designer.

Take note of technological requirements to allow you to access the amenities you may need such as Wi-Fi routers, an extra screen, and any electrical connections.

If you want to make a small home office appear larger, experts advise putting the desk and seat on a diagonal. Pair this orientation with very little extra furniture to make your office space feel like it has a lot of open areas.

Add some pretty chairs around the office to make it feel cozier.

Make sure you leave some spaces open to make the space less visually overwhelming. Try not to overdo the décor to the point of choosing form over function.

Small office design ideas to maximize space

Take advantage of vertical space

While a big focus on small offices is spent on floor space, it is worth considering the space above. Vertical space is a premium in smaller environments and has several benefits to office space planning.

Leverage wall-mounted storage solutions such as shelves which allow you to stop using bulky cupboards and boxes that occupy precious floor space. You can also use benches and other seating options with cavernous interiors to double as storage space.

Limit clutter

Keeping your things neatly organized and arranged out of sight can make an office feel orderly and open. Avoid placing too many pictures on the walls and use creative storage solutions to keep everything from clamoring for visual attention.

Conclusion

A small office is a good place to get work done in a quiet and productivity-oriented environment. You can refine it by painting the wall in light colors, maximizing vertical storage solutions, lighting the space properly and picking the right size of the furniture.

Make sure you plan out all the elements such as lighting and the color of walls which will affect each other, and make sure that all your equipment, furniture, and accessories into the space without making it feel or look cramped.

Check out the design examples of small offices on the internet and consult professional designers before making major decisions about your small office.