In this post: Looking for home office decoration ideas for small spaces? These small home office ideas will help you set up a functional and beautiful work space.⇒
I used to think decorating small spaces was easy to do.
After all, less space, less to do.
But then I met my home office. And I quickly realized if you want a room to function and attend to a host of needs, you need to do more than merely fill it up.
You need to be sure it fulfills your requirements, maintains the aesthetic of your home, and embodies a convenient layout for the desired utility of the space.
All that, while ensuring you don’t get black and blue bumping into furniture in a crowded space!
So you need to plan well.
Step one is to determine what you need the space to do, and then consider what you want to store in there. Finally, you’ll take into account your comfort and the desired atmosphere. Keeping a tiny room light and bright is paramount to avoiding a cramped depressing look.
Room Layout
From the start we determined that we’d need a free standing desk in the center of the room. While I prefer that look for a sophisticated office, the real reason for us was hubby’s desire to face the TV. He works in this room several days a week and if he was going to give-in to my selection of a curvy French desk, he was at least getting in return a prominent wall TV.
This calculus alone determined the furniture placement for the whole room.
Bookcase behind the desk providing ample convenient storage, seating on the opposite wall so there’d be a space to walk through, file cabinets as end tables because it was the only option left.
Once the layout was resolved, we never really changed it. It worked. The room functioned. And it satisfied our most important goals for the room.
Yet we’ve been refining the room ever since.
Lighten the Space With Accents
Mistake number one was that we initially had a tufted ottoman for the guest seating. It wasn’t comfortable and looked silly between the heavy file cabinets. So we replaced it with a loveseat and moved the ottoman into the living room. This was significantly better, but I used accent pillows that were too dark for the small space.
The first fix was to find pretty accent pillows in a soft creamy white with enough texture to add visual interest. These fabulous tufted trellis pillows are from Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart and they’re super plush and fluffy delivering an invitation to sit down.
I also limited the pillows to just those two, omitting the temptation to overdo it covering the seating in the center.
*This post was sponsored by Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart, but all opinions and product-love are purely my own.
I also opted to replace a tiny dark chair that sat in the corner with this lovely rustic shelf unit, appropriately sized for a small room yet offering an opportunity for a variety of uses.
In this case, given my goal was to add lots of white accents, I chose to use it as a decorative vehicle to display pieces curated from my ironstone collection.
Make an Impact with Flooring
Perhaps one of the easiest ways to make big impact in a small room is with a unifying rug. A rug ties all the disparate components together and can, in an instant, give a new look to a space.
In our tiny home office I used a geometric sculpted rug in a pale oyster color to soften the room by lightening the foundation underfoot.
The result is compelling and unmistakable. That it adds comfort at the same time is a wonderful bonus.
For the desk accessories I skipped the usual line up of staplers and other stationer’s gear, as often all you need is a computer and a plug, and you’re good to go. Instead I decorated the desk with an array of flower vases and candle holders.
Once again they add light and an upbeat outlook to a room with only one window that faces a covered shadowy entry.
To keep a small room neat, particularly one with mounds and mounds of paper, you can’t overstate the importance of filing cabinet storage. I swapped out the little table that previously held our computer printer and added a new file cabinet for spillover paperwork.
It’s a bit surprising to realize how much we fit in this small room, but because it’s scaled right and kept light, it looks a whole lot larger than it is.
Now if only I could convince hubby to replace the ugly wall TV with a gorgeous painting, it would absolutely make my day.
But I guess I’d rather he weigh in on the TV situation than complain about the details of the office decor!
Small Home Office Shopping Guide
Click on the items below for direct links to the products. Where possible, I’ve provided many similar options in case items run out.
(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)
IF YOU LIKED THIS POST, YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:
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- The French Desk: 18 Affordable French Style Writing Desks
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You might want to take a look at “The Frame” by Samsung.
Fun idea! The funny thing for us is that hubby uses this office more than I do and the TV is on 100% of the time when he’s in there. I’ve decided to make my peace with technology and just embrace it, but I do like the idea of The Frame… 🙂
https://www.howtogeek.com/427448/how-to-make-your-tv-display-art-or-family-photos/
You might want to explore displaying art on your TV when it’s not in use. Try Artcast or the tips in the article above.
I replied similarly to Caryn on this post. I like the idea but in our case, when hubby is in the office, the TV is on 100% of the time. And when he’s not, the lights are out and you can’t see in the room. I do like the concept though of displaying art, but I’ve also resigned myself to embracing technology. Thanks for the idea! It may be perfect for other readers, as well… 🙂
A couple of weeks ago, you showed the most beautiful French County plug in wall sconces. However, I can’t find them anywhere and have lost the posted picture. Can you help?
Could it be the ones in my living room: https://designthusiasm.com/french-country-living-room-decor/
If so I just added a set to the shopping guide that are very similar. If not maybe try my lighting shopping guide here, with a whole section of sconces: https://designthusiasm.com/french-farmhouse-lighting/
Hope that helps!!
Just wondering – what are the dimensions of your office?
Hi Linda! Our office is 13×13 with a diagonal part of wall that cuts even further into the room.
The office is lovely. Where did you buy the couch and desk? I’m certain it wasn’t Walmart!
Thank you so much!! You can find the desk here: https://rstyle.me/+FD9y87uITg8OCjDxNMoO0g and the sofa here: https://rstyle.me/+DLfniDK0tSF_ivNBC9NECw
Believe it or not they did have the sofa at Walmart, but they are out of stock… 🙂
Thank you!
I’m not sure if you know this, but many people, including myself won’t shop at Walmart. However, I still enjoy your site and don’t hold it against you. 🙂
Hmmm, no, I did not know that. May I ask why?
Beautiful, Lory! I love your office, especially with the loveseat and cushions. They’re so inviting! Thanks for yet more inspiration! ❤️
Thank you as always for the lovely words, Barbara!
Such pretty updates! I am loving that cozy looking rug extra 😉
Thank you so much, Shannon! It’s super comfy!
Such a beautiful space, thanks for the inspo and being part of the giveaway.
Thank you so much, Maryann!
Loved seeing the evolution of your office. Such a lovely place to work!
Thanks for the kind words, Helen!
Love your style and inspiration it provides. I have used many of your ideas, tutorials and tips. My best one was from the post on how to find great items on Craig’s List. I was wary of CL but tried it. That same day I scored a fabulous vintage French bakers table, marble top and swirly iron base. $200! Yup. I will always be grateful.
That is so awesome, Rebecca! Sounds lovely!
Yes, I understand. The beloved television gets more attention than most things on certain days, especially if it’s raining.
I most like the rug in this small room, so pretty.
Isn’t that true? Yes, the rug is comfy, too!!
Love your style!
Thank you!
What a lovely room… wish my office/media/sewing room looked this good!
Thanks! I think we always have to balance usefulness with looks…. 😉 It’s often a trade off.
I would love to do an office update. Do you scan and digitize papers that come in or do you use a filing cabinet? I’d love to get rid of mine!
We use both. I tend to have mostly digital files but hubby uses the file cabinets. I think you have a make a big commitment to scanning and not everyone will do it. I do major scanning of old photos so that I have most of them digitized. Someday I will share my photos storage system… 😉
Thank you for the very useful ideas. Our little home office could use an update so this is perfect timing!
So glad you found it inspiring!!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the changes! Everything is so you, beautiful and sophisticated. Hope that you will reconsider the TV situation; it may be worth it for the time that you spend in there. It’s a beautiful option. The sofa can be bought at Walmart? That’s amazing!
Thank you so much!! And yes, it can, but it’s currently out of stock. I think they offer third party options.
I have a small office that needs an update. Love your ideas. Thank you for the chance. 🙂
Glad you’re inspired! And you’re welcome!
So, Lory, this office is mostly used by your husband? Oh, well :). I love the feel you have attained in the office–and it is just gorgeous!
Thank you, Sindy! It was originally decorated for me to use, as in our old home I was the one who used the office. Hubby used to work outside the home and I was doing digital calligraphy and always worked at a desk. But now that I’m blogging, I spend lots of time styling and photographing around the house, and hubby is now working from home, so things have switched. I probably wouldn’t have gotten the French desk if it was mainly his office when we moved in, but everything else would’ve been exactly as is. After all, he sleeps in a French style bedroom and eats in a French style kitchen. So why not? 😉
Home Style Saturdays always bring joy to my weekend – like this sage advice! Thank you!
How nice it is to hear that!
Your office looks beautiful. I love the rug. I can see that we need to redo our office with smaller furniture. It has to be masculine also because my husband hides out there!
Thank you! You can definitely reach a balance in between. Maybe not such a feminine desk, but the rest should be workable for a man… 🙂
I only wish my home office was as pretty as yours. Now that I work more and more from home, it might motivate me more!
Haha, I guess that’s true about motivation… 🙂 And thank you for the kind words!!
Love the office. Proves you can have style with function
Thank you! And indeed… 🙂
I love your office. We will be converting one of our bedrooms to an office now that my husband is working from home. I love that desk! I don’t know that my husband would feel the same way. Lol.
Thanks! I’ve heard version of this comment from several. Maybe I will provide some options for desks that are “sort of French” but not so feminine… 🙂
Great looking office! Thank you for all the ideas!
Thanks!! And you are most welcome!
You have a beautiful office! Uncluttered & comfortable.
Thank you very much!!
The printer! Necessary, but we’d all like to tuck it away! Perfect place for it in your office!
Haha! Yes, I’ve had to make my peace with it… 😉
BEAUTIFUL office transformation. PERFECT. Love the beautiful file cabinet. Please share where you found it. Thanks
Thank you, Ruth! Here’s link to the file cabinet: https://rstyle.me/+m6ykzqC7OakxnIL8fj7qCQ
Just a lovely space to work and relax in.
Thanks!
Lori, I love your office and would never want to leave! The touches of lavender to blend with your beautiful desk are so delicate. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway! I Can’t believe this is the 200th HSS!
Thank you Cecelia! I can’t believe it either… 🙂
very serious. a definite place to get business done. love the neutrals…my office is a messy bench!
Lol! And thanks!
Thanks for the article.. I have been looking for ideas for a new office using a small space!
I’m glad you’re inspired!!
Love the detailing on the desk.
Thanks! It’s a great piece… 🙂
Beautiful office.
Thank you!
I adore your blog and always love your photos. I save many of your ideas on tablescapes for inspiration.
That is so great to hear! New one coming soon… 😉
Gorgeous office and makes me want to move right in.
Haha! And thanks for the kind words!!
Love the light feel with added texture that gives it warmth. Most offices even those at home, can look stuffy…this room looks lovely! As you have said the tv isn’t noticeable from the doorway and the rest of the decor truly moves the eye away from it. Walmart has proven to be a great source for home decor these days…who knew!? Lol!
Thank you so much!! Yes, who knew indeed… 🙂
Always interested in small space decorating.
Glad it resonated with you!!
Your home and design style is gorgeous. Your blog is one of my favorites!
Oh, thank you so much!!
First of all I love the Frenchness of your office. I too have a study that is small with a doorway and a double opening. Decorating has been a challenge. I never miss your posts since I love your blog.
Thanks for the wonderful comment!!
I love that you have filing cabinets that look like furniture. I’m staring at a metal monstrosity, and it hadn’t occurred to me that there were pretty ones. Possibly time to upgrade….
Haha! Yep, I get it! The day I realized it, it was a game changer… 🙂
Lots of fresh ideas! We need to implement some of these ideas, especially since the quarantine this year and working from home.
Exactly true!! And thank you!
What is so good about the design is that it can be easily converted to a room of your choice. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Thanks so much! And that is very true… 🙂
I unfortunately have to share our office space with my hubby and his style and mine are two whole different things lol. So he gets his style since he says nothing about the rest of the home and I can do as I please. But if I had the choice …
Yes, you have to pick your battles… 😉
Gorgeous. My husband and I share our home office so it ends up looking crowded by the amount of furniture we need to fulfill our needs. One day… a girl can dream can’t she.
Indeed she can! These days hubby uses this room way more than I do, but that’s mainly because he’s working from home.
You did a great job combining office function for both you and your husband. I understand the challenges with daring a home office! Yours looks beautiful and comfortable.
Thank you very much, Lisa!
Good advice for a small space! The compromise you and your husband made between the curvy desk and tv made me laugh. :o)
LOL, makes me laugh every day… 😉 Life is one big negotiation!
Pretty.
Thanks!
I’m really enjoying the Homestyle Saturday series!! Thanks!
I’m so glad to hear that!!
Gorgeous room. Don’t know if I could work in such a beautiful space. My desk is littered with papers, pens, stickie notes, pictures of grands and a huge out/in box! My husband’s desk is not much neater. We do manage to find what we need though. So love your room.
Thanks, friend!! Yes, I’m the clean desk type, but hubby… not so much. 😉
I like that white printer stand. Where did you get it?
Thanks, Christine! Here’s a link to the file cabinet printer stand: https://rstyle.me/+m6ykzqC7OakxnIL8fj7qCQ
Before I read your blog this morning I was sitting wondering how I could update and make my office look more pleasing. THANK YOU for the inspiration!!! Your’s is lovely! But it definitely inspires me to declutter mine! Lovely post.
That’s so awesome to hear!! Good luck on your project! So glad you were inspired… 🙂
Great ideas!
Thank you!
I love your French Country touches and the lack of paper or clutter. I SO want to make over my husband’s office and make it functional but pretty. I definitely need to get furniture that can hide his paper mess! Wish me luck…
Haha! I SO hear you! I just kept adding file cabinets until the papers were tamed. There are 3 in the room now, plus the file boxes in the bookcase behind the desk.
What a beautiful home office! I wouldn’t want to leave. I especially love your storage ideas.
Thanks for the kind words!
I really like the furniture looking file cabinets. Gotta have the file space, and that is a great way to do it. Also like all the flowers.
Thank you! Glad it resonated with you!
Love the rustic shelf! Perfect for a small space. Thank you for Home Style Saturdays! I look forward to it each week. I have a PayPal account that I used infrequently before the pandemic but have found I am using it much more now. It makes me feel more secure when I order online from sites I am not familiar with. This has occurred more often as I hunt for hard to find items during this crazy time.
So very true! Ordering has become the way to go!!
I loved seeing your decorated office. It functions as an office but is still pretty and neat. It inspired me to go and clear off my desk and try to figure out how to make it more beautiful. I already have the desk with lots of my orginal oil paintings on the walls. I have 2 comfortable swivel chairs, a nice chest and the shelf units with closed storage underneath. I have everything I need to make it look good. I just need to declutter I guess.
Sounds perfect! Yes, decluttering is actually cathartic for me… 😉
You have created such a lovely office. It is functional and attractive at the same time. It seems like a room you would actually want to use, thanks to how it has been thoughtfully planned out and decorated.
Johanna B.
Thank you! It does work for us… 🙂
Lovely office, with style!
Thank you!!
Great storage options with the matching filing cabinets. Love the ideas since I need to update my office.
Thanks! And glad you were inspired… 🙂
Love that little filing cabinet/printer stand!! Wondering if I can up-cycle my old particle board one to look similar to that. 😉
I bet you can get close!! Good luck!!
Now my home office seems a bit drab. I love the warm touches in yours. That rug is lovely but not practical for my doggie office comrades!
Thank you! Perhaps you can go more tweedy for your rugs… 🙂
You have hit a milestone of 200 Home Style Saturdays. What a CORNUCOPIA of ideas! No one cannot appreciate the many levels of inspiration, the off the charts creativity, the bursting of functionality, the dash of culinary, the high admiration for the genius women bloggers who make our Saturdays over the moon, and the shopping! (my goodness gracious I need that PayPal, smile.) Thanks for it all, but not for the ‘envy’ of your office…Lory, you make it so work!
Aww. thanks for your very kind words!!
Love it!
Thanks!
What lovely ideas for a small space! We have a guest bedroom/office with built-ins that is most often used as my sewing room and some of these ideas are very helpful. Thank you!
That’s wonderful! Sounds like a lovely room to set up for yourself… 🙂
Btw, have you seen my sewing machine DIY that I just posted? I updated my grandmother’s old sewing machine cabinet. You can find it here if you missed it: https://designthusiasm.com/vintage-sewing-machine-table/
I am trying to decorate a home office for my husband . So different look but great tips and furniture suggestions!
It’s really the desk then, that would change. And the wall hangings. But all else can pretty much go in any style direction. There are plenty of desks that are not really heavy looking but would still work for both a man and a pretty home style.
Nice! I’m still on the end of my dining table in my little cottage…
Truth be told, I work on the couch more than anywhere else… 😉
Such an informative post, thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome!
Love the look of your office room! If it was my room, I probably would never leave. Your room looks so comfortable and inviting. I really love how you make it look relaxing by incorporating the lavender flowers. Love it!
Thanks so much! Funny thing is, I decorated it to be my office, but now that hubby is working from home, he uses it more than I do!! It’s comfy for him to. Fortunately, he doesn’t mind the french desk… 😉
An inspirational room! Ive not ever worked in a space so beautiful. Function has always been the priority. Might be time to find a little beauty…
You can have both! And thank you… 🙂
Lori – thank you for sharing your great ideas! You are a such an inspiration!!!!!
Love your office Lory. I especially love the table that the printer sits on. Is it a file cabinet? Simply gorgeous. Not many ways to make a printer look good, but this lovely piece surely does.
It is! I’ve added the link to today’s post where I’m also showing options for a less feminine (but still French-friendly) desk. You can find that post here: https://designthusiasm.com/pretty-home-office-desk-ideas/
Since working from home during covid, it’s been a goal of mine to update my office space. Thanks!
I totally get that… 🙂 You’re most welcome!!
Beautiful office – so relaxing. No clutter really makes a difference.
Thank you! And yes, the no clutter thing helps in every room… 😉
I’ve always loved the look of a floating desk but the cords for lighting and backs of a computer would be unsightly.
Yes, it can be challenging indeed. We don’t have a lamp on our desk and we use laptops, but hubby did just get a large monitor and we’ve talked about putting a small hole in the rug and slipping the cord underneath.
Thise flowers are all so pretty! I’d like to buy plant similar so I could have them in my house!
I’m glad you appreciate them!
Hi Lory,
Kudos to you! I don’t know how you convinced your significant other, to accept this. We have a study room that is mostly by my hubby. The electric cords are so unsightly, a nightmare as TV, monitors, and other electronic gadgets compete with each other. He woks from home now and night time is movie time. Right now I have office envy (LOL), job well done. everything is so beautifully put together.
LOL… office envy! Thanks for the kind words! I think because I gave in to the TV, he didn’t care what desk he sat at. Would he really like a big dark desk any better?
I always use this example when people ask how my husband feels about the French decor. When we go to an elegant hotel that’s decorated with lovely French antiques, does it bother him? No, as long as he’s comfortable. So why should he complain about such things at home? 😉
Hi Lory! I love the feminine touches in your office space, especially the floral accents which you do so well. I’m planning to update my office space as well, so thanks for the lovely ideas!
Your office is lovely. I like your use of space.😊
Thank you so much!
I totally love your office! Your bookcase is very nice and organized. I love the idea of using file cabinets to place your lamps on of them. It’s amazing that your office it doesn’t seem small. My office is 8×10. Your office chair is slimmer than my executive chair which lends to having more space to maneuver. I do love the idea of having a tv on the wall but I do love my decorations on the wall. Your house is fabulous!
Thank you for your kind comments!!
That rustic shelf is perfect. What a great room!
Thank you so much!!
Your office is beautiful. I love the furniture you used. Such a perfect space.
Thanks for the sweet words!