Designing the perfect home office

When it comes to home office design, one thing is certain: you'll need to include plants. Let us explain. Have you ever sat at a desk and started to feel sluggish, distracted and just a bit stir crazy? If you had more plants around you, you probably wouldn't have! 

Not only do plants look great in your office, as you can see here in a room created by Concept, they actually help to purify the air that you are breathing in. We also think that plants let you feel a little closer to nature, so even when stuck indoors, it doesn't feel as though you are quite so trapped and that's great for happily working long hours!

Choosing the right desk as part of your home office design project won't be as simple as it sounds. Far from being a case of selecting the style you like the best, you need to think about everything you will be doing on it, where in the room you propose to put it and how it will blend with other items. 

For a desk that simply has to house a laptop and a trusty mug of coffee, you can afford to pare back the design somewhat, such as the one seen here, but for busier offices, you might find that you need a far larger, sturdier and more traditional design. We think the best way to approach this task is to consider functionality first, then find something that fulfils your needs and has an aesthetic appeal as an afterthought.

Never underestimate the importance of a comfortable chair! This is even more important when talking about home office design, as you will be sitting in it for large portions of the day.

We love this fabulous retro number, complete with squishy leather inner, but for those of you with back problems, perhaps something specifically designed to support ergonomics would be better. Don't worry that you won't be able to find something stylish and supportive, as there has been a growing need for aesthetically pleasing office furniture for a while and there some fantastic designers rising to challenge right now!

As much as we understand the propensity for sitting at a screen all day and not noticing the sunlight fading, it's not healthy or good for your eyes to be focusing on a vivid screen, while in a dark room. The glaring contrast will simply become too much and you'll get eye strain. With that in mind, we think you need to really consider lighting as part of your home office design. 

As well as a main room light, we think a focused desk lamp is a great addition, especially if you know you will be working late at night. A main light could overstimulate your eyes and make it hard to sleep, but softer, more targeted illumination could allow for an easier work to sleep transition.

You know what they say; all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Well we don't know too much about Jack, but we do know that a stark and impersonal work station will never produce the best results, so when you're planning your home office design, why not take some time to embrace a little fun too?

Whether you buy art that you like, frame some pictures you already have or even get the paints out and create something yourself, you'll quickly find that hanging some art on the walls of your study will allow for free flowing creativity to resonate round the room and inspiration to filter out. Have we got art on our walls? Absolutely! We think you can tell, just by how fun and engaging our Ideabooks are!

Home office design can be as functional or fun as you want it to be, but the best bet is to strike the right balance between the two factions. With that in mind, we think little desk accessories that give a hint as to your interests and personality can be a lovely touch, not to mention a great motivator.

From novelty pen holders to mascots, whatever makes you happy, comfortable and keen to work harder should always live on top of your desk. Even if it's just some heart-shaped post-it notes. Not that we have any of those on our desk… in fluorescent pink…

For more home office inspiration, go ahead and take a look at this Ideabook: Your Simple Guide To Better Home Office Productivity.