Let’s face it– home offices are tricky.
I mean, you’re balancing focus with coziness with inspiration with comfort– and typically, you’re working with a minimal (or even shared) space with it all.
I’ve seen rules left and right about the perfect home office–
“It should follow Feng Shui guidelines!”
“No, no, your desk would always be near a window.”
“Nooooo, you should have a floor desk so you can work flexibly!”
“So at the end of the day, it’s really one thing– what works for you.”
But you came here for inspiration, and for another perspective that might inspire you, right? Well, for me, a home office is all about:
- Alleviating visual clutter a la KonMari
- Adhering to Feng Shui guidelines like the 5 elements
- Color drenching and using the 60/30/20 rule of design
- Making it RoboRock or Roomba-friendly
- Use a fairycore, cottagecore, or Japanese style for a whimsical, inspirational, gentle, and feminine feel
But even within my guidelines, you’ll need some inspiration for both the floor plan and the actual feel of the room. So, without further ado, here are 5 vibes for a cozy work-from-home setup so you can find the best home office space for you!
1. For the Save-Spacing Girl: The Corner Office Cove
If you’ve got (or wish for) and cozy corner, we’re about the turn that underutilized little nook into your very own corner office cove.
This setup isn’t about perfecting that Feng Shui or optimizing a beautiful, vast, 500-square-foot office. This is for the space-saving gal who needs a remote work environment with a limited amount of space in a tiny room (or even in a space sharing a kitchen, bedroom, or living room).
This setup is all about getting inspiration from tiny homes– using every last inch of the space you have so you can work remotely in a space you love.
What you’ll need
- A corner or compact home office desk
- A nearby window
- Wall hangings and decor
- A plant or two (especially if you don’t have greenery from the outdoors)
- An ergonomic chair to support your posture and movement (just because you’re in a small space doesn’t mean you can’t be comfy)
Related: 15 Essential Items for Your Dreamy Dark Romantic Room
2. For the Chi- and Energy-Minded: The Feng Shui Suite
For those who prioritize energy and flow in their space, you’ll probably want to draw some inspiration from Feng Shui in an interior design setting, the Japanese decorating principles based on how Chi energy affects the situation of our furniture and space.
And while I’m not a Feng Shui expert in the slightest, I can definitely appreciate the principles, and add some of them to my space as well (adding all the elements to my living room so it feels balanced and lively, having my desk facing the doorways).
You can also focus on ergonomics, like a Pipersong chair (I just got mine and am already obsessed) so you can feel the free-flowing nature in your body as well as your space.
What you’ll need
- Gentle angles and corners for your desk, bookshelves, and other furniture
- Situate your desk in the command position that faces entryways (not up against a window)
- Alleviate as much furniture as possible to keep energy free-flowing (especially if you’re in a small room)
- Incorporate plants with round, soft leaves
Related: Your Japandi Home Office Checklist for a Stunning + Clean Workspace
3. For the Inspired Artist: The Creative Studio
For all the creatives out there, who aren’t perfect about being organized or minimalistic, this one’s for you.
This space should serve as your space for messy creation and experimentation. But, that doesn’t mean you have to treat the space as a dump. In fact, inspiration can strike much easier when your space is organized (chaos).
As an artist, you need to have a flow where it’s easy for your big ideas to happen. If you’re a painter or sketch artist, have an easel set up and ready for when inspiration strikes. If you’re a musician, situate a microphone station near a piano so you never forget a song idea again.
Make things easy, accessible, and seamless for when inspiration hits.
And when you need to do any work outside of that creative work, make it easy and quick to get that work done.
What you’ll need
- A desk set-up that’ll optimize your particular artistic endeavor– be it a keyboard ready to be turned on, your sketchbook and pastels, or your dual-screen MacBook desk setup for graphic design.
- Since sunlight gives you energy, encourage an open design to your windows through high curtain rods, gentle curtains, and nearby access to your window for workday sunshine.
- Create a flexible set-up, be it an adjustable standing desk, or a floor desk so your creativity can flow from where your body is feeling.
4. For the Wandering Adventurer: The Boho Bungalow
For those who love showcasing the ventures from their travels, you’ve got the boho bungalow home office, perfect for those who want to meld their ventures from their work-from-home office space.
This is about a cozy, worldly, nontraditional space, that equally encourages the laid-back nature of a boho interior and productivity to propel your most beautiful dreams forward and get work done.
What you’ll need
- Use Facebook Marketplace to curate this space with vintage finds on a budget.
- The more blankets, pillows, macrame hangings, and cozy pieces, the better.
- Curate items you’ve collected from your travels, your favorite moments of live, and that express the most worldly parts of your personality and put them on display on your walls to alleviate desk clutter (more things can be hung on walls than you think! We have vintage knives, pins, and stained glass all mounted on the walls).
5. For the Zen Girl: The Japanese Jewel
A home as flexible, clean, and open as your favorite yoga studio.
Possible? Yes, especially with a Japanese approach to your space.
Think convertible furniture, clean furniture tops, Feng Shui elements, floor desk spaces, and sleek, clean storage solutions. The name of the game of this is warm, yet clean.
What you’ll need
- Pristine, minimalistic furniture
- KonMari organization
- Organic organizational furniture and material like bamboo and woven baskets
- Light and neutral colors balanced with some jewel tones
It’s all about making a space that works for you. And while there are so many more ideas, I’ve got to get dinner set up at my cozy, WFH setup right about now.
If you’re working from home, you know you already have the opportunity to have freedom in your workday– so why not make it exactly the way you’ve dreamed of?
