7 Spectacular Living Room Office Ideas to Work in Style
Working from home is practically the new normal, so your home office should be designed with style in mind! But we totally recognize that not everyone has a home office, so if you’re perched in a corner of the family room to do your work, we’re sharing how to make the space work for you.
Use Floating Shelves
First up on this list of tips is to use floating shelves! If you’re into DIY, you can totally do this yourself. Set aside a weekend, pop over to IKEA, then install and style your shelves.
We love floating shelves not only because they add storage without taking up floor space, but they also create a great styling opportunity! You can add books, plants, candles, and other accessories to show off your personality — and keep your work-from-home game feeling fun!
We love Shelfology, which is who we used for Project Country Trails!
Create an Accent Wall
Question for you, bestie: If you’re going to be sitting at a desk all day, do you want to stare at a white wall?
Uh, that’s a definite no from us! Sure, we’re a design studio and a tad biased, but hear us out: we want to be surrounded by color and inspiration while working at our desks because it inspires us and helps us stay motivated. Plus, as you know, we love combining the pretty with the practical!
While an accent wall is a great thing to include in any space, we love it for creating a home office in a living room as a way to separate the spaces.
Insider Tip!
If you can’t decide on a paint color (we get it, it’s a hard decision) or don’t want to go the paint route, then go with some bold wallpaper!
Create a Cozy Corner Desk Space
You had us at “cozy corner desk space”. This family living room office idea is so cozy, making it the perfect spot to do some work — while sipping a delicious coffee, of course.
While a corner desk takes up quite a bit of space, it’s a great option if you have the room. You won’t need any room dividers, since you’re using a portion of space that previously may have been left untouched.
Add Natural Elements
If you ask us, no desk is complete without a pop of green or fresh flowers to brighten your day! Adding touches of natural elements, whether with plants (real or faux) brings so many good vibes to the space.
If you've ever read our other blogs, or you follow us on Instagram, you know how much we love greenery! Adding in these natural elements is a game-changer! With a potted plant over here or a trailing plant over there, you'll feel fresh and inspired even when sitting and working all day!
Insider Tip!
If you're lacking in the green thumb department, don’t sweat it. We’ve got a black thumb guide that is filled with all the plants you can’t kill. You can also opt for faux plants instead. This is a no judgment zone, girlfriend! They’ll still give you that pop of green, and you won’t have any chance of killing them. We promise no one will ever tell the difference!
Incorporate Lighting
If there is one thing that is an absolute must when it comes to an office living room space, it’s lighting! While you can’t expect your downlights to do all the work for you, they’re great for every day and do their job lighting up your living room. Investing in extra lighting pieces will be your savior. There are a few ways you can go about lighting a desk.
If you have shelves, consider adding in some strip lighting, or under-shelf lighting. If you don’t have any shelves, then a lamp is going to be your new bestie. Of course, you can totally go oversized and have a standing lamp, which will give you much broader light. But if that’s not your thing, a regular desk lamp is A-OK.
Add Stylish Accessories
If you know us, you know we love stylish accessories. It’s those finishing pieces that can make a room feel complete! While you still want your desk to feel like a desk, not an overly styled coffee table, adding a few key pieces can make it so much more enjoyable to work at (and look at!). If you’re looking for some inspo of what you can include on your desk, we’ve got you!
● Candles or room spray. A must!
● Add a blanket ladder next to your desk. The perfect combo for your family/living room office!
● Pretty books for all that inspo and advice!
● Fresh flowers or greenery.
● Wall art: you need something cute to look at!
● Adorable containers and pencil holders (hello organization!)
Remember, whatever you put on your desk should be pretty and practical. It should add value without getting in the way of your workflow. If you’ve styled your desk a bit too much, pull it back a bit by removing a few extra pieces.
Designate an Area with a Rug
Okay, now this tip is a great one! Rugs have so much power when positioned correctly within a space. Think of rugs as magical room dividers. We have a whole blog post written about them because we are so obsessed with their capacity to accomplish that!
They can break up a space and create sections without a physical barrier. Adding a rug under your desk and chair is a great way to separate your office from the rest of the living room.
Not to mention, if you go barefoot when walking around your home, it's nice to walk on that extra touch of comfort! While not a physical door, rugs let the eye know that the office is a separate space from the living room.
Insider Tip!
If your family living room office could use a little softening up, add a throw pillow or a throw blanket to your office chair. Those softer textures are sometimes all a space needs to feel cozy and warm.
What Now?
We don’t know about you, but we’re totally inspired to turn our family living room into an office! And with all of this inspiration, we just might have to!
If you’re considering making some changes in your home and giving it the TLC you know it needs, but maybe don’t know where to start, book a design therapy sesh with us!
FAQs
Time to answer some FAQs about home offices and troubleshoot those pesky annoyances!
What About Storage?
Storage is a must for any home office! Opt for a desk with drawers for in-built storage, or add some shelves with containers to keep everything neat and tidy!
I Have Cords Everywhere, And It's Not Cute. Any Ideas On How I Can Fix This?
Electrical cords: you totally need them, but they're definitely not cute to look at! Have a look at cord management solutions. We personally love this one from Amazon! Still cute, but so functional!
How Can I Tell Everyone In My House To Stop Bothering Me When I'm Working?
Oh, yes, a common work-from-home problem! Our best solution is to tell your family when you are working. Just like you'd go to work normally, give them set times when you're accessible to them.
