We’ve seen more and more people switch from a busy commute into work downtown to a quite stroll to their home office only feet away from their bed. With this switch to remote work, home offices have become an essential part of life. If you haven’t yet perfected the design of your home office, look towards these trends for inspiration and ideas to implement into your home work space. 

Humans weren’t meant to sit hunched over a computer all day long. Many employees have shifted from using a sitting desk 24/7 to using a standing desk option. Invest in a standard desk that transforms into a standing desk or buy an additional add-on to your desk that allows you to easily prop up your laptop on a higher surface to work from. 

Similar to our last point, humans aren’t meant to be cooped up in a stuffy office all day. Position your home office desk towards a window or open door. The fresh breeze and relief of oxygen will keep your mind alert throughout your work day. 

Add a statement lamp that brings light directly onto your computer and work space. We all have those late-nights spent working and a bright light can help us not drift off to sleep over top of our work. Also, an interesting lamp can bring in a unique design element to your home office. 

Bring the outdoors in with a few indoor plants. Real plants not only add a cool design element to your home office, they also help filter and purify the air around you and bring in oxygen that keeps you alert. However, if you don’t have a green thumb, you can still participate in this trend by adding fake plants around your office space. 

Colors can greatly affect your mood. Think about the work you’ll be doing in your office space and choose colors that help you accomplish that work. For instance, bright colors can be great for sparking creativity and getting your mind flowing. However, if your work is more analytical and logical, soft neutral colors will help you relax and concentrate. 

When creating a home office, you don’t have to add additional square feet to your house of reserve an entire room for your work. Instead, add a space-saving wall-mounted desk that can open up for when you have to do work and close when you want your bedroom to be separate from your work. 

Cover the wall in front of your desk in your favorite color of chalkboard paint. If you’re a visual learner, this can be an easy way to jot down any thoughts and ideas you have while working and sketch out plans that you can easily erase. It beats having a million and one sticky-notes plastered around your work space.

If you find that your desk is constantly cluttered with work and office supplies, add a shelf. One that’s significantly higher than your line of vision when sitting can be great to store your essentials in a way that won’t distract you from the work in front of you.

If you want a classic academic feel to your office, add a bookshelf to your room. This is a great way to store work supplies and add in colorful books, art, and knickknacks to your space. 

Move those coats that sit aimlessly in your front closet most of the year and transform the space into your home office. This will feel like a separate little room that you can dedicate to your work. Also, if you get a desk that perfectly fits inside (or get it custom made) then you can close the closet doors when you’re done working just like you would a traditional home office. Find those spaces around you that aren’t used before you add square footage to your house.

Add creative inspiration to your office with art work. Find art and pictures that inspire you, frame them in mismatched frames you’ve found at the thrift store, and hand them on the wall. This makes a nice accent wall and can offer endless inspiration to your workday.  

At the end of the day, your home office should be a space you can relax in and get the hard work accomplished. Add these trends and whatever else inspires you to make the best possible home office for you.