Home Office Design Guide: Tips and Trends for Your Workspace

Between 2019 and 2021, the number of Americans working primarily from home tripled. This number jumped from 5.7% to 17.9%, for fairly obvious COVID-related reasons. Though many workplaces are now returning to normal, others have continued to allow remote work. The reason? There are many studies showing that people who work from home are often happier, less stressed, and more productive.

Of course, to be productive working from home, you'll need a proper home office space. You can't fully enjoy the advantages of working from home if you don't have a place where you can focus and keep organized. If you'd like some tips on how to design a home office and how to save on office furniture, check out our guide below!

Why Having a Good Home Office Matters

If you're going to be spending anywhere between 30 or 40 hours a week in your home office, it should be a place that makes you feel comfortable and focused. Many people worry about working from home because they assume they won't be able to stay on track.

The truth is, a decent home office can make a significant difference in your productivity. Working on the couch with kids and pets running around is naturally more distracting than having a well-thought-out space behind a closed door.

The key to designing a functional and attractive home office comes down to the various design choices you make. It's about lighting, office furniture, and the personal touches you include to make the space feel like your own. If you're not sure where to start, no problem. Below you'll find tips on how to design your home office along with recommendations on where to shop for affordable office furniture.

How to Design Your Home Office

If you don't already have a designated room for your office, finding a space for it will be your first step. Do you live with other people? If so, simply adding a desk to the living room or dining room might be too distracting. You also want to avoid having your office in your bedroom, as sleeping and working in the same place could make it difficult for you to fully unwind at the end of the day. The best location for a home office is, ideally, some sort of spare room that has some distance from the busier rooms in the home.

Once you've found a place for your home office, it's time to come up with a design plan. Here are a few key home office tips to help you create a workspace that is aesthetically pleasing, practical, and encourages productivity.

• Choose your desk and chair carefully: A desk and chair are the two most important pieces of home office furniture, so you'll need to choose them wisely. You'll need a chair that gives you proper support and comfort while being the correct height for your desk. You'll also need a desk that's wide enough to fit your computer and any other electronics or supplies you require.
• Include shelving and storage: Ensuring that your home office has enough storage space is essential. Otherwise, you may lose a lot of valuable time just searching around the house for basic office supplies, paperwork, etc.
• Add personal touches: Personal touches are a great way to make your home office feel more suited to you. This could be in the form of family photos, a small air purifier, a stress ball, or your favorite piece of artwork.
• Let in lots of natural light: If possible, have your home office illuminated by natural light. There's nothing wrong with using lamps to light up the room, but you'd be missing out on several benefits. Multiple studies have shown that natural light can improve mood and increase happiness.
• Give yourself space: Just because you can create a tiny home office in your living room doesn't mean you should. You'll be much better off with an office that gives you space to get up and stretch. You also don't want your chair to constantly be bumping into other furniture while you're trying to focus.

Where to Shop for Home Office Decor

If you want to bring your home office ideas to life, you'll need the right furniture, decor, and supplies. Finding a great home office desk or home office chair can be difficult and pricey. That's why we've created a list of affordable places to buy everything you need to complete your home office, along with plenty of office supplies coupons.

1. Office Furniture

At Office Furniture, you'll find a carefully curated selection of commercial-grade office furniture from trusted vendors like Lesro, Sauder, and Martin. Their inventory includes a variety of styles to fit your unique aesthetic, including Office Furniture's minimalist house brand Hubbub. With their fair prices and a few Office Furniture coupons, you'll have no trouble finding what you need for your workspace. They even have a special work-from-home collection with attractive yet functional pieces.

2. Office Depot

With over 1,400 stores and a popular online shop, it's no surprise that Office Depot is a leading provider of office supplies and products. If you're looking for great deals (made better with free coupons), Office Depot is for you. Their massive inventory of office supplies and furniture includes desks, chairs, tech accessories, printers, monitors, label makers, shredders, and too much more to name.

3. Staples

Since 1986, Staples has been the premier choice for many Americans in need of school or work supplies. This includes items for filing and organization, writing supplies, paper, envelopes, notepads, sheet protectors, labels, and staples. They also sell computers, printers, electronics, and furniture, which you can save money on with the right Staples promo codes.

4. Best Buy

Best Buy is the largest retailer in the US for consumer electronics. You wouldn't necessarily go to them for furniture, but their selection of electronics has a lot to offer your home office. With these Best Buy codes, you can save big on laptops, desktop computers, tablets, monitors, hard drives, software, printers, ink, toner, computer accessories, and more.

5. Lowe's

Put these Lowe's coupons to good use by buying some quality office furniture. Lowe's is the second largest hardware chain in the US with over 2,000 stores across North America. They're known for their wide selection of home decor, storage solutions, shelving, utility closets, and many more items you can add to your home workspace.

6. The Home Depot

Where better to shop for your home office than the largest home improvement retailer in the US? Founded in 1978, The Home Depot has been a go-to store for many people wanting to redesign their interiors. They have tons of home accents, indoor plants, artificial plants, and a home office section with desks, chairs, bookcases, file cabinets, and more. If you decide to shop with them, make sure to use a Home Depot promo code.

7. Crate & Barrel

If you need decor for your office, look no further than Crate & Barrel. This international home decor store has everything you need to make your office an aesthetically pleasing space. This includes mirrors, wall prints, art, candles, vases, botanicals, and many other decorative objects. They also sell furniture, which you can save on with the right coupons.

8. Walmart

Walmart boasts a worldwide network of over 10,000 stores across 24 countries. Both its retail stores and e-commerce business are known for selling a wide range of merchandise at very low prices. This naturally includes several products you may need for your home office, like office supplies, office furniture, and decor. Save even more on your next purchase with a few Walmart promo codes.

9. Steelcase

Steelcase has countless residential and commercial clients around the globe. Their furniture, seating, and space solutions can be applied to everything from a residential interior to a hospital. Inspired by innovative research, their line of office furniture is both stylish and practical. If you'd like to save on their ergonomic chairs, shelving, or any of their other products, simply use a Steelcase coupon code.

10. Wayfair

Since its founding in 2002, Wayfair has become one of the largest home retailers in the world. Their massive variety of items includes an entire section just for office furniture like desks, chairs, filing cabinets, bookcases, chair mats, printer stands, and more. They also have complete office furniture sets, which come in a range of styles and are very fairly priced (especially when paired with Wayfair coupons).