Budget Decorator: 10 Tips for a Stylish and Personal Home Office
Fashion an efficient and beautiful workspace on the cheap with these industrious ideas
Houzz Contributor. You can also find me on Lolalina (http://www.lolalina.com/), my blog devoted to all of the things that make a house a home - decorating from the heart, living with intention, and savoring life's simple pleasures.
Houzz Contributor. You can also find me on Lolalina (http://www.lolalina.com/),... More »
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Home offices can be neglected when it comes to decorating, but it doesn't take much to freshen an outdated workspace, and the rewards of doing so are plenty. One of the joys of working from home, whether you do it occasionally or full time, is the freedom to steer away from "officey" furniture and decorate with what you love and feel comfortable with.
Working in a clean, orderly, comfortable space can help you complete tasks more efficiently, and bringing the style you love into play will make it all the more pleasant. Let's look at ways to pull together a neat, chic home office on a real-world budget.
Working in a clean, orderly, comfortable space can help you complete tasks more efficiently, and bringing the style you love into play will make it all the more pleasant. Let's look at ways to pull together a neat, chic home office on a real-world budget.
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1. Get your priorities straight. Begin by asking yourself a few questions — as you go on, refer back to your answers and let them guide your decorating choices. Not everyone needs a top-notch ergonomic desk chair at home, but you might. Set your own priorities and stick to them.
• Who uses the space? Do your kids play here? Do you share the space with your spouse?
• How much time do you spend here? If it's not much, you can budget less for a desk chair than if you sit for hours at a time.
• Do you run a business from home?
• What is your budget? What can you spend now, and what can you budget for in the future?
Budget tip: Use wall-mounted spice racks from Ikea as picture shelves. For a built-in look, paint them to match your wall color.
• Who uses the space? Do your kids play here? Do you share the space with your spouse?
• How much time do you spend here? If it's not much, you can budget less for a desk chair than if you sit for hours at a time.
• Do you run a business from home?
• What is your budget? What can you spend now, and what can you budget for in the future?
Budget tip: Use wall-mounted spice racks from Ikea as picture shelves. For a built-in look, paint them to match your wall color.
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2. Clear it out. It's so important to start any design project with a clean slate, so take the time now to remove clutter and purge paperwork.
Budget tip: Painting the walls a rich, sophisticated color can make your office feel luxe without your spending much cash. Be sure to reserve a small portion of your budget for paint — you won't regret it!
Budget tip: Painting the walls a rich, sophisticated color can make your office feel luxe without your spending much cash. Be sure to reserve a small portion of your budget for paint — you won't regret it!
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3. Decide what to keep, what to move and what to alter. Have a good look around your current home office setup and make some decisions about what will stay and what will go. You may find that you want to keep a piece of furniture but to update it with a fresh coat of paint or new hardware. Shopping your home and revamping old furniture are a budget decorator's secret weapons.
Budget tip: Upgrade a plain white desk with brass corner braces and fancy knobs from the hardware store.
Budget tip: Upgrade a plain white desk with brass corner braces and fancy knobs from the hardware store.
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| 4. Do a budget dry run. Before spending a dime, list everything you are considering getting and estimate the cost of each item so you don't face sticker shock later. If getting everything you want would put you over budget, you have a few options:
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| 5. Cover the essentials first. Good lighting, a sturdy work surface, a comfortable chair and window coverings to block glare are musts, so take care of these things first. Budget tips: Repurpose clothes hangers or clipboards as inspiration display space and organizational tools. Layer curtains over basic matchstick blinds for a polished but affordable look. |
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6. Know when to save and when to splurge. Stay on budget while still enjoying a few splurges by learning where you can cut corners. You can always customize basic pieces like white shelving from Ikea by covering the area behind the shelves with fabric or paint.
Save: Shelving, desks, rugs, lighting, window coverings
Splurge: A great chair, computer and equipment, artwork
Save: Shelving, desks, rugs, lighting, window coverings
Splurge: A great chair, computer and equipment, artwork
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7. Sort before you buy. Decluttering your office before purchasing a bunch of organizing supplies will save money and result in a neater, cleaner workspace. When you are ready to pick up some cute new boxes and bins, don't go straight to the organizing store. Shop your own home, search Craigslist, and keep your eye out at flea markets and thrift shops for unique vintage finds.
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| 8. Experiment with a workspace for two. Matching chairs and desks is a great way to make a busy shared space feel more peaceful. You can face them toward each other, as shown here, line them up side by side, or put them on opposite walls — experiment to see what feels the best in your space. Budget tip: Inexpensive pieces feel fancier in symmetrical arrangements. Flank a window with a pair of basic bookcases, or line up three simple dressers and top them with a pair of lamps. More advice for creating a two-person office |
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9. Set up shop for a home-based business. Try to strike a balance between saving money (you don't want to put yourself in debt decking out your office) and creating a space that reflects your professional image. This is especially important if you will be meeting clients in your home.
Budget tip: A tightly edited color palette telegraphs professionalism and is easy to achieve on a budget. Choose no more than three colors, with one being a neutral, for a fail-safe combination.
8 Color Palettes You Can't Get Wrong
Budget tip: A tightly edited color palette telegraphs professionalism and is easy to achieve on a budget. Choose no more than three colors, with one being a neutral, for a fail-safe combination.
8 Color Palettes You Can't Get Wrong
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| 10. Keep room in the budget for flowers and plants. Every room feels richer and more interesting with a plant or two, and they help clean the air, so be sure to leave a little room in the budget for a trip to the nursery. If you pick up the occasional market bouquet, remember to trim a few blooms and place them in a bud vase on your desk. See more guides to creating a hardworking and beautiful home office |
Ideabook updated on Feb. 18, 2013.
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Though non of these offices are the very expensive ones we normally see in Houzz (it is a fantasy for most!), I think I would like a happy medium. Something a little more sophisticated than most here, but $30,000 less than the other ideabooks :) I do like the pic in #9 - clever use of paint and curtain material.
I looked at the Billy bookcases but liked the Expedit ones better - I liked that they were squares (though I left out a vertical brace on each of the top two shelves for a custom look) and that they were open in the backs to see the great wall paint. They give me more incentive to accessorize carefully rather than just stack things.
Will refer to it often in the next couple of months,