Home Office Trends, Design, and Decoration

Inspiration

BY Lisa Cooper

Published: 11 March 2024 Updated: 22 August 2024

Inspiration
Tags: Shutters, Blinds, Rooms

Understanding your home office space

Before diving into the specifics of window dressings, it’s essential to understand the unique characteristics of your home office. Is it a dedicated room solely for work, or does it double as a guest room or a quiet reading nook? The primary use of the space will influence your choice of window treatments. A dedicated office might benefit from functional blinds or shutters, while a multifunctional room might require more flexible solutions.

Pale grey room with modern white work desk with stationery items, raffia and metal chair all in front of a window dressed with an ivory Roman blind, lowered half way.

Maximising your home office

Use light colours for walls to create a bright and airy atmosphere that won’t distract you or become too much of a focal point for video meetings. Position desks near windows to maximise natural light, enhancing space and productivity. Utilise vertical storage, opt for multi-functional and minimalist furniture and keep the area clutter-free. Strategic mirror placement and space-saving lighting can also help create the illusion of a larger, more open space.

White room with a white work desk, metallic anglepoise lamp in front of a window dressed with a white faux wood venetian blind, fully lowered.

Colour psychology and your workspace

Colour plays a significant role in creating an inspiring and productive home office. Neutral tones like whites, greys, and beiges can create a calm and focused environment, while pops of colour can inject energy and creativity into the space. Consider how different colours affect your mood and productivity:

• Blues and greens: known for their calming effects, these colours can help reduce stress and promote concentration.
• Yellows and oranges: these vibrant hues can boost creativity and energy but should be used sparingly to avoid overstimulation.
• Neutrals: whites, greys, and beiges create a clean, professional look and can be easily paired with accent colours.

White room with hanging egg chair, white desk shelving with wood chair, deep recess window with green cushion seating dressed in an olive green Roman blind partially lowered.

Glare and screen visibility

Sitting near a window offers a lighter, brighter setting for long hours at your desk, but it can also give you a lot of screen glare, especially in the summer months. Opt for blinds with adjustable slats, such as wooden venetian blinds or vertical blinds, to control the amount of light entering the room. Screen protectors can also help reduce glare on your computer screen.

Home office with cream walls, traditional wooden desk, leather tub chair, black anglepoise lamp and tall narrow window dressed in dark wooden venetian blind, lowered, louvres almost totally closed.

Privacy concerns

If your home office window is overlooked or has passing footfall, you may have privacy concerns, especially if your work can involve dealing with anything confidential or sensitive company information. Shutters are an excellent option for full privacy control and of course you still have the option to angle the louvres to let light in while keeping outside eyes out. If you want a more subtle look, consider layering a sheer and a full fabric solution for a flexible approach.

Home office with mid blue walls, white art deco style fireplace, pale wood desktop over black unit and tall narrow window dressed in pale green wooden shutters, closed with louvres open.

Temperature control

What constitutes the “right” temperature is a contentious issue in any office, and a home office is no different! Spending multiple hours in the same room can draw attention to how hot or cold a room can be, so the aim is to try to find a median between the two that’s comfortable for a day at your desk. Insulated window dressings and cellular shades such as Duette® blinds or Pleated blinds with solar coatings can help regulate the temperature in your home office, keeping it cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Close up on eaves with desk beneath two skylight windows, silver anglepoise lamp and windows dressed in off-white pleated blinds one lowered halfway, the other three quarters.

Multifunctional space

Not everyone has a dedicated home office room solely used for work, and commandeering a corner of another room to work in can bring its own challenges. Choose versatile window dressings that can easily transition from a professional workspace to a cosy guest room. Roman blinds or curtains with a blackout lining can provide the flexibility needed for a multifunctional room; providing a pleasant setting by day and a practical one by night.