19 of the Most Inspiring Home Offices We Spotted on Instagram

home office

Design by Emily Henderson Design; Photo by Zeke Ruelas

The home office can be one of the most transformative spaces in any home. Because when it’s good, it’s excellent. Your work-from-home routine is a well-oiled machine; your home office is clean, energizing, and so cute you actually feel compelled to spend all day there. But when it’s bad—when it’s cluttered, distracting, or otherwise overwhelming—it can be absolutely debilitating. A good home office can make the difference between a day conquered and a day wasted. Given this, it’s little wonder so many of us spend our spare hours ogling the absolute loveliest home offices we can find on Instagram.

A home office can take many forms. It can be an entire room dedicated to productivity, or a spare corner repurposed with focus in mind. It can even be a living room or dining room, transformed by day to accommodate your need to work from home. The beauty of the home office is that it doesn’t require your home to be loaded with unused space. So long as you have a place to sit and a place to set your stuff, you’re (quite literally) in business.

A good home office can make the difference between a day conquered and a day wasted.

Once you’ve established the where of your home office, it’s time to determine the what of it all. Sure, there are a few wrong ways to set up a home office, but you’ll soon find there’s no singular, right way to do so. An effective home office can be crisp or cozy, muted or colorful, succinct or spacious. You can fill it with vibrant energy or lean hard into minimalism. Avoid the obvious don’ts, and you’ll find all kinds of breathing room. And before too long, you’ll have crafted an at-home workspace worthy of Instagram’s #homeoffice hashtag.

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Vibrant Vibes

This vibrant home office is proof that there’s no need to shy away from bold prints and bright colors. Keep the focus on pieces that work in tandem, and you’ll end up in an environment that’s equal parts energizing and inspiring.

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Smart Space

Got extra room at the end of your kitchen bar? Tack on a desk—or simply work at your countertop. By keeping the palette minimalist but not going too sparse on the décor, this decorator crafted a well-balanced space you could easily spend all day in.

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White and Bright

White is an easy color for home offices, because it’s crisp, clean, and decidedly undistracting. This decorator warmed up their all-white palette with a few pale-colored objects, a fluffy brown throw, and a neutral printed rug.

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Double Duty Dining Room

No room for a desk? Your dining room table can easily be converted into a workspace. And the best part is, the room is likely already decorated. Swap out anything that’s distracting you, and revel in how absolutely easy it was to set up your home office.

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Go For the Grid

A photo grid is a budget-friendly way to keep your workspace feeling decorated, but not cluttered. And of course, you can always take your photo grid to the next level by opting for images that fall within a given color palette or that encourage you to focus.

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Mid-Century Mood

This decorator used color and texture to craft a mid-century modern workspace worth staring at for hours. Remember, reference books can absolutely double as décor—bonus points if they’re pretty.

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Small Space Friendly

This home office is an easy option for those in small spaces. With just a desk, chair, computer, and lamp, you’ve crafted an entire workspace—and one that doesn’t demand a ton of room.

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Natural Inspiration

This cozy workspace is the perfect retreat for anyone craving a little solitude. By placing the desk in front of a window and surrounding it with plants, this decorator has crafted a work-friendly oasis filled with natural light.

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Inviting Accessories

Spare corners offer all you need in the way of home office space. Brighten up your tiny desk with a hanging plant and some thoughtfully placed art, and you’ll have a home office that feels bright and inviting.

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Curated Colors

Though many prefer a neutral home office, a few carefully curated colors can create an equally lovely environment. This decorator has opted for a millennial pink, green, and gold combination that feels fun and work-friendly at once.

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Wide Window

If there’s a truly massive window in your home with nothing currently under it, take advantage. That’s the perfect place to put your new home office.

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Only the Essentials

Decorate your desk as much—or as little—as you see fit. If you’re energized by an array of plants and decorative objects, stock up. If you’d prefer something a little more pared-down, focus only on the essentials.

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The Dark Side

Though many prefer a lighter office, darker shades can set the scene just as effectively. Line your shelves with colorful books and escape to your cozy work haven for hours on end.

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Simple Accents

Art can make a lovely addition to any home office space. This decorator has chosen a minimalist drawing that fits right into the room’s color scheme, leaving the space feeling brighter but still productivity-friendly.

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Aesthetic Additions

A bulletin board is an easy décor choice for any home office, as you can use it to keep track of files, forms, and other little reminders. Even if you leave it largely empty, though, it can still make an aesthetic addition to your space.

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Impeccable Organization

This decorator has maximized their wall space, drawing on it for form as well as function. This choice has left them with a desk that’s clearer, cleaner, and better organized.

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Compact Corner

If your desk is in a corner, remember to take advantage of the wall to your left or right—as well as the one in front of you. This decorator has used the wall to the right of their desk for organization, leaving their space feeling incredibly focus-friendly.

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Cozy Comforts

While you want your home office to be energizing, you also want it to be cozy enough to spend a lot of time in. Toss a cozy throw over your desk chair to render it a little comfier—or to snuggle up under while you work.

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Multipurpose Shelves

No obvious place to put a home office? Convert a shelf into a desk, and slide a chair right under it. If it’s long enough, you could easily render it a home office for two or three.