Work From Home in Style

Nowadays, more and more people are working from home. If you're going to spending hours of your day cooped up in a home office, you best make sure that it's as sharp as your work. This article, Create a stylish home office, has some great tips for turning your plain old home office into an organized den of productivity. It covers everything you need to get started with your home office, from desks and bookcases to chairs and desk lights. Read on to get started creating your perfect home office oasis.

The trend for working at home has sparked a huge increase in the number of designers focusing on home office furniture and accessories - and about time too, we say! These days, a home office need not mean an ugly brown desk, plastic office chair and industrial stationery - it's easy to create a home office that fits in with your décor whatever the style of your home.

If you have a room to dedicate to an office at home, choose a desk that will be practical and help keep you organized. In addition to the standard desk drawers, many desks now come with extra hidden storage - such as an extra layered shelf, or even a lift-up concealed storage panel like this pricey desk from Barker & Stonehouse. If you prefer a desk that isn't quite as office like, a feminine bureau or a console table can do the job just as well - and both often offer storage. Desks can often also be customized to suit your purpose; many will come with adjustable legs, or even legs and feet that can be swapped, to create a design that really fits with your décor.

If budget is a key concern, a second hand wooden kitchen table can make a perfect vintage style desk. If space is a problem, keep an eye out for traditional school desks at flea markets or car boot sales - the handy lift-up storage can stash paper, pens and other bits and pieces and the more scratched they get, the better they look!

Choosing a chair is also important, as an ugly office chair- no matter how comfortable - will always make your home office seem like more of an office than, well, home! If you aren't going to be spending eight hours a day in your chair, you can get away with a more stylish, less office-y style. This faux snakeskin version from Graham and Green would make even the most basic table look glamorous, a Swan chair injects a bit of design credibility or pick a funky swivel chair in a bright colour to get those good ideas flowing. If you do have to spend long periods of time in your chair, it is possible to find an ergonomic chair which is also stylish - as these 'spoon' chairs demonstrate.

Even if you already have a desk and chair, you can make the rest of your office stylish by adding some sleek touches. Add a chic memo board to fit in with your style ethos - either sleek and magnetic or feminine with strips of ribbon to hold business cards and memos in place. You can even make your own - simply cover a large corkboard or polystyrene board in a fabric of your choice and add crisscrossing ribbons, elastic bands or strips of material to hold mementos in place. Add screws and a wire to hand the board on the reverse, and attach to the wall above your desk. If you're not feeling quite so creative, simply buy a large stretched artists canvas or piece of corkboard, and paint it to match your décor before hanging.

You will need a desk light in your home office to make sure your eyes are not strained by all that paperwork, so choose one that complements your home office style. If you're going for the feminine romantic look, choose a delicate wooden or iron lamp and re-cover the shade in a fabric to match your décor or pin board. If masculine is more your style, there are plenty of stylish modern lamps to choose form without resorting to the classic green-shaded desk lamp favoured by gentlemen's clubs - try a classic anglepoise lamp, celebrating 75 years of design style this year.

Don't forget a rug under the desk to make it all a bit more homely - and if you have the space, a comfy chair or small sofa can be a great place to relax or host informal meetings. After all, one of the perks of a home office is that you can make yourself at home, right?