Apartment Home Office Decorating and Design

Creative Work Solutions

By Jessica Ackerman

Many more people these days are working from home, and those living in apartments are no exception. Working from home has become more desirable than ever, but not everyone has a large office space, especially those in smaller apartment homes. A large home office really is not necessary, and if you live in a small apartment and want a well-decorated well-designed workspace, you can do it yourself. With a little creativity and design ingenuity you can have the office area you need without sacrificing apartment space. The following decorating ideas and design suggestions provide creative work solutions for a small apartment. These decorating and design ideas will enable you to turn a small apartment room or a small apartment space into an efficient and well designed stylish and functional office area.

Go Vertical with Stacking Shelves

In a small apartment workspace, take advantage of every inch of available room and consider investing in stacking shelves. Stack heavy-duty painted plywood or laminate shelf cubes on both sides of a large desktop. Stacking shelves are great for organizing paperwork as well as storing printer paper and decorative office accents, and they make good use of desk to ceiling space that would otherwise go unused.

Plywood Cubbies

Instead of creating an office junk drawer to hold paper clips, pencils, staples, and other apartment home office supplies, consider using plywood cubbies. Search for office furnishings and you will find ready-to-assemble plywood cubbies that can be customized and decorated to give an apartment workspace a little more decorative appeal. They can be painted to match an accent color, or they can be covered with wallpaper or decorated with decoupage. Choose cubbies that will fit within a section of stacking shelves, and place it within arms reach. Make the best use of home office space, and even the smallest apartment will provide a sufficient place to work without overtaking your living area.

Add Color with Fabric-Covered Memo Boards

Some apartment dwellers are not permitted to paint walls, and those allowed to paint and paper are usually required to return the walls to the original color should they decide to move. Instead of working in a home workspace void of color, or instead of someday having to repaint walls, add a splash of color with fabric-covered memo boards. Not only will they add color and style, but they will also provide a handy place to post messages.

Office supply retailers offer linen-covered memo boards, and if the fabric does not match your decorating scheme or style, recover them with vibrant fabric for a stylish apartment workspace. Best of all, if decorating preferences change the fabric can be changed as well.

Tightly wrap the board as you would wrap a gift, and after pulling the fabric taut, attach it with heavy-duty staples. When you want to give your apartment home office a facelift, simply remove the staples and wrap the memo board with different fabric. It is a cheap and easy way to give walls a completely new look while providing a place to post messages and notes.

Update Desk Knobs and Handles

Take a look at your desk knobs and handles. Do they add color and style to your apartment home office, or do they simply serve a purpose? These days you will find handles and knobs in countless colors and styles, and new knobs and handles can completely change the look of a home office desk. Select knobs that match the accent color of the room, and give your apartment home office desk a stylish and colorful new look.

Decorating with Stylish Wall Decor

An apartment home office should be just as well decorated as commercial office space, and it should reflect personal style. Wall decor that adds design and functionality is a plus, but it is also important to incorporate the apartment home style with home office space. Choose your favorite wall decor that matches the style of the apartment, and whether it is contemporary, transitional, traditional, or something entirely different, the walls will reflect who you are as well as how much you care for your apartment workspace. A well decorated office is a more comfortable area to work, and you can transform your apartment home office into a place to live and work in comfort and style. •

Copyright 2009, Wall Decor and Home Accents.

About the Author

Jessica Ackerman is an exciting and originative designer with vast experience in residential interior design. ...

11/28/09