Tidy and organized: Home offices and workspaces to motivate you

I'm working in a little impromptu "office" while I'm here in Spain, which consists of a small desk - about 3ft wide by 1.5ft deep, and two small drawers. The wall is sort of a popcorn texture and painted a pinkish tan. It's not really inspiring. But, it is temporary - and there is an ancient cathedral to wonder at through my window. Until I have the space and means to create the office of my dreams, it sure is fun to collect inspiration...

*swoon* white, mid-century modern, a whole bookcase of organization potential! This space has so many of my favorite elements!
via SFGirl by Bay on Pinterest

The real home office. I love this desk. It's great for anyone who needs a lot of surface area - and the drawers are small - which is great for organizing pencils, brushes, etc.
via Lifework

You can create a beautiful office space in an open floor plan living situation or in the corner of another room. This one is in one end of a living room. The tiled floor creates a visual barrier, separating the office into a separate space. And look at the cubbies and matching baskets!

This is a really cute pinboard for a gardener, but you can take the same ideas - file folder hanger, little baskets - and clips for organizing your projects...
2 images above via BHG

Two file cabinets and a large plank make a substantial desk - an easy DIY that doesn't cost a lot.


I love little nook offices. I work from home full time so it wouldn't really work for me, but it's a great solution for home offices where you just need to deal with correspondences, bills, etc.
3 images above via Alice in Designland

Isn't this workspace soooo pretty and cute? The charming lamp, the little wood radio, the artsy trash bin...and the wallpaper is to die for. (the wallpaper is called Harlequin Passion and from wallpapersonline.com.au)
via Adore Home Magazine

Do you have a home office? Is it a dedicated room? Shared with another room? In a nook or closet, etc.?

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Home offices with just the right balance of personality and productivity

It's not easy to strike the perfect balance in one's home office. Make it too cozy and filled with personal objects and you might end up using your desk to curl up with a good book or flip through photo albums. Make it too industrial and sterile and..well, feel like you're back in a cubicle. It's important to make your work space pleasing to you, and while everyone's ideal work set up is different, you have to have the tools of your trade on hand and a comfortable arrangement that allows you to hunker down and focus without distraction.

Here are some spaces that seem to have the balance down...

Perfect...beautiful...need I say more?


Plants add some life and homeyness, the ample shelving creates space for supplies, and the unorthodox desk combines function and beauty.

For some people less is more. Give them a huge desk and every inch of surface space will be occupied with stuff, leaving no space to work. This desk is clever because it has minimal surface space for accumulating clutter, but a leaf underneath pulls out for work surface.


I use a table as a desk as in the above image, because I'm able to keep things organized and most of the surface stays bare, which gives me enough room alongside my computer to spread out my magazines and/or sketch.



This space gets it's warmth from a hutch that looks well-loved.

What works for you in a home office?
via LivingEtc.

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