Get to Work: Top 5 Interior Design Ideas for Your Home Office

Interior Designer Teresa Stevens shares tips for achieving the perfect mix of home and office. Peek inside her personal workspace during the upcoming Western Springs Historical Society House Walk, May 19, 2013.

While the foundation of a home office is its computer, cords, phone and files, the décor surrounding it must reflect that it is in fact part of a home. “Home offices warrant the same attention to design detail as any other significant room in a house,” said Teresa Stevens, Interior Designer and Western Springs 2013 House Walk featured homeowner. “A few simple design ideas can lay the foundation for bringing about that fine balance of home and office.”

Offering up her own home office as an example, Stevens points to her Top 5 design ideas to keep in mind:

1. Have designated work and relaxation areas.

No matter what type of business your home office supports, having clearly defined work and relaxation areas is key. A comfortable sofa perfect for reflection, research or simply relaxing makes a home office space inviting and allows for separation of intensive desk work and creative brainstorming work. Having these defined spaces allows the user to step into a different frame of mind based on location in the room. 

2. Keep it fun with art, color and pillows.

Comfort and inspiration combine in pillows that pop with color and pattern, and art that brings out creativity. A space comes alive when thought-provoking art enters the mix and helps blur the lines between “home” and “office” space.

3. Mix and match old and new items.

Bring in personal, family items that have a history, with more modern items that are part of an office environment. It gives the home office warmth, depth and personality. Creating the right mix of old and new can be tricky, but pulling through themes such as color, pattern and shapes can make a seamless transition between the two.

4. Factor in both task and ambient lighting. 

Lighting has a huge impact on how a space feels and how its inhabitants react. It affects performance and mood. Careful planning and consideration needs to be given to a lighting plan, to ensure the correct combination of general lighting (creating an inviting glow in the room) and task/accent lighting (to focus the light in work intensive areas).

5. Bring in layered patterns.

It can be intimidating to consider mixing and matching patterns and colors. But when it’s done right, the resulting dimensional, thoughtful space helps further define the personality of your business and your home space. Keep in mind that scale is critical. A thick striped drape works with a mid-sized wallpaper because of the contrasting scales. Another rule of thumb: florals and stripes always go together.

For more information, contact Teresa Stevens at 708-710-8116, Teresa.Stevensinc@sbcglobal.net or visit www.teresastevensinteriordesigns.com.

Take an exclusive tour of her home and five others during The Western Springs Historical Society House Walk, Sunday, May 19, 2013 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.westernspringshistory.org, or call the Historical Society at 708-246-6230. Tickets are $30/person before May 19 and $35/person the day of the event. A list of local retailers selling tickets will also be available soon. 

(All proceeds from the event benefit the Western Springs Historical Society, an all-volunteer organization dedicated to instilling an appreciation of the village’s history in residents of all ages. Proceeds from the event will fund the Society’s operating budget, as well as help develop exhibits for the Ekdahl House and the Tower Museum, and provide programs and archival materials for residents.)

For more information: Please contact the WS Historical Society at 708-246-9592.