5 things every stylish and productive dual-purpose home office needs, according to a professional interior stylist

White room with wooden desk and patio door.

If you don’t have the luxury of a separate home office, then you’ll likely need to combine a working space with other areas of your home.

That can be challenging. Whether it’s creating a small home office in your living room, bedroom, under the stairs, or as part of an open-plan kitchen space, it can be tricky to cater to both needs, offer the amount of storage you need and not have it stand out like an eyesore.

However, with some clever thinking, multi-use furniture and decorative pieces it is possible to slot some small home office ideas in seamlessly, making it just as stylish, comfortable and functional as the rest of your home.

Read on for all the ingredients you need to create a multifunctional home office that works for you.

1. Attractive storage

Chester Charcoal corner desk, £899; large bookcase, £499, both Cotswold Company (Image credit: The Cotswold Company )

Whether your working space is in your bedroom or your living room, choose furniture that looks less ‘officey’ and more visually pleasing.

Painted or wood shelving, desks, and cabinets will all help blend into your home better than something more utilitarian, and create an environment you want to spend time in.

2. Similar colours and materials

For a similar chair, try the Oskar Boucle chair in Natural, £169, Dunelm (Image credit: Future PLC / Joanna Henderson)

Your room may be being used for different purposes but using similar colours and materials can help pull the scheme together and make the two areas feel cohesive.

Whether it’s using the same blonde wood for your office chair as used on a bedside table, or highlighting the wall behind your desk in the same colour as your sofa, for example, those details will help create continuity and harmony.

3. Additional lighting

For similar wall lights, try Anglepoise Type 80 wall light in Matte Black, £135, John Lewis (Image credit: Future PLC / James French)

Slotting in a desk area under stairs or in the middle of an open-plan space means it may not always have the best lighting, which is where wall lights and lamps come in.

Place your home office lighting strategically and you’ll be able to use them when you need, then turn it off at the end of the day and rely on other lighting for the rest of the room.

4. Multipurpose furniture

(Image credit: Sharps)

In a dual space room your furniture will need to work twice as hard, so choosing pieces and a desk idea that can serve more than one purpose is key.

Whether it’s a large cabinet that can offer storage to guests while hiding your filing, or wardrobes with a hidden desk area, be smart about the pieces you choose and you won’t have to worry about fitting in two separate lots of furniture.

5. Personal touches

For a similar desk, try Cullompton table, £108, Wayfair (Image credit: Future PLC / Dan Duchars)

The beauty from working from home is that you get to dictate how your desk area looks, and that includes the personal touches that you put into it. From houseplants that will boost productivity to pictures, pin boards and ornaments.

These small touches can make your office area feel decorative and stylish – and help it blend seamlessly with the rest of the room.

Habitat

Mopsa Clip Lamp - White

If space is tight, a clip on desk lamp might be the solution to add some extra lighting to your work space.

Bisley

Multidesk Oak Veneer Home Office Desk With 6 Drawers

This Bisley desk is a great looking storage desk option with it's built in filing cabinet.

LA REDOUTE INTERIEURS

Darla Hideaway Desk

Hide your desk away at the end of the day with this pretty hideaway desk. Talk about a tiny home office.