Decorating a Home Office
English Country Style

Whether you work from home on a daily or occasional basis, decorating a home office that is well designed can make all of the difference in the world to your comfort and productivity.

As you create the design for your home office, consider integrating the English Country style, a time-honored look for any property.

Practicality-Choosing Your Desk and Filing Cabinets:

One of the most critical selections for decorating a home office is the desk. After all, this is where you will be spending most of your time within the space. Before you begin shopping for this piece, give some consideration to how you will use the desk as well as the optimal size. Are you going to be working in the space daily? If so, you will want to search for a desk that is constructed from hardwoods so it is more durable.

If you are only going to be working at the desk on an occasional basis, you could consider a desk with a glass top, an antique Queen Anne writing desk or even a secretary such as a Chippendale.

Depending upon the shape and size of your room, you will choose to either place the desk against one of the walls, or to float the desk off the wall into the center of the space facing either the fireplace, windows or entrance doors.

For filing and storage, give some thought to utilizing a re-purposed armoire which can be fitted to house some of your computer components, books, or filing cabinets. Most skilled carpenters can make these modifications for you.

Other filing cabinet options can include trompe l’oeil painted pieces, ottomans covered in tapestries and Chippendale consoles with integrated filing components.

Choosing a Desk Chair:

Another important piece to select for your room is the desk chair. Consider a chair with swivel functionality in the Chippendale or Queen Anne style to complement your English Country décor.

If your home office will get only occasional usage, you could select a dining room chair in the English Country style to complement your desk.

English Country Lighting for your Home Office:

Choosing lighting is one of the last decisions you will make when decorating a home office, pulling all of your components together. To remain in the English Country style, consider green glass bankers’ lamps, candlestick lamps or even brass lamps, all of which you will find as replicas at your local design stores, or you can search for original period pieces at antique stores.

For a vintage feel, consider antique wall sconces on either side of a focal piece of artwork.

Window Coverings:

Depending upon the quantity and size of your home office’s windows, you may consider incorporating window coverings such as curtains. If so, choose printed fabrics such as subdued floral patterns, paisleys or chintz to remain in the English Country style. You could also include valances or tie backs to suit the room’s style.

English Country Wall Décor:

You can select just about any type of wall covering, including traditional wallpaper prints, wood paneling or a simple paint color to act as a backdrop for your chosen wall decor. A popular wall art option for decorating a home office is a National Geographic world map.

Other popular picture options might include horse-and-hound art or vintage poster art which you could choose to complement your personal interests, while also coordinating with the room’s décor.

English Country Flooring Options:

Wood floors would be ideal for an English country home office. To cover the hardwoods, consider an Oriental rug or a sisal carpet. If you prefer wall-to-wall carpet, consider Berber as the texture will suit the rest of the room’s design. Choose a neutral wall-to-wall carpet so as not to compete with the other design elements in the room.

English Country Accessories:

Because some of the wall décor and fabrics chosen could be busy, keep your room’s accessories to a minimum. A few functional items such as pretty vases, antique pieces which can double as desk accessories and bookends if you have incorporated bookcases into the room are ideal.

For example, you could use a small antique bowl as a business card holder. Remember; the smallest details within a room often make the largest impact so let your creative juices flow when you add these final touches to the room.

English Country is one of the most popular style choices for decorating a home office. Not only does it portray an old-time charm and coziness, but it can also offer functionality, beauty and character that no corporate environment could ever duplicate.

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