Decorate Your Home Office Using These 9 Great Tips

Because of the mountain of paperwork which now seems to envelop every family, home offices are almost a necessity in today's economic climate. They are often multi-purpose and serve for family finances, a home-based business, homework, Internet research and many other purposes.

If you follow the 9 tips below, you'll be able to create a multi-purpose space that suits your multi-tasking family.

1. Keep three things in mind: Function, function and more function. Don't just throw a desk and chair and bookshelf into your room and expect them to organize themselves. Plot out your use for the room and what you'll be needing in the way of an Internet or phone connection, storage, electronics like a computer and printer, and filing cabinets etc. Think about essentials first, then fill in.

2. Always purchase a few good pieces of furniture rather than stuff that'll fall apart in a year, or look like it came from a rummage sale after only weeks of use. Consider the comfort and ergonomics of your two main pieces, the desk and chair, so much can be done with modular office desks. You'll also be staring at them for hours every day so they might as well be handsome, as well as functional!

3. Colour is vital for your mood while working. Besides, who can gain inspiration from staring at 4 (or more) white walls which look like a hospital? Attitude towards your work is also influenced by colour. Retail stores and casinos study colour so they can influence their customers. It's important to pick colours that you personally like and that will make you happy. If they are wild -- so be it. Painting is fairly easy to do-over. Pick a couple of complimentary colours and base your decor around them.

4. Let there be light -- where you'll be working, that is. If you squint while trying to read something, you'll get a headache and wrinkles. If you have natural light in your room, that's always the best because it saves money on electricity, and well, it's natural. We didn't evolve under fluorescent lights, after all. Choose several light sources if necessary, and pick "green" lighting if it suits you.

5. Balance your shapes and curves and edges. Use a rectangular desk and an oval conference table, for instance. This creates a good flow pattern and is visually pleasing.

6. Live plants are crucial for oxygen and they are pleasing to look at as well. There are plants for low, moderate or high light situations. If you have absolutely no light source for a plant, consider a small aquarium or terrarium. They can be lit by LEDs and are beautiful to rest your eyes on.

7. Your home office is under your control, and not under the control of a boss. You can choose to have any view you like. If you don't have one out a window, then pick a painting, wall mural or print, and create your own.

8. Create an art gallery of the things you like, but that others in the family may not. If you're a sports nut then who cares if your favourite athlete's hockey jersey is draped on the wall?

9. When you're decorating, you can recreate a holiday destination or even a vignette from another country. Leave yourself enough room to work, though. This can be very stress relieving and it may remind you of some terrific memories.

We usually work more hours than we sleep or do other activities. Make your home work space happy and comforting by decorating how you want it to be. If you use these tips you'll be on your way to a better home office life. There' always room for additional tips of course, and you can think about those as you rest your mind and ponder on that empty corner spot that needs just the right "something"!

After a varied business career, which started out as an accountant in the City of London, Lloyd Burrell now specializes in office desk reviews. Although he has a penchant for ergonomic office desk furniture, Lloyd provides detailed reviews on a large variety of office desks, from small business office desks to top of the range executive office desks. Raised in England, he lives on the west coast of France with his wife Emmanuelle and their two children. Lloyd speaks French and appreciates French cuisine.