skip to main content
Photos
Photos
Advice
Stories From Houzz
Houzz Discussions
Houzz Research
Sign In
Houzz Logo Print
  1. Home Office
  2. Size: Compact

Small Traditional Home Office Ideas and Designs

All Filters (2)
Refine by:
1 - 20 of 4,007 photos
Item 1 of 3
Quarry Lake Home
Quarry Lake Home
Du Interiors - Dulce RobertoDu Interiors - Dulce Roberto
Home Office
This is an example of a small classic home office in Portland with a reading nook, blue walls, slate flooring, a freestanding desk and multi-coloured floors.
Balham Interior Design
Balham Interior Design
Juliet Murphy PhotographyJuliet Murphy Photography
Juliet Murphy Photography
Inspiration for a small traditional study in London with beige walls, a built-in desk, beige floors and carpet.
home library
home library
Eleven Four LLCEleven Four LLC
Inspiration for a small traditional home office in Charlotte with a reading nook, beige walls, medium hardwood flooring, no fireplace and brown floors.
Stylish Understairs Study
Stylish Understairs Study
Neville Johnson LtdNeville Johnson Ltd
This innovative fitted furniture solution converts a previously unused area under the staircase and transforms it into a stylish home study area with plenty of storage. Each element of the bespoke, handcrafted understairs office has been carefully considered to not only maximise space but work as efficiently as possible. Everything is in easy reach yet stored away neatly and conveniently to create a sophisticated home office area.
A Hillside Estate
A Hillside Estate
Jane Antonacci Interior DesignJane Antonacci Interior Design
Specialty paint on the walls of this round room create the appearance of paneling. A French table desk started the design and gave the feeling of a French room.The Michael Taylor chair was custom painted to coordinate with the colors of the room. Silk upholstery was applied to it. A collection of drawings from Italy and France complete the exquisite look. Photo: David Duncan Livingston
Newport
Newport
Dual Concept DesignDual Concept Design
A work friendly space in your own home that inspires feelings of harmony and success through its green and blue tones.
This is an example of a small traditional home office in Chicago.
Equestrian Office
Equestrian Office
Haus of Rowe InteriorsHaus of Rowe Interiors
We transformed this barely used Sunroom into a fully functional home office because ...well, Covid. We opted for a dark and dramatic wall and ceiling color, BM Black Beauty, after learning about the homeowners love for all things equestrian. This moody color envelopes the space and we added texture with wood elements and brushed brass accents to shine against the black backdrop.
His Library Office
His Library Office
Provanti Designs, IncProvanti Designs, Inc
When working from home, he wants to be surrounded by personal comforts and corporate functionality. For this avid book reader and collector, he wishes his office to be amongst his books. As an executive, he sought the same desk configuration that is in his corporate office, albeit a smaller version. The library office needed to be built exactly to his specifications and fit well within the home.
Woodland Gardens
Woodland Gardens
ZAC and ZAC - PhotographyZAC and ZAC - Photography
©ZAC and ZAC
Inspiration for a small classic study in London with pink walls, a freestanding desk and grey floors.
Rustic Modern
Rustic Modern
Vine Street DesignVine Street Design
Small traditional home office in Chicago with medium hardwood flooring and a built-in desk.
Well Read
Well Read
Laurie Demetrio InteriorsLaurie Demetrio Interiors
Private Residence, Laurie Demetrio Interiors, Photo by Dustin Halleck, Millwork by NuHaus
Inspiration for a small traditional home office in Chicago with a reading nook, multi-coloured walls, dark hardwood flooring, no fireplace, a built-in desk and brown floors.
Hicks Street Brooklyn Heights
Hicks Street Brooklyn Heights
Ingui ArchitectureIngui Architecture
Inspiration for a small traditional home office in New York with a reading nook, medium hardwood flooring and a freestanding desk.
Декорирование интерьера квартиры в Оболенском переулке
Декорирование интерьера квартиры в Оболенском переулке
ART4INTERIORART4INTERIOR
Дизайнер - Оксана Бутман, Архитектор - Наталья Анахина, Фотограф - Красюк Сергей
Photo of a small classic study in Other with grey walls, medium hardwood flooring and a built-in desk.
Basement Remodel
Basement Remodel
Meadowlark Design+BuildMeadowlark Design+Build
Photography: Mars Photo and Design. Every square inch of this small basement remodel is utilized. This recessed space provides the perfect area for a small desk and shelving so the kids don't have to fight over desk space. Basement remodel was completed by Meadowlark Design + Build in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Hanlon Craft Room
Hanlon Craft Room
CM Fresh PerspectivesCM Fresh Perspectives
Small classic craft room in Seattle with white walls, laminate floors and a built-in desk.
Our Work
Our Work
Northern Heritage BuildersNorthern Heritage Builders
Cape Cod Style Home Office, Upstairs Home Office with Built-in Desk, Home Office With Built-in Shelving Built By CR Watson Fine Home Building and Remodeling Photos by JFW Photography for CR Watson
Office under Staircase with Storage and Desk File
Office under Staircase with Storage and Desk File
7 Sisters Interiors7 Sisters Interiors
The space under a staircase often goes to waste. Turn that empty void (or dark storage cave) into a useful workspace by building out the area with a desk and some customized storage. Construct a perfectly functional office with built-in cabinetry and convenient open shelving to store bills and household paperwork. Save space and stay organized all under one staircase. Elegant home office in San Diego with a built-in desk. — Houzz Sand Kasl Imaging
Transitional Home Office
Transitional Home Office
Photo of a small traditional study in Omaha with grey walls, carpet and a freestanding desk.
An Affordable Facelift
An Affordable Facelift
VRA Interiors, LLCVRA Interiors, LLC
Our client asked us to turn this spare bedroom into a functional, sophisticated study. We wanted to incorporate our client's existing furniture, so we focused on finding the rest of the furnishings in a deep, espresso-colored wood. Once we had the larger pieces all set and ready to go, we worked in the new artwork, window treatments, accessories, and decor - which all beautifully contrasted against the darker wood and added some major character! Home located in Atlanta, Georgia. Designed by interior design firm, VRA Interiors, who serve the entire Atlanta metropolitan area including Buckhead, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Cobb County, and North Fulton County. For more about VRA Interior Design, click here: https://www.vrainteriors.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://www.vrainteriors.com/portfolio/piedmont-drive/
Other Rooms
Other Rooms
Martha Stewart LivingMartha Stewart Living
Organize your work space to suit your needs. Crafters can easily store all the supplies they need for knitting, stamping, sewing, and more. Nooks help separate yarn, envelopes, paper, and other materials, while drawers and shelving keep the rest in order. Martha Stewart Living Seal Harbor PureStyle cabinetry in Ocean Floor. Martha Stewart Living hardware in Soft Iron.

Small Traditional Home Office Ideas and Designs

Whether you work from home or need a study space to get things done out of hours, finding room in the house for a home office makes for a valuable addition to many homes. Having a traditional home office can seem like the best of both worlds, but it’s important to keep in mind that this should be a productive space that keeps out the many distractions of home. You may not have the luxury of a dedicated room to turn into your traditional office room or home library, so choose your space wisely to ensure privacy and adequate storage. A carefully designed corner in your living room or an alcove can be made into a productive and stylish study space. Your home office furniture with the desk in the centre of your design, needs to include both work surface space and storage ideas – never underestimate how quickly a computer desk can become cluttered with stationery and box files.

How do I find traditional home office ideas?

For any basic home office or study set up there are just two essential office furniture items: desks and seating. If you will be a frequent home worker then you will also want to invest in nice desk lighting, filing cabinets or bookcases. Desks need to be large enough to accommodate all the tools of your trade. The material your desk is made from will set the tone for your home office design, whether you opt for glass, traditional teak, luxurious mahogany or affordable pine. Investing in a good quality task chair is imperative for the office – there are some great ergonomic chairs at every price level that will help to compensate for our modern, computer-bound lifestyles. If you have room for an office chair other than your computer chair, choose something comfortable but still supportive for when you need a break from your desk. Ideas that include a nice bookcase design and wall shelves mean your traditional study can double as a home library. For a truly luxurious home office you could consider fitted office furniture which will maximise the space you have and create a permanent space in your home dedicated to work.

How to find ideas for my traditional home office decor?

The right ambience will make your home office a place you enjoy spending time without taking away your focus. Choose a colour scheme that encourages productivity for you – that may be a palette that is calming and restful, or you might feel more inspired by bright invigorating colours and graphic prints. When decorating the walls, look out for items that create the right studious vibe for the room. Wall maps, pinboards that can serve as mood or inspiration boards, and world clocks can all be great options when considering office design ideas. Practical necessities like desk lamps needn’t be unattractive – there a range of stunning designer lamps available. After all your hard work to make this a productive space, clutter can be very distracting so limit the items on your home office desk to a couple of your favourite photographs and perhaps a trinket or two to stimulate the mind. Papers and office supplies should be tucked away, so keep the space tidy and maintain your office as a calm work space that promotes focus – all the better to see your lovely decor with.

How do I setup a home office in a small room?

A home office doesn’t have to mean a separate room – the nature of working from home involves compartmentalisation, so apply this concept practically to your space. Even a small space, if sectioned off properly, can be transformed into a great workstation or study area. Unused nooks are the perfect places to fit your study in a small room – place a desk and chair under some floating shelves. Even under-utilised fitted wardrobes can make an innovative makeshift home office desk space with built-in storage. If the room you have can’t accommodate a full set of office furniture, opt for versatile options such as home office desks with built-in drawers or storage benches. If you use a laptop instead of a desktop PC, you may even consider a folding table that can be simply tidied away when you’re done working or studying. Alternatively, you may want to leave the house altogether – garden offices, either purpose-built or converted from sheds, are increasingly popular as a tranquil space away from the chaos of home life. If it was good enough for Roald Dahl, it’s certainly good enough for us.

How do I create a traditional home library?

If the stuffiness of home office desks, swivel chairs and filing cabinets is too much for you, a traditional library space may be more your thing when it comes to study, work or even relaxation. Libraries are peaceful and quiet places, and with careful consideration you can recreate this in an area of your home. Books are obviously going to feature heavily in your home library design, and you’ll need a place to store them. A bookcase or nice shelving can create room dividers if you don’t have a whole room to dedicate to a home library, and the benefit of bookcases is that they are movable – you don’t have to stick with one layout it it’s not working. If you don’t want to take up space, shelves hung on the walls will work just as well, and if you really want that authentic library feel then you’ll have to go with built in bookshelves that stretch from floor to ceiling. Next all you need is a comfy chair in amongst the books or a desk if you plan to do work or study from your library. Remember that traditional library areas can be slotted in all around the home – under the stairs, in a corner of your living room or kitchen, as a mezzanine or in a small spare room.
1
123456789Next Page
United Kingdom
Tailor my experience with cookies

Houzz uses cookies and similar technologies to personalise my experience, serve me relevant content, and improve Houzz products and services. By clicking ‘Accept’ I agree to this, as further described in the Houzz Cookie Policy. I can reject non-essential cookies by clicking ‘Manage Preferences’.