In current times with more and more people working from home, we realize the importance of a well-designed home office and its effects on productivity, efficiency, and even job satisfaction. Our home offices are the sanctuaries we depend on to motivate us to check off those tedious to-do lists. It is imperative that our home office space evokes the comfort and functionality needed to ignite the spark within us and make our working hours as productive as possible. There are so many ways to decorate and style your modern home office so that every square inch has a distinct purpose while still looking polished. From ergonomic office chairs, house plants that cleanse the air to modern multifunctional furniture, read on for our favorite functional home office ideas. Use them to create your own functional home office today!  

Fun & Functional Office Chairs 

The right office chair can make a world of difference to your productivity. Every one of us has different areas that need attention when we're trying to get comfortable. While some need help with posture, others suffer from stiffness. But, comfort always takes priority for everyone. We've done the legwork and scoured reviews for you when it comes to office chairs. This AmazonBasics Classic Mid-Back Mesh Swivel Chair has thousands of five-star reviews that speak for itself and a sleek design that will fit perfectly into your modern office. For a more fashion-forward choice, choose an upholstered office chair in your color of choice. Another great find is West Elm's Finley office chair. It comes in over twenty colors and offers the benefits of comfort and height adjustment while making a fabulous addition to your functional home office! 

Tables Are A Must! 

If you don't have a desk in your office, get creative and fashion one out of something you've already got lying around. A functional home office needs a desk for more than just the aesthetics of it. Ergonomically, there are many positives to sitting at a desk. For one, your posture is automatically better when you're working at your desk as opposed to an all-too-comfortable chair. You can set your table to the right height so that your eyes aren't fatigued at the end of the day because of excessive strain. You can reuse a wooden plank by staining and polishing it up and resting it on anything you have lying around to use as a makeshift desk. You can even use an old coffee table as your work desk and sit on the floor to get those creative juices flowing! 

House Plants Are Always A Good Idea

Bringing the outdoors inside is a great way to keep your home office feeling fresh. Not only do houseplants liven up your office space, but they can also be beneficial to your home office decor. Plants like the Peace Lily and Rubber Tree can cleanse toxins like formaldehyde and carbon monoxide out of the air while also giving your space that warm, homely feel. They're readily available, too! You can pick up a wide variety of indoor plants at your local hardware store or order them online. Check out how we used plants in this functional mid-century modern home office design.

Shelf It! 

Use the vertical space available in your home office and put in shelves for additional storage. You can mount a shelving cabinet right above your desk or put in floating shelves for a more clean, minimal design. You could also hang a stand on the wall. But, having enough storage is a must for any functional home office. It's always best to have a place to put away things that fall in the important-but-not-urgent pile. Put in the time and effort to arrange everything neatly on these shelves. And don't forget to label your storage boxes/baskets for future reference. The more you put away, the cleaner your space will look and feel. And a clean desk is not as overwhelming as a one with stacks of paper everywhere, so you'll be excited to get to work the next time you walk in! 

Calming Colors 

When it comes to colors, cool tones work best in your modern home office decor, especially if you're someone that struggles to focus on the tasks at hand. Anything too bright or bold could prove distracting, which is the last thing you need when you're trying to be productive. We recommend a clean, clutter-free space with neutral accents. You could even experiment with metallic detailing here and there to liven up your workspace. Adding a sleek floor lamp in the corner like this black brass style from Living Spaces or a minimalist bookshelf like this Estelle Brass and Marble Bookcase from Crate and Barrel helps add visual elements sans the clutter. 

Reclaim Your Space

When every item in your office has a designated "home," you've created a foundation for the best possible work environment. There are tons of organizational hacks that can keep your offices tidy and neat, ultimately giving you one less thing to worry about. A desktop organization system is a great place to start. With these modern acrylic desk accessories from The Container Store, you will fall in love with organizing. Gone are the days of frantically looking for your phone or your favorite pen. They'll always be right where they're supposed to be! Isn't that the dream? Another functional home office essential is a file cabinet on wheels. Not only is it easily accessible, but it will also keep all your paperwork organized. We recommend going for a sleek style like Wayfair's Bretagne 3-Drawer Storage Cabinet to match your modern home office decor. 

Keep It Clean

Speaking of desks, it's always best to keep a clean one. Like we just mentioned, a clean desk is one you look forward to. If your desk has piles of paperwork scattered everywhere, old coffee stains, and stationery all over the place, it will quickly become overwhelming and uninviting. Your workspace can fill you with a feeling of dread every time you think of it, and that's completely counterproductive. Make sure everything has a place. You can reuse old tin cans, mugs, and cups to use as little holders for your stationery, flash drives, etc. Wrap them with colorful craft paper or paint them to give your space a personalized touch. You can even hang up a pinboard and use that to keep track of your progress and your checklists, or you could use it as a vision board! 

Wire It Up! 

Some of the most inconvenient and unattractive things in your workspace are the wires and cords everywhere. Unfortunately, they're not something you can live without. But hey, all is not lost! There's an easy hack to organizing and hiding away all those cords. We recommend getting yourself a USB hub for your functional home office to plug everything into. Also, keep extra wires and cables for all your electronics. Since this is your personal, permanent set up, you can plug them in and forget about it! The awesome advantage of this is that all your chords are organized and also hidden away. They're not going to get in the way of anything anymore. What's more, you won't be greeted by that entangled eyesore when you sit at your desk in the morning! 

Lighting Is Everything

Bright sunlight is a natural mood-enhancer. A creative home office needs a lot of natural light to brighten up the room while also making it feel lighter and more spacious. If you don't have access to natural light, we suggest investing in good ambient lights for your home office. Lighting sets the mood. You don't want your work environment to be dull or dark. A brightly lit room can do wonders for your productivity. Keep the colors in your home office light and neutral so that the light enhances that airy look and feel. 

If you like these home office ideas and want to bring them to life in your home, or design your own perfect living space, start a project on Spacejoy. You will receive unlimited access to an expert online interior design team who can translate your vision and guide you to your perfect room design. Our unique technology allows you to view your room in 3D and interact with your design. Move and swap the products with a touch of a finger to see the unlimited possibilities. Our team will also curate a shopping list for you with handpicked products to suit your budget and your style that you can shop right away on our platform. Your dream office is now one click away. Click here for pricing.