Home offices used to be a rarity but now, post-pandemic, they are quite often the rule rather than the exception. You may be fortunate enough to have a separate room for your workspace, however large or small, or instead need to create a more multifunctional room that is still conducive to industry! Whatever home office inspiration you are seeking, perhaps even garden office ideas, look no further than our incredible uFurnish.com Home Awards entrants with their clever and stylish solutions to create great places for work, along with some inventive home office storage ideas.
Explore the Entrants' Rooms
Our amazing Home Office category entrants really excelled themselves with a broad range of home office design ideas. From small to large, single to multipurpose, colourful to monochrome, they really covered the full spectrum of work-focused spaces. It was really interesting to see the different styles employed in creating these important rooms – proving that whether you like “business-like” or more comfortable, it doesn’t matter as long as the room “works” for you!
Sarah Twigg Doyle (@retwiggdstylish) was our well-deserved category winner with this small but mighty, colourful multifunctional space, serving as both an office and a guest room. The pink colour palette is strong yet calming with plenty of warmth with a neutral sofa bed and coordinating bed linens and scatter cushions. The opulent chandelier really makes a statement in what is a relatively small room, and there is plenty of wall art, providing both interest and contrast. The storage has been carefully thought through, with closed cupboards, drawers and open shelving combining to provide both practicality and style.
One finalist, Nichola McKerrow Todd (@noordinaryhouse), turned this former kitchen into a wonderful multipurpose space, making fantastic use of lots of natural light and the garden outside via the Crittall windows, turning what could have been a dark and dingy room into a warm and inviting space. Indeed, the dark parquet floor, dark furniture and dark wall coverings could have made this space rather gloomy, but by bringing the outside in, it really works.
Another finalist, Leah Govier (@homeymchomeface), has also made the most of natural light, this time with a much more colourful approach. The strong green of the storage units contrasts well with the pink chair, whilst the animal-print rug on the floor provides a fun contrast.
In this period property, another finalist, Anouska Lancaster (@noushka_design), has made great use of the wonderful view outside the window to create a small but spectacular office. The bold wallpaper really makes a statement, along with the chandelier, to create a small but appealing workspace.
Our last finalist, Claire Douglas (@clairedouglasstyling), nicely proved that you don’t need a big budget to make an amazing transformation. This wonderfully neat and calming space provides plenty of storage so that items can be shut away out of sight, whilst open shelving and artwork provide interest and focus in this neutral colour scheme.
Styles seen across Entrants' Rooms
Judging by the range of styles we saw in this year’s entries, it’s really hard to pick out a particular trend! We had colour, we had monochrome, we had sleek, we had eclectic – the key thread running through all these amazing offices was functionality. Of necessity, many of the spaces were multipurpose as occasional guest rooms or games rooms and we also saw several garden offices – perhaps a great way to get focus away from the hustle and bustle in the house!
What we love at uFurnish.com
There was so much to love from this diversity of entities, but there were two standout things we adored – clever storage and good use of light. Built-in cupboards, shelving and all manner of clever cabinets can bring harmony to your workspace and you don’t always need a big budget, as some of our DIY experts proved! Light – whether natural or artificial – is essential to a home office and really can make or break a transformation. Whilst you do have to work with what natural light and views your room has, statement light fittings and landscape artworks can create an illusion of the outdoors even if you don’t have the real thing.
How to apply these ideas in your home
Whether you work full or part time from home or simply need an ordered space for life’s admin, your home office’s primary purpose is to be functional. However, it also needs to be a calm, comfortable space that is conducive to work and that you look forward to spending time in. Whatever your budget, here are some key aspects to consider before starting your makeover:
1. Single or multi-purpose?
- If you have a dedicated office, your décor and design can focus purely on the work functions you need, such as a desk, video calls, printer/copier, etc.
- If your office needs to double as a guest or family room, be clear about what else this room needs to do and let your creativity run free. A sofa bed can give you the versatility you need.
2. Ergonomics
- Ensuring the correct desk/chair set up is vital to avoid RSI and other musculoskeletal issues
- With video calls such a large part of our work lives, ensure your setup doesn’t suffer from lighting glare. Also, think about what your call background will be.
- Make sure all the things you need to do your job are readily accessible, such as charging points.
3. Storage
- Whilst our work lives are much less paper-based than they used to be, good storage is vital for a well-functioning office, both for accessibility and to create a calm, work-focused environment.
- Built-in cupboards can optimise the use of space whilst shutting everything neatly away.
- Shelving provides for both book space and ornaments and artwork to inject your personality.
4. Lighting
- Optimise natural light in your room wherever you can. Position your desk so that you make the most of this without being dazzled. Think about flexible window coverings – perhaps a sunblind and curtains to provide practicality whilst remaining stylish.
- Use a mixture of ceiling lights and lamps – especially if your room doesn’t have a lot of natural light. You need enough light to avoid eyestrain but not too much to avoid glare.
Once you have established the key features required for your home office, identify the items you need to spend money on and those where you can be more creative by adapting or upcycling. When it comes to the overall décor, remember that your office is YOUR office, so if you love colour, use colour! Let uFurnish.com spark your imagination and help you find the pieces you need.
The spaces featured in the uFurnish.com Home Awards 2025 celebrate creativity, individuality and the many ways people shape their homes to reflect who they are. Each entrant offers inspiration that can be adapted to any style or budget, showing how thoughtful choices and clever details can transform everyday rooms. We hope these ideas inspire you to reimagine your own space and create a home you love spending time in.
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