Don’t let your NYC home office space be an eyesore
Design: Time & Place Interiors
You might have spent the better part of the last few years working from some space in your apartment. Even if you’re part of the “return to office” wave that’s hit corporate America, I’ll bet that a work-from-home spot is still likely a reality for you.
But is your desk area an eyesore in your apartment’s open layout? Does it scream “HIDE ME” in your living room?
Interior designers accustomed to modern city life can make a home office look polished. Or at minimum, they blend a work area seamlessly into a space that serves other functions, like when your desk is in your living room, or if you have a home-office-slash-guest-bedroom setup.
The key is integrating elements of the rest of the room’s style into the work area. (I recently shared my expertise on this with Forbes Magazine.)
One way is to introduce vintage. Mid Century desks in nice teak or walnut woods pair well with modern office chairs: I recommend the ergonomic and stylish Eames “Aluminum” group model. A Danish Modern modular wall unit that has a desk worktop (see my design above) can look super sleek in a living room that doubles as a work area. And using an antique table as a worktop, coupled with a good looking contemporary filing cabinet for storage below, can also marry aesthetics with practicality.
If you have a more function-forward desk, you can illuminate the work area with a stylish office lamp on top of it — maybe a mod vintage light. Hanging a good piece of art above the desk gives visual inspiration during your work day. And a luxurious tabletop accessory or two can make a difference: an Italian marble paperweight, a leather catchall, or a hand thrown ceramic pencil cup will weave in the room’s aesthetic into the desk area.
So, enjoy this assembly of luxury home office designs, many in New York City apartments where space is a premium. Desk areas like these are sure to make you feel more inspired during the workday, and afterwards too.
In this Greenwich Village apartment, both the desk and office chair are vintage Eames. The lamp is a mod Mid Century model, and the abstract art ties it all together. Design: Alvin Wayne / Photo: Frank Frances
Here’s an industrial inspiration, in a Tribeca loft where a vintage desk and an old filing cabinet make for a sleek and functional work-from-home space. Design: Lauren Waters / Photo: Olivia Pierce
A custom-sized floating tabletop can be the best solution to a small home office space, coupled with a sweet filing cabinet. In this luxury color-blocked work nook, a reupholstered vintage desk chair by Jens Risom pairs nicely with vintage art and a vintage desk lamp. Design: JAM / Photo: Gieves Anderson
Modernism looking sleek in another Greenwich Village home office, with a Hans Wegner desk, a Bauhaus-style vintage lamp, and a Danish chair. Contemporary shelving above offers attractive storage. Design: Grisoro Studio / Photo: David Mitchell
High-low can be the way to go: A vintage Mid Century desk and chair are paired with an Urban Outfitters lamp in this SoHo apartment’s work area. Design: Nicholas Obeid / Photo: Tim Lenz
Against stunning original ceilings in a different SoHo loft, a modern style vintage desk setup looks extra posh. Design: Nina Garbiras / Photo: Gieves Anderson
Small spaces can take a big dose of style. A Pierre Jeanneret desk is mixed in with a Verner Panton chair, vintage lamp, and a leather waste basket in a Chelsea studio apartment. Design: Charlie Ferrer / Photo: Stephen Kent Johnson
Everything you need in a home office / guest bedroom combo. A Charlotte Perriand vintage table is paired with a Thonet bentwood reupholstered chair. Notice the subtle repetition of curves in the lighting and the furniture’s lines. Design: C. S. Valentin / Photo: Alexa Holtz
Pairing modern shelving with an antique desk achieves more home office storage and juxtaposes interesting styles. In this Brooklyn brownstone, CB2 wall-mounted shelves flank the designer’s grandfather’s heirloom desk. Design: Mariah Rich / Photo: Erin Little
When there’s only a tiny bit of space, a floating desk like this Danish Modern teak piece can come in handy. Design: Rachael Gowdridge / Photo: Christopher Horwood
Let’s get to work on your home office design
Time & Place Interiors designs for busy New Yorkers seeking a space that feels authentic and sophisticated. Founder Ksenya Malina’s access to one-of-a-kind vintage and custom design will bring you a stylish work-from-home space that you’ll enjoy during office hours and after hours. Use the link below schedule a free 20-minute information call to talk about your design needs:
