12 Home Office Ideas for a Sophisticated Look on a Budget

Today, one in five Americans works from home at least one day a week. That’s about 30 million people. If you’re one of those “stay at home” workers, some tips for getting organized and establishing a pleasant environment on a budget might come in handy, whether you telecommute, run your own entrepreneurial venture, or dream of writing the great American novel. Carve out a stunning and efficient work space whether you have a lot of room or a little in your existing home or are planning a home office for your new home.

Here are 12 great ways to create a sophisticated look on a tight budget:

1. Forget the myth that you need a lot of space. Even a small closet might suit you to a tee.
2. Borrow from what you have when planning work space. Take stock of what you already own. An unused console table? A well-used straight chair that could be slip covered and called into service? An adjustable bar stool that could serve — at least for a while — as a desk chair? Some metal garage racks that would clean up and look great with a coat of fresh paint? Never forget the obvious!
3. Look to the walls for extra space. Floor to ceiling shelving can be custom designed to meet your needs, and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. If your carpentry skills aren’t the greatest, get some bids, but be sure to specify what your budget is. Painted pine is always cheaper than finished melamine—and you can always do the painting yourself, right?
4. Plan for your electronics, digital gear and charging needs. If you don’t have enough electrical circuitry to handle your needs, hire an electrician to solve the problem. Never rely on trailing extension cords and overloaded circuits.
5. Visit flea markets, thrift stores and garage sales for bargain prices. Some of the best home work spaces have no traditional office furniture. Use a breakfast table as your desk if you wish. Redo a vintage drop leaf table or chest/desk combination; it will be a standout piece and save you space at the same time. Bring it into the modern age with paint and embellishment. Long buffets and tall china cabinets from vintage dining sets can hold a ton of stuff in style, and are often very reasonably priced.
6. Don’t neglect storage needs, but plan to share resources. File cabinets, even those metal ones, don’t have to be ugly. Find used lateral files and paint them; don’t worry about a few dents. Add a cushion to low files for extra seating; line them up under a window; top of row of files with glass and as a mod credenza behind a desk. If your file cabinet is tall, paint something pretty on the backside and put it into service as a room divider.
7. Kitchen organizers are perfect for home offices. Muffin tins, egg cups, cutlery divider trays, pitchers and large coffee cups can corral all sorts of office supplies, pencils, pens and rulers. Spray paint an old (or new) cookie sheet a bright color and attach it to the wall as an instant magnetic message board. Use a bright plastic dish drying rack as a desktop file organizer, and call a decorative recipe box into service as a 3×5 card holder for business contacts and resources.
8. Find pretty baskets to fill a multitude of needs: Use flat ones as in/out trays, a large one as a wastebasket, covered baskets to hold samples or work supplies. Alternatively, use metal containers or canning jars of various sizes to organize those items you need to see.
9. Find an alternative to a desk. If you like to work with your laptop from a comfortable sofa, forget the desk. Use a system of wall-hung shelves or cubbies to organize your work supplies, move in a plush chaise and a proper reading lamp, hang some pretty art and go to work. This would work in a corner of your bedroom or in a corner of the living room.
10. Open the door to multi-purpose work surface. A standard inexpensive hollow core door from a home improvement store is perfect. Simply paint or stain all sides, thread your computer cords through the drilled-out doorknob hole, set the door on a pair of inexpensive painted wooden sawhorses or screw it to pre-finished legs of your choice (also from the big box store) Place a comfortable chair on either side and you’ll have workspace for two, convenient meeting space, and enough surface to complete big projects.
11. Hang it up and keep everything at your fingertips. Look to the walls with more than shelving. Hang pegboard, chalkboard, white board, cork board and lighting if you’re short on floor and surface space. Or paint your walls with magnetic, chalkboard or dry erase paint. You’ll be amazed at the options available. You can even hang small cabinets from the walls; just make certain it’s all secure!
12. Add some personal touches. Art, a green plant to freshen the air, a soft pillow and a warm afghan; even a dorm fridge or a coffee maker close at hand can make your home working experience pleasant and productive. Make sure that you become one of the 90% of home-based workers who say they’re happy with the arrangement by making your work space special!

Recent projections by the Telework Research Network say that the home work force will increase by a whopping 63% in the next five years. According to all studies, working at home makes for happier, more productive employees, lowers costs for employees and employers alike, and fosters all kinds of creativity and flexibility. It certainly seems to be the wave of the future, so now is the perfect time to create that great home office.