With permanent hybrid work, the home office has never been so important – and never looked so good. Forget boring ergonomic chairs and crowded surfaces, the modern home office is as much a design statement as it is a workspace. These rooms from the ELLE Decoration archive show how designer desks, clever shelving and stylish storage solutions create stylish WFH setups that inspire creativity and productivity.
Animal print and vintage furniture from Batiik
With a leopard-print rug by Madeleine Castaing and a sconce by India Mahdavi on cozy yellow walls, this office is anything but a boring workspace. The owner's vintage desk, Gerrit Rietveld's “Zig-Zag” chair and Hiromi Objets lamp add a retro touch.
A “mindfully curated” study of Charu Gandhi
This family home is so focused on productivity that two of the five bedrooms became offices after a renovation. Bill Cleyndert & Company made the light oak shelves with walnut drawer fronts, and designer Charu Gandhi chose pieces reminiscent of mid-century design, like Bodo Sperlein's “Contourline” desk and “Swan” lamp Michel Amar. The desk chair is from HAG, a “Circuit: 7” pendant from Apparatus hangs overhead and the rug is from Holland Cassidy.
A happy home office in Paris
This sunny study is draped in Argile's Gui D'Octobre color and features DimoreMilano shelving, a leather-covered desk shelf and base cabinets. The chair is “S34” by Pierre Chapo and the vintage table lamp with a leather stem is by Angelo Lelii.
A space for work and play by Atelier HA
This flexible space is carpeted in Lano's “Dream – Living Colors” rugs and houses mostly vintage finds, including the sofa, desk, chair and sconce. Heavy curtains made from Elitis' Philae fabric can be drawn to add coziness. On the opposite wall hangs a painting by Catherine Lavialle, next to the “Stellata” floor lamp by François Bazin from Monde Singulier. The chrome-plated table lamp “Aspide” was designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Gubi.
A work corner from DIIP Architects
This loft-style apartment by the DIIP architectural firm is proof that you don't need to set aside an entire room to set up an office. Cleverly utilizing a corner next to the sweeping tangerine staircase, the design team installed custom silver fir joinery and a “S43” chair by Mart Stam for Thonet to create a stylish and compact workspace.
David Montalba's stylish take on WFH
A Rose Tarlow desk reigns supreme in this home office designed by David Montlaba, while Straight Up Palms, an artwork by Stefan Simchowitz, adds a touch of escapism. Two “Bixby” lamps from Made Goods stand on a “Glencoe” sideboard by Jean de Merry. The desk chair is an “Eames Soft Pad” and the armchair is the “Scheggia” design by Mario Ferrarini of Potocco.
A fashionable office in Peckham
This stylish study is one of several fashion references in designer Jill McNair's home. Inspired by a Gucci ad, the olive green room features an Eames chair, a vintage desk from The Modern Warehouse, and a red “Bellhop” lamp by Barber Osgerby for Flos on top.
A busy home office in London
Overlooking the house entrance and framed by double doors, olive green walls (Farrow & Ball's “Bancha”) signal that this is a space for work and reflection. The steel-backed chair is by Monument and the Scalloped desk is by Max McLintock. The curtains are Ruskin fabric from Morris & Co and the rug is Sahara in Mink from Knots Rugs. On the desk are a “Wobble” pot by Katie Moore and a “Bon Bon” coffee glass by Helle Mardahl. The floor lamp is Sergio Calatroni's “Papiro” design.
A home office retreat in Melbourne
Adjacent to the master bedroom of this Melbourne home is an area that the homeowner refers to as a “retreat.” It has the versatile “Zenit” shelving system from Rimadesio as a wall divider. A “Swan” chair by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen stands on a “Compas Direction” desk by Jean Prouvé for Vitra, next to a 1950s floor lamp by Stilnovo.