How To Give Your Home Office A Traditional Look

There's nothing like an old-fashioned study to make you feel at the same time relaxed, comfortable and businesslike. In today's age of flimsy flat-packed home offices, wouldn't you like to bring a little of the sense of solidity and timelessness of times gone by into your study?

To get the look start with the walls - wood panelling is the most desirable option, but can be prohibitively expensive. A cheaper option is wainscoting, but if you're on a budget, even this can be a bit much. A cheap option is to use a dado rail to split the wall in half, and then either paint or paper the lower section a darker colour, accentuating the open space above.

A traditional study is a great place to think

The most important item of furniture in any study is the desk, and in a traditional room, it is even more important to find the right desk. Think heavy, chunky furniture in solid dark-stained wood. If, however, your room is a little on the dark side, you may want to opt for lacquered oak or ash to bring a bit of light to proceedings. Keep the look goinf by using matching wooden shelving and filing cabinets.

If you find yourself writing letters by hand, there is no more comfortable and luxurious writing surface than leather, and a desk with a green leather writing surface is the definition of this look. However, leather inlay can be tricky to keep in good order, especially if you have children who might draw on it. Choose a solid wooden desk, in dark oak or stained beech, and invest in a separate leather writing surface. This allows you to leave space for a computer, which could permanently mark leather.

A rug is vital for the look, especially if it's a Turkish woven rug, which helps to give the room a professorial feel and provides a focal point around which to arrange the furniture.

Nothing evokes that timeless study
feel like a banker's lamp

The ultimate finishing touch for a traditional study is a green glass banker's lamp, which casts a warm glow over the room, and especially complements leather and dark wood tones. Search online for antique lamps, or if you're on a budget, look for a cheaper reproduction, and get the look at a fraction of the price.

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How To Turn Your Home Office French

Home offices and studies can be neglected when it comes to style, leaving them drab and uninviting, and preventing you from using them to their full potential. The answer is to treat a home office or study exactly the same as you'd treat a living room, and to give it as much attention to design. This handy guide is intended to help you to use the classic elegance of French-influenced design and craftsmanship to create a welcoming and inspiring home office.

The best way to get the look of a chic Parisian apartment in your study or office is to start with a classic French colour for the walls and woodwork, and then pick a few carefully chosen pieces of furniture that will meet all your more practical needs while still allowing you to focus on a luxurious feeling of space and elegance.

This room has all the simplicity and
classic elegance of French design

The classic French look calls for a chalky white paint for both the walls and woodwork, although if this feels a little cold to you, you could try going for a celadon blue for the walls, matched to a deeper blue for window frames and skirting boards.

When it comes to picking furniture, think classic wooden pieces with elegant curves and expansive surfaces. White painted wooden furniture is especially effective, and can be complemented by dark-stained lacquered wood pieces. Try pairing a painted desk with a dark lacquered chair for a refreshing, eclectic look.

This miniature home office favours
Parisian simplicity over any hints of opulence

Accessorising a French-style office is a breeze - invest in some simple narrow black picture frames and frame either French film posters or black and white photographs. Choose a black and white patterned fabric for cushions, and, if you can afford to, replace your curtains with wooden shutters, and you'll really feel like an intellectual on the left bank of the Seine.

Ideal Home Magazine have a brilliant feature on French-style home offices, while styleroom.co.uk have a report on a simple, affordable approach to turning your whole house French, so if you love the idea, but are a bit short on inspiration, why not head over and check out their stunning images?

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How To Create A Contemporary Office

With the ongoing recession causing salaries to be frozen, and with record numbers of applicants for vacant jobs, more and more of us are discovering our entrepreneurial spirit and starting businesses from home. If you have just embarked on a new commercial venture, you'll need surroundings that reflect your new business ideas, so we've come up with some great ideas on how to get maximum inspiration from your home office.

There's no doubting Sir Alan's business skills,
but what about his choice of decor?

If you've ever watched the BBC's show The Apprentice, you'll be familiar with the ultra modern glass-and-steel look of Sir Alan Sugar's boardroom. It makes a useful example of a contemporary work space, as your reaction to its super-sleek interiors will dictate the direction that you want to take with your own office. Some may find the reflective surfaces and unbroken lines of Sir Alan's office to be an inspiration, while others may still yearn for a modern look, but will want more warmth.

If the shiny, clean lines of Sir Alan's board room appeal to you, then you'll want to carefully plan your ultra-modern home office, otherwise it could end up looking like a cheap imitation, and your dreams of running your empire from a sleek, professional workspace may become a nightmare of peeling foil wallpaper and mismatched textures. The key to this style is to keep it simple - avoid flashy wall coverings and stick to a muted slate grey paint for the walls, and pick out a desk in glass or perspex. The only problem with a glass desk is that it works as a kind of display cabinet for clutter - invest in some stylish designer filing cabinets to make sure you have enough storage to keep surfaces clear. One of the keys to getting this look right is lighting - you won't be able to achieve that ultra modern look if you have a traditional lightbulb in the centre of the ceiling. Go for recessed halogen spotlights, with a separate switch for lightng over the desk.

This workspace mixes contemporary design and
lighting with traditional materials for an inviting feel.

If you want a modern workspace that is stylish while still being warm and inviting, why not mix traditional materials with modern style - look for a desk in oak or pine that has been made to a contemporary design, and you'll be able to achieve a harmony between sleek professionalism and homely comfort. Pick matching wooden filing cabinets and shelves to continue the harmonious feel. You can use your wooden furniture to select your wall colour by holding up a paint catalogue to the wood and finding a sympathetic tone. For example, oak contains hints of many different shades, and you can pick out burgundy, umbre, or even flecks of royal blue. This will create a unified and inviting room, where it is easy to concentrate and let yourself be inspired.

This home office manages to combine sleek
modernity with a hint of warmth

If you're having difficulty visualising your new workspace, head over to hgtv.com, where their designers have put together some truly inspirational home offices, including the two above. If you're working to a tight budget, then why not check out the BBC design inspiration site's range of affordable ideas for studies and home offices, and give an early boost to your profit margins.

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Must Have Office Items

A home office can quickly descend into chaos - one minute it's the hub for your personal empire, the next it's a dumping ground for home gym equipment, sports gear, the kids' old toys, and you're wading through clutter to somehow find your desk. By planning ahead, and by making sure that your home office is well-designed and inviting, you can make sure that it is a valuable and productive space, rather than a forgotten storage area. By filling your home office with useful, practical items and avoiding clutter, you can make sure that you maximise your productivity. We present our eight top picks for the best office items.

This office has lost the war on clutter

10. Top pot plants

gardeningknowhow.com has compiled a list of the best office plants - easy to care for, attractive, and perfect for breaking up the harsh lines of office furniture.

9. Dress your window for success

Whether it's sleek wooden blinds or richly textured curtains, you'll really notice the difference a well-dressed window can make.

8. Stylish and Inspiring Wall Art

You'll need to make sure that your office's walls are inspiring and pleasing on the eye, so take a look around and find yourself some wall art that captures your personality. You could even get one of your own photos blown up, so that when you're busy with your tax return you can look up and be back at that tranquil beach you remember from holiday, or gazing at a breathtaking city view.

7. Inspirational toys and gadgets

Check out iwantoneofthose.com's great selection of office toys and gadgets, perfect for de-stressing in between filing invoices. We especially love the Dead Fred pen holder and the Everlasting Calendar Tape.

6. A comfy couch

Working at a desk can really take it out of you, and sometimes you need extra comfort to really think through an idea. Try bringing in a small couch to give yourself a place to think deeply, and also to bring a touch of style and sophistication to the room.

5. Extra storage to combat houshold clutter

One of the biggest threats to the order of your home office is from the mounds of household clutter that can be dumped there. Invest in a couple of wooden sideboards and you'll not only gain some expansive surfaces where you can keep plants or printing equipment, but you'll also have some spacious storage for all those items that can never seem to find a home.

4. Make sure you have enough filing space

Nothing makes an office uninviting like huge piles of paper and files. Stay on top of your filing by making sure that you have enough filing space. For a stylish feel, avoid traditional metal filing cabinets and go for sleek, stylish wooden cabinets that will make keeping your files in order a pleasure.

3. Get the lighting just right

When lighting your home office, consider the various requirements that you have - you'll definitely need a desk lamp for close reading, and a large, warm central light for a clean, clear feel, but isn't it all a bit harsh? why not accessorise with different lighting options such as low-level lamps or halogen spotlights in the ceiling so that you can remain in total control.

2. Make sure your chair is comfy

If you work from home, or even if you just use your office to organise your finances, you'll need a comfy place to sit. It's worth spending a bit extra to get a chair with full lumbar support and a fully-adjustable form.

1. Get the right desk

The desk isn't just a surface for you to work at - it can also bring a real air of stylish professionalism to a room. Pick a desk in a stylish material such as solid oak, and your study or home office will be a place you'll enjoy working in.

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