Home office decor: 10 creative alternatives

Sure, you can furnish and accessorize your home office with standard desks, magazine holders and letter trays from Staples or IKEA and be done with it, but why not treat your office to the same high decor standards as the rest of your home? Start with our top 10 creative alternatives as inspiration and then let your imagination fill in the blanks.

1 Anchor desk
Rather than the boring old melamine desk, look for a lightweight dining table that can later do double duty as, well, a dining table, if you ever need extra room for company.

2 Peripheral perfection
Using furnishings that match your home's decor is a great way to incorporate your office into the overall scheme, especially if it's in a corner of a living room or kitchen. Try a side or end table with a drawer or shelf to hold your printer and paper, a large chest to hide files, or a coffee table with shelves and baskets for extra storage.

3 Pegboard pileup
Take the pegboard out of the tool shed and into the office to hang all your essentials, from scissors to staplers. Paint the pegboard and hooks matching or complementary colours, according to your decor.

4 Shoe shine
Making use of vertical space will help keep your desk clear of non-essential items. Hang a shoe caddy on the back of your door and fill the slots with staples, wiring, CD-ROMs and more. Don't forget to label for easy retrieval.

5 Screen gems
Reinvent a decorative screen by applying a cork board or chalkboard paint for an instant message centre. A screen is especially useful if your office shares space with a den or dining room.