5 Stylish Desk and Decor Ideas for a Compact Work From Home Office


home office compact ideas

Image Credit: Original BTC X Beata Heuman

While working from home was seen as a temporary measure during the pandemic, it’s now the new normal with a vast number of people working from home for over 50% of the week. So, while the kitchen table worked for a while, you may want to create a dedicated work-from-home set-up. If you don’t have much space, an office nook or a bijou desk area in a small space (like a corner or an alcove) is a great option. Here are five minimal desk area set-up ideas for a compact work-from-home office to give you some inspiration:

desk in alcove

Image credit: Original BTC.

Floating Desk

A floating desk in an alcove or small corner is a great way to integrate a compact working area into a room that blends well within a living space. A floating desk bears resemblance to a shelf, with the lack of legs meaning that it takes up as little space in the room as possible.

wall hosted desk

Image credit: Furniture and Choice.

Skinny Furniture

If you’d rather have something freestanding, then make sure that the desk is ‘skinny’. Slim-framed furniture feels a lot less bulky as it allows light and air to travel around it. Ladder shelf desks are a great purchase as they allow for desk space and storage shelving above.

skinny bookshelf desk home office

Ercol Home Office Monza Desk.

Zone With Colour

If you would rather zone your working area than have it blend in with the rest of the room, using colour is a great way to create a joyful, creative and productive space. This is especially true if you have a workspace within a cupboard, or a small desk in a nook under the stairs.

colorful home office compact

Image Credit: Dunelm.

Add Wall Storage

Compact working spaces don’t work with clutter; utilise the wall space by your desk to store everything you need, such as stationary and charging cables. Pegboards can support hooks and pots, corkboard is easy to install and great for pinning paper and other items, while Vitra sells amazing wall storage organisers.

wall office organiser

Vitra Uten Silo RE II Wall Storage System available via Nest.

Save Space With Wall or Clip-on Task Lighting

As well as not cluttering a compact working space with everyday office items, you may also not have space for a task lamp. Clip-on lighting can be attached to shelving and moved around as necessary. Try Original BTC for stylish clip-on lights.

pin board desk alcove

Clip on light Original BTC.