London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

7 things you need to know before you design your home office

7 things you need to know before you design your home office

We asked Interior designer Emma Sims-Hilditch to share her top tips to create the perfect study


1. Get practical


It is best to site your work zone where there’s plenty of natural light, although task lighting can always be incorporated into a design. Practical features, such as power and data sockets, will need to be considered. Always opt for more sockets than you think you’ll need and include a charger drawer with power built in for your mobile phone and tablet.



2. Keep calm


I like to keep the colours calm in home offices to promote a good working environment. Try combining florals with fresh, white paint to give the room a crisp, uplifting feel. I also use grasscloth wallcoverings to make a room intimate and inviting. Dark schemes create atmosphere, but should be paired with good lighting.

3. Get it right


Make sure your desk is the right height (around 70cm is perfect) and that the screen isn’t facing a window, so you are not dazzled by daylight. The room should also be warm – underfloor heating is more practical than radiators if space is tight.

4.Tread carefully


Consider timber flooring rather than carpet if you want an office chair on castors. To define the space in an open-plan room, choose different flooring or wallpaper behind any shelving in the desk area.



5. Small is beautiful


We’re currently finding that many people want a small but well-designed study space in their kitchen, so it is worth considering concealing a desk within the joinery. The Chichester Workstation by Neptune, looks like a larder cabinet, but behind its façade is a fully fledged work space.

6. All things equal


My husband and I work in the same study, so I have first-hand experience of sharing an office. We sit at a large contemporary version of a partner desk, facing each other. In any shared area, having two phones and your own storage is a must. I always include a table lamp as well as overhead lighting when designing a study scheme.

7. Ideas at hand


Keep all your ideas and inspiration
close to hand on pin boards ahead of your computer. A whiteboard can be
a useful addition to a home office for any brainstorming session. You
can now buy whiteboard, blackboard and even metalic paint to apply yourself so any blank
wall can be put to use.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
×