If you’re like most modern people, then your work space is probably smaller than you’d like it to be. Some of us live in the city and work out of a small home office. Others run a traditional brick and mortar business, but simply have limited space to work with in general.

While making a small office space exciting and functional is certainly a challenge, it’s not impossible. By making some smart choices when it comes to décor, space set-up, and office furniture, you can easily turn your limited work space into a place where you’ll love spending time in.

Don’t Be Afraid to Be Bold

Most people tend to assume that working with a small space means that you can’t make bold decisions when it comes to décor. They don’t feel like it’s appropriate to use colour or to choose furniture and accessories that feature unconventional designs. In reality, the fact that you’re working with a smaller office space simply means that you need to make more informed decisions, as every inch of your space is going to need to count. The Divana One seat lounge is one piece of furniture that is comfortable, is visually appealing and would be a snug fit for a small office space.

Certainly, make bold choices if that’s what you’d like but make them with care and forethought. Instead of choosing a super-saturated color for the walls, picking out office furniture in another bold color, and accessorizing with vivid modern art, try going with just one of those ideas to maintain focus but still adding enough interest.

Choose Color Tones Carefully

When decorating a small office space, it’s important to understand how color choices affect visual perceptions of size. Darker objects are generally perceived as being smaller than they are while the opposite is true for light-colored objects. For this reason, many people commit to darker-toned desks and chairs for their small space.
However, if your wall color is already dark, lighter-toned choices can provide necessary contrast to the look of the room. When working with small spaces, you’ll want to avoid loud, large patterns in favor of more subtle prints.

The Importance of Lighting

Lighting can make a statement-making difference when it comes to the mood and appearance of a small space. Good lighting becomes even more important if the space doesn’t have much natural light to work with. All-over bright lighting can make a small room feel overexposed, so try limiting ultra-bright lights to areas where they’re needed for certain tasks.
Mid-range general lighting can be used to keep the space balanced and bright in the absence of natural light, on darker days, or at night. You can even consider softer LED lights to accent specific items or areas.

Make the Most of Your Space

Every office, no matter what size, will require you to find room for certain items. That said, don’t underestimate the value of building up, as opposed to out. Even if you don’t have much square footage to work with, you most likely will have some extra wall space. For instance, consider making the most of the space directly over or behind your desk by installing attractive shelving. This can be a great way to store everyday items, showcase family photographs, display well-chosen knick-knacks, and more. It adds visual appeal to the room as well.
You may also want to consider cabinetry, baskets, and drawers to conceal clutter or equipment that you need, but don’t use every day. Surfaces that are covered with clutter can help make a space feel cramped and look much smaller than it really is. Just keep what you really need on your desktop and conceal the rest in drawers or in cabinets. Small objects can be conveniently stored in attractive baskets or containers kept on shelves. You might even look into using a filing cabinet such as the Celia lateral filing drawer unit where you can keep all those important files.

Go Custom

Having trouble finding ready-made desks, chairs, and shelving that fits your space, but still has the look you want? Instead of settling, consider opting for custom office furniture built with your needs and space in mind. Not only can custom office furniture maximize very small or unusual work spaces, it also opens up your ability to be every bit as creative as you want to be with the décor.

Choose high quality options from top manufacturers of modern office furniture. Be clear and descriptive about what you’re looking for. It never hurts to ask specific manufacturers and retailers for suggestions as far as what items from their catalogue would complement the space you’re working with.