Commit to Color

This office makes the case for using a bold hue in a small space. Painting the walls, shelving, ladder, and ceiling the same color made the snug space feel bigger. Berkeley and Kelley used a custom graphic wallpaper by Jill Seale to complement the blue and draw attention to the desk niche.

Keep a Simple Setup

The pair left the desk area sparse for a focused work space. The drawers hide supplies, while baskets on the shelves provide additional storage. As many jobs have gone digital, you may find you no longer need the notebooks, printers, staplers, and other office accessories that once cluttered your desktop.

Have Fun With Styling

When decorating the shelves, the designers placed large items—like the white ceramic vases and handwoven baskets—first, then balanced them out with other shapes and colors, like the brass figurine and bright art books. Play around with sizes, materials, and shapes until you create a visual balance. Styling is a game of trial and error, and even small adjustments can make a big difference.

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