His and her home offices

His-and-hers territory

If your home office is large enough to accommodate two desks, consider a his-and-hers–style office. Keep the walls and furniture neutral, and accessorise each separate area with colours and styles that reflect your personal brand.

Add some framed logos and product images relating to your business, or canvas prints hung in a series with a common colour or theme.

You could go the traditional ‘pink for her’ and ‘blue for him’ theme, or you could add extra sass with a ‘retro vintage car for him’ versus ‘modern provincial elegance for her’ theme.

TIP: By keeping the furnishings and wall colours muted, you’ll be able to tie the room themes together and reduce distraction within your creative space.

Mastering mahogany

Nothing says men and women can’t enjoy similar styles, and some particularly gender-neutral designs have remained timeless throughout the ages.

If you have room for only one work space and want to make it work for everyone, consider natural timber.

Timber not only creates warmth and comfort, it can exude luxury and class – think of a spacious desk and expansive bookshelf made of rich quality mahogany.

Add a buttoned-style leather chair and Persian rug, and you have an inviting – if somewhat regal – home office design that caters to every need.

Style on a budget

When it comes to cheap and simple office furniture, flat-pack can be best. Often flat-pack furniture comes in white, oak and chocolate-coated MDF. Using any of these colours can work well in a gender-neutral study, and you can emphasise your style with the addition of flowers, paperweights and even gender-specific coloured stationery.

Dividing the space

If you want some separation in your home office, shelving can be used to divide up the space. A tall open shelving unit can act as a divider and be a useful storage solution for all your stationary needs. Try adding some ornaments and indoor plants to break up the books and folders, making the room feel more homely.

Your office is the home of your creative space, so make it work for (both of) you.