Unless you have an apartment with a built-in desk, or an office that is already sub-divided you may need to find ways to create a low budget small office interior design.
If you work from home, you need to create a small haven that will help improve your productivity. Yes, you can work from your bed or on your couch. No worries. But will the productivity be the same as working on a comfortable office desk and chair? Will it be the same as working in a cozy and well-organized home office? Definitely not.
A cozy home office does not have to break your bank accounts. And so does a commercial office
You can learn how to furnish an office on a budget and pull off something aesthetic.
That is what we are here for today; to learn our way around low budget small office interior design. Read on.
Low Budget Small Office Interior Design: Home Office
Read tips to create a a comfortable and cozy home office while on a budget below. You may get an interior design to pull this for you, or unleash the interior designer in you if you really are on a budget.
Use Lighter Colors
Before you choose a color for your small home office, you need to understand the psychology of colors and productivity. Yes, every painting comes with different emotions. Therefore, you should choose something that makes the space great for work productivity and makes the space look bigger.
We get it; you may be into the dark aesthetic or looking for black and gold office ideas. However, such dull colors may not work well if you have a small space.
You want to use a color scheme that will make the space appear larger and more luminous. So, leave the black desk decor ideas for those with larger spaces.
There is no right or wrong color for your office. But if your goal is to make a room, in this case, your office looks bigger; you need to go with lighter colors.
This article on Forbes Home recommends:
- Light blue,
- Light sage,
- Pale gray,
- Dusty pink.
Always remember that lighter colors create more inviting and bigger illusions.
Related: 20+ home office ideas to create your dream home office on a budget.
Get Some Plants
If you have a small office space to furnish, be sure to throw in some plants, whether small or big.
You can also go for fake plants if you don’t have green fingers(like me).
Trees are a cheaper way to add some life to a small workplace and make it even more airy.
Some plants and trees you can try for your small home office space include fiddle-leaf figs, money trees and snake plants.
But how do plants help, especially in a small office? Many people spend hours and hours in their office. Having real plants in there may not be similar to being outdoors, but it is something because they can help purify the air and increase humidity around your desk.
Additionally, whether fake or real, the plants are a great aesthetic addition to your workspace, making a small office more lively.
Go Simple When It Comes to Wall Art
Whether it is a commercial or consulting office design, if the space is small and you are on a budget, avoid huge wall art. They are more expensive and will steal all the attention of the room.
Get smaller and cheaper wall art. You may also consider making your art to save some cash.
Big Wall Decor recommends the following types of art for small office spaces:
- Abstract wall art to encourage thoughts,
- Neon wall warts for a distinct statement,
- Nature wall art adds a sense of calm to the office space.
Think About Lighting
For a low-budget small office interior design, you have no choice but to take advantage of natural lighting.
If your house does not have an in-built office, you need select a space with good natural lighting.
For one, there is something about enjoying natural light, even if it is not in the office.
According to HMC Architects, these are the reasons every office should have natural lighting:
- Reduced eye strain,
- Fewer headaches,
- Improved mood,
- Less drowsiness,
- Fewer mistakes.
These are great reasons for both your health and productivity in the office. However, the goal of writing this article was to create a cozy office on a budget. If you select an area with no abundant lighting, you will be spending more on office lamps and lighting.
If you would like to avoid this budget, let natural lighting be a priority when selecting spaces.
Repurpose Furniture
If you are creating a home office on a budget, start by looking at what you have before you buy anything.
The cheapest home office designs do not start from scratch.
It can be the gaming chair you no longer use, the dining table you upgraded from, or the bookshelf you have had for decades. This also applies to decors such as wall painting and artificial plants.
Repurpose as many items as possible and then create a list of what you miss, and which items you will buy to complete your office.
The more items you repurpose, the more you save and give a second chance to what you already have.
Buy Second Hand Furniture
If you are on a budget, consider going for cheaper second-hand furniture.
Do you know a local store that repurposes and sells second-hand furniture? Make good use of these.
You can also watch out for furniture posted on Craigslist.
Do not go for expensive office furniture when you can take advantage of sales and second-hand.
You are working with a small space, so you want everything to be specific. Use a tape measure of whether you are buying new or second-hand furniture for your office. You don’t want to buy with something that will end up eating too space.
If you are a DIY person, focus on more than the build and the material used to make second-hand furniture. You can get good deals for furniture with chips, scratches and little cracks.
In short, ignore all the cosmetic defects that you can quickly fix with refurbishing.
Low Budget Small Office Interior Design: Commercial Offices
Go for an Open Office Plan
If you have a small space and are on a budget, the worst thing you can do is divide the space into departments.
The departments will end up being too small and even suffocating, depending on how you build them.
Besides, the partitions used will cost so much; avoid them if you are on a budget.
Here is what to do, arrange the furniture and have an open office plan. For starters, these will feel roomy and airy and will even encourage collaboration among colleagues.
You would have hacked the space issues and saved the money to buy and install partitions.
If you have a small office space, this trick will do wonders!
Create Multipurpose Spaces
If you have a small space, think of how to make it multipurpose.
A good example would be to have the furniture arranged in a U or L shape.
You can then have a lounge or board meeting table in the middle. This way, you will not need extra space to meet everyone in the office.
Add Some Pop of Color
Just because it is a commercial office space does not mean it has to be painted with boring colors.
You can add some colors that give the small office space more life. You can select wall colors depending on your brand colors or go for colors such as light blue, dusty pink or light green.
Buy Versatile Furniture
When buying desks, chairs and other furniture, think of comfortable, economical and versatile items.
For instance, you can go for desks with height adjustability that can be used while seated or standing.
You can have foldable board tables that can be used for dining or something else when you have no meetings. This way, you will save so much space and money.
Also read: Home office ideas to boost productivity
FAQ
How Can I Decorate My Office With a Low Budget?
Here are some tips that can help you decorate your office without breaking the bank:
- Use area rugs to add texture,
- Add in artificial plants or grow your own,
- Use wall art you already have,
- Use decorative light bulbs to add character.
How Do You Make a Small Office Look Good?
Use these tips to make a small office look good:
- Declutter and have only what you need,
- Use appropriate-sized furniture that doesn’t take up the entire space,
- Use organizers to keep clutter out of site,
- Select lively and warm colors for the wall,
- Choose an aesthetic and work around it.
How Can I Make My Office Look Modern?
- Choose an aesthetic and buy furniture and decorate around it,
- Buy modern and executive furniture,
- Ensure there is enough natural lighting or invest in good lighting,
- Add in classy and not loud wall art,
What is the best color for a small office?
For a small office, you are better off going with light colors such as light green, light blue, calm shades of yellow, and even white. Avoid dark colors if the space is small.
How do you brighten up a boring office?
Adding decorative and organizational features is an excellent way to add life to your office.
Start by decluttering and getting everything on your desk and in the office.
You can then add plants, wall art, and even paint the wall to a color that brings in more life.
How can I make my office look homely?
Cannot insist on how much wall color can transform your office. Also, a comfortable seat and desk will make the place more homely.
You can add humidifiers, air purifiers, an air conditioner or a fan for a better feel when you work.
Consider also adding plants and wall art.
How Can I Make My Office Look Expensive?
Use these tips if you are looking to create an expensive-looking office:
- Upgrade your lighting to something fancy like a chandelier or a pendant,
- Consider getting wallpaper,
- Get executive office chairs with sophisticated upholstery,
- Get soft textures for your floor,
- Keep all the clutter away.
How to decorate a small office with no windows?
Here is what you can do if you want to make your office look nice without windows:
- Consider adding mirrors, reflective art or a screen to make the space appear bigger,
- Ensure the wall colors are airy such as sky blue or sage green,
- Include some greenery,
- Avoid clutter at all costs,
- Make good use of vertical space by including decorative shelves or organizers.
Should a desk face a window?
If your office has a window, you can have the desk face the window or away from it.
It all comes with pros and cons.
Having it face the window means enjoying a good view, direct sunlight and better air circulation. It, however, can be distracting as you may keep peeping out while working. Feng Shui discourages placing the desk facing the window for this reason.
Also, there may be extra light from the sunlight and your computer, damaging your eyes.
How do you arrange two desks in a small office?
First, if you have a small space, consider buying similar furniture to create cohesiveness. This will also make it easy to arrange your office with two desks.
You can put the desks facing each other and end up with some sought of an “island.” On the sides of the island, you can have storage, plant pots and such.
Also, creating an island is great as you’ll have more personal space behind each person while still having proximity while working.
