How To Perfect Your Home Office For Autumn 2025
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2 weeks ago
Bring some 'Back to School' energy to your home office
It’s that time of year again. As the days grow dimmer, colder and wetter, and children return to school, with it comes the perfect opportunity to zuzh up your home office. With Covid’s legacy meaning more people are working from home than ever before, you need to ensure your set-up is up to the task. Here’s our hot home office tips for Autumn 2025.
Think About The Space
While not all of us are blessed with enough space for a separate office room, it is important to create a dedicated working area regardless. Juliette Thomas, founder of Juliettes Interiors, advises against working from bed or in front of the TV. ‘Even if it is a multi-functional space, make sure you have storage to put everything away that has nothing to do with work,’ she says. ‘Nobody works at their best when surrounded by laundry.’
When finding the perfect spot, property expert Mehran Charania from ReadySteadyStore adds that it’s important to take note of the ‘low-traffic areas of your home’ – somewhere where your space won’t be interrupted by a working-from-home spouse or disturbed by kids on school holidays. Poke around your home to see if any nooks or crannies have the potential to be converted into an office space: a walk-in-wardrobe, an alcove under the stairs or even a garden shed.
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Are You Sitting Comfortably?
While offices are usually equipped with chairs purpose-built for tapping away bum-in-seat all day long, it’s unlikely your dining room chairs are quite so forgiving on your joints. Chiropractors at the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) have reported an increase in patients experiencing back and neck pain as a result of home working. ‘Whilst working from home doesn’t necessarily cause back and neck pain, the sedentary habits it can lead to, or the new way you’re working – potentially hunching over your desk or sitting on chairs or in positions that aren’t as supportive – can certainly exacerbate it,’ says chiropractor and BCA member Marc Sanders.
Make sure your workspace is set up to support a comfortable position and remove any obstacles around you so that your body has room to stretch and move. Alter the height of your chair or screen so the latter is at eye level and relax into your seat to ensure your bottom and shoulder blades are touching the back rest of the chair. Michael Kieck from MoreySmith adds that screens should ideally be positioned an arms-length away to help reduce strain on the eyes.
Humanscale
Your arms should be flat and your elbows level with the desk. If you’re not easily able to achieve this set-up, using arm rests and laptop stands can help improve your home office design, while simply placing a small cushion between the small of your back and the back of the sofa to give you more support will help to avoid slumping for long periods. To truly protect your back, however, standing desks are the ultimate ergonomic solution. Invest in one that can move from standing to seating level and consider adding a stationary bike or treadmill to your office space to get your steps up while on the clock.
Light Up Your Life
Charlie Bowles, director of Original BTC, explains that a well-lit desk will aid your concentration and increase your productivity: ‘A good desk light is essential to help prevent eye strain and headaches. It should be bright enough to enable you to comfortably read documents away from your computer screen, but not so strong that it will irritate your eyes.’ Use warm bulbs and angle them away from your screen to avoid any potential computer glare. Design consultant at Dusk Lighting, Jamie Moxey, says that you should also take time to check where the sun will come into the room, so it’s not bouncing off the screen. ‘If you are likely to be working into the evening when the natural light dims, ensure to have a lamp or ceiling light that you can use to boost the light in the room and avoid putting strain on your eyes,’ he adds.
Connect To The Outside World
While you don’t want the glare of sunlight to distract you, you certainly don’t want no sunlight in your office space at all. Catharina Björkman, Scandi lifestyle expert at Contura, stresses the importance of making the most of lighter, brighter days by sitting near a window. ‘The importance of natural light for health and wellbeing is not to be underestimated. Numerous studies have shown that natural light in office spaces improves worker satisfaction and productivity, so why wouldn’t you want the same when working from home?’ Regulating your body’s circadian rhythm through sun exposure, not only will you feel more alive during the day but you’ll also sleep better at night. Additionally, the view from the window will inspire and brighten your mood, grounding you for those moments when work just gets a little too much.
Original BTC Home Office
If you don’t have a green and verdant view to keep you going, something as simple as a houseplant can bring some much needed cheer. According to Serenata Flowers, having plants in the office has been found to increase worker productivity by 15 per cent. ‘Not only are they found to reduce stress and fatigue whilst aiding memory retention, they also regulate humidity and reduce carbon dioxide, both of which help employees remain energised.’
Colours? Think Blues & Greens
‘In terms of colour, red boosts brain activity and heart rate and can be inspiring,’ says Juliette Thomas. ‘Blue has the opposite effect, it’s calming and lowers heart rate and blood pressure. Green is the preferred choice for a home office space, it boosts creativity, inspires innovation, reduces eye strain and is good for spaces with computers.’ Simon Mayhew, the founder of Txtured, adds that you shouldn’t underestimate the power of colour: ‘Think about how you want to feel when you sit down to work and let your colour choice reflect that.’ While a fully emerald green office may fulfill all your dark academia fantasies, be wary that painting a full room can sometimes overwhelm the space. Rather, opt for an accent wall, sprinkling that same colour throughout your desk accessories and decor.
Little Luxuries
While you don’t want to make your home office so comfortable that you’re tempted to curl up and take a cat nap halfway through the day, it is important that you allow yourself a few little luxuries to keep your endorphins flowing. Kirsty Barton, at Alternative Flooring, recommends a carpet which feels soft underfoots to create a calm and comforting environment. Importantly, your home office shouldn’t feel overly corporate. Creative director of VSP Interiors, Henriette von Stockhausen, suggests bringing in personal touches with antiques and artworks so it becomes somewhere you genuinely enjoy working: ‘A lovely antique desk lamp, picture lights to add charm, cosy curtains if working at night to add warmth, and I like to add colour and personality by adding a contrast colour to the inside of the bookcases if possible.’ Plus, the better your background, the less reason to blur: making you the envy of everybody on the morning conference call.
Storage Savvy
From piled up papers and tea-stained mugs to unkempt cables and crumpled notes, it’s easy for your home office to (very) quickly descend into a state of chaos. Opt for a desk with ample storage, ensuring each draw, cabinet and shelf has a distinct purpose. Magdalena Gierasinska, from Barker and Stonehouse, suggests making the most of your space with vertical shelving units such as book cases: ‘Not only is this space-efficient, but it also adds height and dimension to your home office setup, creating a more styled, intentional look.’ If you’re still struggling to find a home for that cable that may or may not work with your laptop, she recommends multi-functional furniture such as ottomans with hidden storage.
Make it Make Scents
Studies have shown odours can affect our mood, creativity and problem-solving skills. ‘Olfactory stimulation is important to refresh and invigorate with the use of natural scents in your work space,’ says Keik. ‘Used sparingly, essential oils in a diffuser or soy or beeswax scented candle can help lift spirits through the work week.’ Go for natural scents: cinnamon is good for focus, lavender for relaxation, citrus for wakefulness, and peppermint for mood-boosting. Check out our pick of the best scented candles and diffusers for ideas.
Large Aroma Diffuser by Muji
Home Office Inspiration
Need some interiors inspiration? Check out these Instagram accounts for some serious home office envy.
Max Rollitt
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Eunhee Home
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Louise Roe
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