Let’s imagine two modern homespaces you have to choose from – which one would best suit your needs?
We’re going to see how briefing your interior designer with “I want a modern, elegant home office and warm it up with wood” can look very differently from one design to the next.
Both of these home workspaces have similar square footage – just enough room to enjoy private, uninterrupted workflow and some breathing space. Both home offices showcase wooden furniture and details that bring a modern yet natural aesthetic.
Modern home workspace in light wood
The first of the two modern workspaces we’re exploring today comes from the mind of architect Alena Makagon and was photographed by Artem Zavarzin.
Illuminated by a floor-to-ceiling glass door leading out to a small balcony, this home office design packs dark and light colors into an inspiring place to work from. Early in the morning, the light coming from the outside will bring in shadows and a sense of fulfilment that can last all day long.
Imagine working from that sculptural desk – a wonderful modern surface that supports your work days, sitting in that cosy black desk chair. A sleek desk lamp illuminates the tabletop if work extends well into the night.
Embracing natural light throughout the day, the rest of the space quietly waits to be put to use. Some grey shelves almost blend into the walls, hovering above the Tv and black media unit underneath. The opposite wall is the focal point in the room and offers a nature-inspired wood accent wall design constructed to underline the contemporary aesthetic.
Seen in the rounded shapes on the wooden wall, the green houseplant and the texture of the wood, this nature inspiration beautifies the space while counterbalancing the coldness of straight lines and icy colors like gray, white and black.
As the sun goes down, a dark grey sofa invites you to relax and review the workday before moving on to your night time routine.
Modern home workspace in dark wood
Our second modern home workspace is more illuminated thanks to not one, but two large windows flooding the room with natural light.
The height of the space is similar to the previous home office room, and yet it looks so much taller because of the way those vertical wood slats draw the eye up to the ceiling. Here, hanging above the middle of the room, a rounded modern chandelier illuminates the reason this room is used for – the home desk and chair.
As if touched by light and remaining lightly colored, the tabletop and cognac-colored chair seat seem to be floating as sepparate colors. With black legs on both the desk and the chair, the only things that seem to keep this setup grounded are the tips of the legs on the desk, painted in cognac.
A huge sculptural library with plenty of storage and decorative space acts as the background for this workspace setup, while the other side of the room borrows the same color palette. A bonsai accompanies a hanging plant in the home office, creating that extra dimension and, like the example above, hints to having been inspired by nature. We can’t help it, we are part of nature and this healing feeling can and should infiltrate our workspaces – we welcome nature inside.
The first home office room design has lightly colored wood and dark furniture, while the second example has dark wooden insertions balanced by softer colored furniture. Somehow mirroring each other, these two spaces have very different displays, yet both are functional and visually appealing. This is where design takes a backseat to personal preferences. Which one did you like best?
Here are a few more home office room design ideas if you haven’t yet quenched your thirst for inspiration:
Raw Wood Home Office Sporting Modern Fireplace
