We at ComfyLiving know better than anyone how important your work environment can be for your motivation and overall satisfaction. A desk at which some of us spend a third of our day or even more shouldn’t be merely functional—it should also feel snug and cozy, and yes, look esthetically pleasing.
That’s why we’ve featured some of the most creative, stunning, and productivity-boosting desk decor ideas that’ll turn your plain old desk into an area bustling with creativity. Let’s get started.
Top 17 Ideas for Desk Decor
1. Stylish Wooden Details
When in doubt, choose accessories and decor elements made of high-quality wood.
Whether you go for a complete “wooden” look with a desk made of hardwood or complementary details handcrafted from oak, cedar, or walnut, you’ll be making the right choice. We naturally associate wood with warmth, and that’s the reason this material is ideal for softening the cold, minimalist design of some work desks.
We suggest choosing work desk decor from the same type of wood. That way, your desk will look chic, and nothing will stand out too much.
2. Lamp and Vase
For example, if you prefer the contemporary look, choose an unusually shaped vase and play around with colors and textures.
As for the lamp, we recommend letting your imagination run loose. Some desk office decor ideas we came across featured accent lamps and even top-quality bedside lamps.
3. Colorful Bouquet
According to a recent study, people feel happier working from home when flowers surround them.
With that in mind, we encourage you to pick out your favorite floral bouquet and place it right next to your monitor. The vibrant colors will help you focus, and not to mention feel better about your environment.
Since the holiday season is just around the corner, you can also pick and choose festive Christmas-inspired flowers, holly or cotton branches, and more for your home desk decor.
4. Jute Basket or Pot
For example, we love the idea of decorating a desk with a stunning miniature jute basket that can serve as a pot. Just make sure you line the insides with waterproof material. This way, you won’t ruin the natural fibers of your jute basket or, you know, the surface of your desk.
5. Go Minimalist
A high-speed computer and a sleek keyboard, a bright lamp, and a durable computer desk are all you really need for your home office. If too many trinkets scattered around you tend to distract you, we encourage you to focus on the quality of these essential pieces over the quantity and extravagance of modern desk decor.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money. Instead, you can repurpose some pieces you already have in your home. For example, if you have a high-quality floor lamp or a bedside lamp, you can use it to illuminate your desk space.
This idea also works great if you’re looking for minimalist gaming desk decor. If you’re a hardcore gamer, you’ll likely want to maximize manoeuvering space and stick to the essential gadgets.
6. Pop of Color
Although colorful home offices look unique, you don’t have to go all out with bold colors and patterns. If you have a white desk, one splash of color will do the trick.
An easy way to go about this is to choose decor items in rich colors and put them on display.
There are many work desk ideas for decor if you’re feeling unimaginative. For instance, you can decorate your plain black and white desk with a single bright flower or a simple bouquet in yellow or red.
Did you know that the color yellow radiates positivity and increases energy levels? Now you know you don’t have to go crazy with colorful accessories and decor pieces to maximize your performance.
7. Succulent Mania
Some plants can take up a lot of desk space and make a lot of mess when their leaves start falling off. If you have a small desk or you simply want to avoid clutter, choose succulents. These tiny desk plants are compact, cute, and low-maintenance.
Another amazing thing about these irresistible desk decorations for work is that they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. For instance, we love Haworthia zebrina, mini aloe vera, the dwarf snake plant (not technically a succulent, we know, but it looks amazing nonetheless), the jade plant, and all kinds of cute little echeverias.
8. Industrial Touch
The industrial design is inspired by factories and warehouses made from concrete, steel, iron, and brick. This year, consider adding an industrial touch to your home office.
To start, consider redesigning your walls. Full brick is best, but you can choose the easy route and get brick stick-on wallpapers if you don’t have time or money for a complete remodeling project.
When it comes to desk decoration, go for pieces made from steel and iron, for example, a sturdy industrial-inspired lamp. But, of course, since these materials can be heavy, you’ll also want a highly-durable desk to withstand the weight.
9. Lots of Greenery
If you’re searching for one-of-a-kind home desk decor, you’ll love this one. In fact, this idea is terrific if you want to bring the lush outdoors inside. Not only will it bring a fantastic pop of color to your desk, but it’ll also make you feel like you’re somewhere in a rainforest exploring exotic new species instead of, well, sitting in front of your computer and working.
For this idea, you’ll need lots and lots of greenery. Choose plants of various sizes and mix and match them to your liking to create volume.
Word of warning: You can quickly go overboard with this design, as it requires a lot of space. That’s why we only recommend this idea to homeowners with plenty of desk space.
10. Retro Globe and Baskets
If you’re wondering where to buy desk decor, here’s a helpful tip. First, check out thrift stores for hidden gems. If you’re lucky, you’ll quickly find affordable vintage pieces that are actually brand new.
Our favorite idea is decorating with an antique world globe and hand-crafted baskets from natural materials like rattan and wicker. Alternatively, you can get crafty and DIY some of these decor pieces.
11. Quirky and Unique
You can always express yourself by showcasing some quirky elements or decor items dear to your heart.
If you’re out of ideas, some unique desk decorations include sculptures in animal shapes, vintage toys, and items that look like they’re 3D-printed. You can also print out unusual photos and frame them on the wall.
12. Farmhouse Chic
If you’re a fan of the farmhouse aesthetic, you already know the benefits of utilizing natural elements like reclaimed and exposed wood in your home decor.
For this idea, we especially love exposed timber, because it grounds the office desk decorations. As for the decorations themselves, choose pieces that complement the color of the wood.
An excellent example of this is choosing a lamp with a yellow lampshade to bring out the golden-brown hues of the wooden desk. You can also play around with the color palette and the materials and add some eclectic elements of decor.
13. Modern Teacher Desk
If you’re a work-from-home teacher or tutor, you’ll need to have an organized area to boost productivity and performance. Luckily, you can achieve a clutter-free look by opting for simple office desk decor. Get started by scanning your desk space and utilizing each inch.
For instance, you can get your hands on decor pieces that also work as storage units. You can also decorate with contemporary decorative shelves. Remember, keep it simple, and stick to a single color palette.
14. Old-Fashioned Brown Desk
If you’re longing to travel back in time when things (supposedly) were simpler, we recommend creating a retro home office by incorporating wood, metal, and brass.
This aesthetic will look stunning when combined with a vintage bookcase featuring antique books and artwork.
Finding suitable decorations for your desk in this style is easy: choose sturdy lamps and accent pieces made from brass and metal. Add some plants and a globe, and you’re done. Bonus points if you can find an intricate rug or carpet that can pull the look together.
15. Black and White Artwork
Black and white are sophisticated and timeless. If you don’t feel like experimenting with lush patterns and vibrant colors, you’ll enjoy a simple monochromatic look with a white or a black desk.
Selecting simple artwork with clean lines in a black frame will look trendy and effortlessly chic.
As for decorations for your desk, we also suggest keeping it light and clutter-free.
To match it with the black-and-white aesthetic, you can choose black, white, or various shades of grey for your vase, planter, or other decor pieces. You can also add black or white shelves above your desk.
16. Antique Small Desk
If you’re working with a small home office, a good idea to save on space is choosing a corner desk. However, the issue with corner desks is that they can look plain and unimaginative.
A fun idea for adding a personal touch to a basic desk is to craft it from rustic natural materials like wood.
However, for the best effect, choose wood in its most natural form. That means go for uncarved, rough edges and uneven texture.
17. Feminine Charm
If you’re a romantic at heart, you’ll fall in love with these cool desk decorations for bringing out your softer side.
You might fancy the idea of adding decor items like artificial flowers or greenery to your desk or stacking some books in a corner, but have you also considered decorating your backdrop?
A cool, Pinterest-inspired idea is to create a vision board with everything that inspires you and the goals you want to achieve in the future. You can add drawings, photographs, quotes, and anything that motivates you.
Add a few unique pieces like miniature pink or rose gold sculptures to your desk, a cup with paintbrushes or pens, and you’re all set.
Conclusion
As you can see, the possibilities of desk decoration are endless. From various color palettes to quirky designs and convenient shelving and storage ideas, you’ll find it all in this article.
Overall, remember to personalize your space and make it practical for everyday use. Try to ditch clutter as much as you can for optimal functionality.
FAQ
How can I decorate my desk?
There are zero rules when it comes to decorating your desk. Before anything else, you’ll need to assess how much space you’ve got for decorating.
Next, gather your decorative pieces, such as mini sculptures, a lamp, flower bouquets, pictures, potted plants, books, and anything that inspires you and try arranging them in various ways until you achieve the desired look.
How to decorate an old antique roll-top desk?
Roll-top desks can be tricky to decorate because, typically, they don’t provide a lot of space to get creative with. You might also consider leaving them as they are since they are already pretty unusual and decorative. That being said, you can use them to showcase jute pots, wicker baskets, vases with flowers, a lamp, framed photos, candles, or anything else you’d like to keep on display.
How do I make my office desk cozy?
You can make your small office desk cozy by choosing decor items that make you feel that way. For instance, if you have a photograph you cherish, put it on display. Another way to achieve this effect is by choosing warmer colors like chocolate brown, orange, and wine.
How can I decorate my desk at home?
There are many ways to decorate your desk at home. If you need ideas to inspire you, check out the 17 desk decor ideas from our article above: They’re simple to recreate, budget-friendly, and productivity-boosting.
