If you’re lucky enough to have an office in your home, it’s a space that’s likely benefited from a lot of attention over the past few years. Many of us invested in making our workspaces for us with comfy executive chairs, bigger desks for all those screens and gadgets, and yes, coffee machines. However, making them a more stylish and cheerful place to spend time wasn’t high on the priority list at first. After all, how many people thought they’d be working from home for long, let alone that freedom to not commute becoming a more permanent option in the professional world?
When it comes to stamping your taste in art and design on your home, the office is often a forgotten room. But it shouldn’t be. With so many professionals working from home for three or more days a week, there’s never been a better time to put those all-important finishing touches to your home workspace. The right artwork can help bring out your creative side, influence your productivity, and above all, make your office a more uplifting place to work. Here are three ideas we think will help you find that perfect office wall art:
Gone are the days of dull, sanitised workplaces that scream ‘get on with your work without distraction’. In fact, studies have shown that in an office space displaying artwork and plants that are tastefully arranged, productivity is notably higher. The big offices and co-working spaces now reflect this worldwide, so why shouldn’t your home office? That beautiful contemporary art print you fall in love with? It could actually help you get more out of each working day.
Art is a window into the world, and that means it has the power to inspire us with new ideas that can galvanise our work. Even if the piece’s underlying message isn’t so clear, if it challenges us to view something differently, that in itself can be incredibly useful in our approach to work.
Another way to approach choosing art for your office is by using colour psychology. Different colours influence us intellectually, emotionally and even physically, so picking a piece of art with the perfect colour scheme for the kind of work you do is a great way to achieve consistent productivity in your workspace. For example, the colour orange is associated with success and confidence, yellow with happiness and creativity, and blue with trust, competence, and loyalty. Think about the industry you’re in, the type of work you do, and the traits required to do it to the highest standard. Then, choose a gorgeous art print that makes use of that colour scheme.
Everyone in every role in every industry has workdays that are great and others that aren’t so great, even at home. Those moments where work doesn’t seem to be going so well require a calming influence to help you take a breather, regather your cool and get back to it with a renewed sense of focus and calm. And art in the office can help you achieve just that.
Frances Featherstone – Riding into the Sunset
If that feeling of calm is something you want your home office space to evoke whenever you’re beavering away at home, it’s worth considering art that depicts natural scenes, or pieces that call to mind unforgettably relaxing holidays and experiences. While the colour blue may be associated with trust and competence, it’s also known for its soothing and assuring effect on our overactive minds. In fact, the colour blue can even slow down your heart rate and lower blood pressure, making it the ideal colour for those stressful shifts.
Richard Heeps - Steps, ZZYZX Resort Pool, Soda Dry Lake, California
We love this fantastically minimalist shot of swimming pool steps by photographer Richard Heeps, and how the contrast of light and shadow forms two distinctly different shades of blue. The playful use of light and dark in ‘Steps’ lends a tranquil feel to the piece, and that makes it perfect for a home office.
Maybe you want to go for something totally different. Something standout. Something that catches the eye of colleagues or clients when they see it in Zoom meetings. Think striking landscapes, stunning photography that playfully depicts light and dark shades, and intricately detailed illustrations of alternate worlds. However, this one doesn’t have a strict criteria – so long as it catches your eye first and you love the art print, that’s all that matters.
There aren’t many people who miss the daily commute to their office or place of work, but we think this beautiful reimagining of the famous London Underground map by Helen Cann is the perfect addition to any home office. Interspersed with colourful flowers, plants, and illustrations that relate to London’s landmarks like Nelson’s Column, Marble Arch, and even a dinosaur representing the Natural History Museum, this is unlike any map you’d use to get from A to B in the city. But it’s certainly one that would bring the best out of your office décor.
Jake Jeffries – Superstitious Polkadots
Pop art is without doubt one of the most iconic and revolutionary movements to emerge in modern art history, and this depiction of Motown legend Stevie Wonder by Jake Jeffries stands out even among a genre designed to stand out. Showing Stevie mid-laugh, we love the personality captured in this piece with a relatively limited colour palette. The contrast between the sky-blue background, white and pink polka dot pattern and splashes of raspberry pink mean this piece would pop on any wall you choose to hang it on, but we think it’d look fantastic in a home office and certainly inspire a lively pre-business discussion in a virtual meeting. Isn’t she lovely...
Those are just a few trends that are worth exploring if you’re looking to brighten up your home office space. Now that working from home and hybrid working are a vital part of the professional world, there’s never been a better time to make your home workspace not only fit for purpose, but a colourful, stylish, and rewarding place to spend your working hours. And if you’re looking for more inspiration, don’t forget to explore our full collection of home office artwork and stamp your personality on your work area.
