If you are lucky to have a designated room as your home office, there are some key design elements you’ll want to include in the room: a work surface; comfortable chair; task lighting; and storage. These four elements form the very basic elements of a home office. Once you have these in place you can begin to personalize the space with color, pattern and decorative accessories like art.

A home office work surface can be a classic desk with fire drawers in the base. Or it can be a vintage table that you’ve refinished. Determine what kind of work you’ll be doing and how much desk space you’ll need.

The desk chair you choose doesn’t have to be a standard office style chair but it should offer good support for your back.  Test out several styles of chairs to see what will work for your back and your design style. Take into consideration what type of flooring you have in the home office. If you want a chair that rolls you may need a hard mat to protect carpeting and rugs.

Task lighting is important for a workspace. Beyond the overhead lighting in the room, you’ll want something to illuminate the work surface. Table lamps and adjustable desk lamps are good choices.

Finally storage is key for an organized home office. You don’t need to buy standard filing cabinets but you will want a place for files. Look for filing cabinets that look more like furniture. Baskets and decorative boxes on shelves can store important files.