4 Simple Steps to a More Maximalist Home Office
In 2026, home offices are in for a makeover – a maximalist makeover. No longer condemned to their traditionally cold and utilitarian style, home offices can be every bit as playful and creative as the more lived-in rooms in your home.
There’s been a shift in interior design trends over the last year, a move away from the said beige era of the 2010s to a more colorful, more characterful, more maximalist aesthetic. And it was only a matter of time before we started seeing this style in even the most serious room in the house.
With its bright green cabinetry and floral wallpaper that extends to the ceiling, this maximalist home office feels like a breath of fresh air.
(Image credit: David Tsay Photography)
‘A home office isn’t just a room where emails get answered, it’s where ideas are born, decisions are made, and goals are accomplished,’ interior designer Ashley DeLapp muses. ‘When a space reflects your personality, it sparks creativity in ways that a generic room can’t.’
Interior designer Samantha Lane explains that since a home office is a part of your home, it should feel like it belongs there. ‘There is no reason this room shouldn’t feel as special as every other room in your house,’ she remarks. Think of it this way: if the rest of your home exudes maximalist energy through characterful details, why shouldn’t your home office do the same?
Just like every room in your home, your office should reflect you and your style. Make it personal by surrounding yourself with decor that brings you joy
(Image credit: Matthew Williamson)
And there are more profound reasons as to why you should allow for some maximalism in your home office. ‘If you work from home, you usually spend an awful lot of time in your home office. It’s important to fill it with things that bring you joy and inspire you to be productive – it’s a smart investment to really make it yours,’ Samantha explains.
Erin Fearins, Principal Interior Designer at Studio SFW, thinks similarly, explaining that ‘a home office needs to be an environment that supports and promotes focus and positivity. How better to do this than with elements that feel special and personal to the individual using the space?’
If the muted, minimalist office look works for you, no need to change. But if by nature, you prefer interiors with character and expressive energy, then read on to understand just how to get the maximalist look for your home office.
1. Consider the Room’s Color Scheme
This shade of blue is vibrant, but not overwhelming. It gives the room a maximalist edge that’s still conducive to work.
(Image credit: Timothy Williams. Design: Studio SFW. Styling: Sarah Smart)
As traditionally small rooms, home offices are the perfect confidence zones – spaces in which you can go bold with your design choices because they’re not the main focus of the home. And one of the best ways to go bold is through color.
In the home office above, the design team at Studio SFW chose this captivating blue as the home office paint color. Its vibrancy enlivens the space with maximalist energy.
‘Color is a huge part of the feeling of maximalism in this space,’ Erin Fearins explains. ‘We color drenched the room in blue, painting not only the millwork but the surrounding walls, doors, and trim in the same color and finish, creating a cocoon effect that feels rich and luxe.’
Here, the color gives the office a personality of its own, creating an environment that’s design-oriented but still functional for work. And because the blue color scheme is continued through other details in the room, the space doesn’t feel overwhelming at all. According to Samantha Lane, restricting the number of colors is especially helpful when designing maximalist home offices. ‘Too many colors and lots of things can end up looking a bit chaotic,’ she says. But like Erin and the Studio SFW team accomplished here, a room grounded with one color in varying shades can make for a stylish and chic home office.
2. Incorporate Vintage Finds for Added Character
The vintage desk in this office designed by Alice Palmer adds personality to the space, along with the striped wallpaper, the charming artwork, and the desk decor details.
(Image credit: Alice Palmer)
Decorating with vintage is always a good idea, especially in the home office. If you’re eager to give this room more character and maximalist style, but you’re afraid that a bold color choice might be too much, vintage finds are the perfect alternative.
Designed by Alice Palmer, this playful home office is centered around the stunning vintage desk – a personality piece. Then to add to the maximalist aesthetic of this office space, Alice designed the room with Denim Stripe Wallpaper and the Carmine Candlestick Lamp Base – two features from her homewares brand that reinforce the personality of the room itself.
‘It’s important that your home office reflects your style so that you’re happy to spend your time there. The items, colors, and patterns that you choose to surround your workspace with should lend themselves to your way of working and make you feel relaxed as well as productive,’ Alice muses.
3. Decorate with Details That Speak to You
If your home office has shelves, decorate them with things that speak to your personality. ‘There’s nothing better than looking up from a laptop to see a piece of art on the wall or a special souvenir that was found on a fun trip abroad to bring a smile to your work day,’ Erin Fearins explains.
One of the most effective ways to make a home office more characterful and maximalist is by using small styling moments to tell a story.
‘Add pieces that really speak to you,’ Samantha Lane recommends for creating a maximalist home office. ‘If you have open shelving, create vignettes with things that are special, but also make sense in the space (i.e. books that you love, art, objects that tell a story, etc.). Baskets on open shelves are also a great way to add texture while stowing away things you may not want to have on display.’
In this office, Samantha and her team used the shelves to display characterful details that give the room a personality and enrich its elevated aesthetic. ‘We made sure to add closed cabinets to the built-ins for items that are necessary to have close at hand but would take away from the overall feeling we were aiming for,’ she says.
Of course, there’s a fine line between an expressive home office filled with personal details and one that’s simply too busy. That’s why it’s important to be selective with how you style the space. Like Erin Fearins says, ‘books and meaningful objects certainly bring personality to any space, but the key is to combine these accessories and elements in an organized way so that the space doesn’t feel cluttered or overwhelming.’
4. Go Bold with a Wallpaper
If you’ve fallen in love with a maximalist wallpaper, consider using it as an accent wall in your home office. This way, it’ll add some personality to the space without overwhelming the overall design scheme.
(Image credit: Ashley DeLapp Interior Design LLC)
Just because a home office leans maximalist in style does not mean it’s any less sophisticated than a minimalist office. ‘A boldly designed office doesn’t lose its professionalism, it gains presence,’ Ashley DeLapp explains, the designer of the above office. According to Ashley, bold, vibrant, and maximalist home offices ‘make a statement before you even say a word.’
‘When pattern and color are intentional, maximalist home offices create a sense of confidence rather than chaos,’ she continues. ‘A vibrant backdrop actually elevates your workspace. It shows creativity, style, and a point of view; all of which are incredibly professional in today’s world.’
In the space above, Ashley chose an exciting wallpaper that acts as a statement feature in the space. The room’s maximalist design is supplemented with brass details and long, blush drapes that add warmth and create cohesion in the space.
‘We kept the styling minimal, adding enough of my client’s personality without a lot of clutter,’ Ashley explains. ‘Maximalism works when it’s controlled. This room proves you can have color, pattern, and personality while still maintaining a functional work space.’
Shop The Maximalist Home Office Edit
Decorating your maximalist home office won’t happen overnight. In fact, the most characterful interiors (home offices or not) are the ones that are developed over time – interiors that adhere to the principles of slow decorating. So don’t rush to finalize your home office – let its design evolve with you. There’s nothing more characterful than that.
link
