Home office

Well-designed furniture and storage mean that working from home and spending time at your desk is a real pleasure

CLEAR THE DECKS

A desk with drawers and a matching cabinet mean your workstation will stay free from clutter. If space is tight, choose a cupboard that neatly fits under the desk when not in use. Milo drawers, £95; Jenni flatweave cotton rug (120 x 180cm), £95; both Habitat. The Julian Bowen California desk, £200, Next, is similar

WOOD WORKS

Natural finishes bring a feeling of warmth – combine with metal touches for a stylish industrial-chic look. Shelley mango wood shelf, £77 On shelf Baskin frame, £7; Maroua jar candle, £13.50 On sideboard (l-r) Banjul candle, £8; Sky Eyes statue, £22; Iconic wood statue, £22; all Maisons du Monde

COUNTRY FILE

Avoid the ‘office’ look and bring some rustic texture to your desk with woven water hyacinth accessories. Lomopi document holder, £18; letter storage, £26; both La Redoute

OPEN AND SHUT CASE

Sometimes all you need is a little place to work on your laptop and store your journals. Fold it up and this neat cloud-shaped desk reveals a gorgeously tactile wool cover so doubles as a piece of wall art. Nubo wall-mounted desk, £1,384, Ligne Roset

ADJUSTABLE DESIGN

Wall-hung backless units appear to take up less space but still offer the maximum amount of storage. Look for customisable systems so you can choose the right number of shelves and cupboards to suit you perfectly. Gyan bespoke wall storage unit, £295, Cuckooland

MADE TO MEASURE

Often the best solution is to get a workstation custom designed – allowing you to make use of any awkward areas, such as a landing or mezzanine. A qualified carpenter will be able to quote for a built-in desk in a range of materials, such as luxe rich walnut. To find someone local to you try instituteofcarpenters.com

An open cubbyhole is perfect for stashing your laptop when you’re not working

LOOK UP

In a small room, use the height of the space to increase the amount of storage you can squeeze in – a tall but slim desk with built-in shelves is ideal. Jones Ladder desk, £179, M&S