With more of us spending a significant amount of time working from home, having an area where you can focus on tasks and be effective is more important than ever. Creating an environment that supports clear thinking and taking care of essential matters is vital to maximising productivity. Here are a few ideas for how to style your home office to boost productivity, whether you have a luxurious den or a compact nook.

Focus on function

Your home office is all about getting stuff done, so make that is the priority when it comes to decorating. Some planning could save you a significant amount of time and money here. Consider what you need from the space, what helps you focus and what will reduce your capacity to work.

Perhaps you need a large desk that gives you uncluttered space. You might need extensive storage so you can organise your files and stationery items and keep them tidy. It may be that you need your computer screen mounted in a particular way or a special platform for your laptop. You may have electronic items that require several electrical outlets or storage cabinets for files and important documents or cabling that needs to be tidied away so it doesn't get in the way.

Think about these things and plan your office decor with functional aspects in mind. It is much easier to incorporate practical elements from the beginning than to kit out your office and find that something important has been left out of the scheme or that there isn't enough space or shelving for the equipment you need.

Get inspired with art and photos

Inspiration can help us feel more productive too. Sometimes when we are really busy, we need something to remind us of the benefits of working so hard. Whether you're inspired by photos of loved ones or vistas of faraway destinations, you can bring these into your home office to lift your mood in times of stress.

One way of integrating the fun and imagination of art or images into your home office space is by hanging pictures from the ceiling. With hidden-away ceiling tracks, you can hang a range of prints or personal photographs in your office to give it character and a personal feel without the distraction of nails and other clutter.

If your home has limited space, then you may find a white office area works best in terms of creating a non-fussy area that blends well with the rest of your home. However, that doesn't mean you can't inject some colour, personality and stimulating imagery into the space and artwork on the wall can also incorporate some vibrant colour.

Maximise with minimalism

Removing all distractions may be one way of becoming really productive in your home office. Decor to reflect this approach could be executed in one colour. White is a safe choice, but maybe some other hue may help you focus.

Make everything in your office space, from cupboards to shelves to desktops, the same shade so that the space is one soothing vista with perhaps a few colour accents. If everything in your home office is the same colour, it will be easy to spot any item that is out of place. Using one colour may also make the space look larger.

Illuminate with great lighting

You can't achieve much if you can't see what you are doing so effective lighting is a must in your home office. Lighting can create a mood and enhance surroundings, so choosing the right lights makes your office look and feel special without spending too much money.

Poor lighting can cause problems such as headaches, create eye strain, affect mental health and make you less efficient. Good lighting however can increase engagement and a feeling of well-being. Think about maximising the natural light available and supplement this with ceiling lights such as pendant fittings or LED strip lighting.

Lamps are another choice that can direct light where it is most needed and look stylish too. Most workspaces benefit from an adjustable lamp that provides focused illumination while minimising the glare that can exacerbate eye strain. There are many types of lighting available and it may require some experimentation to identify which helps you become most productive.

Your home office is ultimately all about you and what helps you feel alert, engaged and productive. Most people can't function very well in a completely sterile environment, or one that is so cluttered that they can't find anything. For most people, there is a sweet spot between having an efficiently organised space and having items of beauty or personal items in the home office to feel motivated to make the most of hours set aside for work.