If you work for yourself, like this gal does, then your home office has been the executive corner office since way before the pandemic. If you are still trying to figure out how to create your own beautiful, productive executive home office, take some cues from this design.

The “before” version of this office its already gorgeous. It’s light and bright, with some bling and many trendy elements, like the lighter carpet. But the desk was weighing down the whole room. This workhorse of a desk was an economical choice back in the day. The L-shape offered plenty of surface space to spread out with projects. Made of solid wood, with a modesty panel closed front that let her hide some clutter underneath, it was hard to give all that up. But as you can see, it was kind of where everything landed. This desk has worked hard in several homes for well over fifteen years. It was time for an upgrade.

Our choice for a new desk had to be large enough to support a full day’s work, fit this room’s feminine executive vibe, and provide that closed, finished front panel. We also wanted coordinating pieces like a file cabinet and perhaps a bookcase for storage. This is the desk before we did a little of this and a little of that to make it really work in the room. That’s my favorite part.

As long as we were changing the design, we also chose a new rug, soft gray/blue and plush. When you are buying 9×12′ rugs, you want really good quality. I like to see plush edges that look like carpet, not thin serged edges. This wool rug leans traditional, but has a more modern take.

We searched for months for the right desk. When designing a room, take your time. Styles change like clothing fashion, and if your perfect desk isn’t available today, it might come out in the spring or fall season. If possible, visit your desk in person. We couldn’t see this one before we ordered it, but I knew the manufacturer, and was confident in their overall quality. That’s one of the benefits of working with a designer like me. We work with enough brands to know when purchasing sight unseen is a gamble, and when it’s a sure thing. We also were able to get a sample of the finish to see the texture detail in real life.

This beautiful desk has an interesting, slightly rounded front profile and metal-capped legs. With two file drawers and three smaller drawers, there’s plenty of room. The only thing it’s missing is a top grommet to feed cords through the desk. Instead, we had to train the computer cords down the side of the desk to a battery backup hidden under the desk, which plugs in behind the desk. But what it lacks in grommets, it makes up for in lovely, lined drawers.

A girl needs a few things around, you know? Maybe a pair of sunglasses or six.

The matching lateral file is just steps away, holding files on the top and mailing supplies in the roomy bottom drawer. Shhh…some of that clutter from the before picture is hidden in that bottom drawer. Rather than ruin the room’s bright new aesthetic, we tucked the printer over to the side.

You might have noticed that she upgraded to a new sleek new blue iMac at the same time. She also nixed the bulky standing desk add-on from the old desk. We’re still open to standing options, but she finds that not being hemmed in by an L-shape lets her move around more. Her office chair was already an upgrade and fit right into the overall design.

We were going to buy the matching bookcase, but ended up using the cube shelf with new fabric cubes. I moved the books to the bottom shelf to keep them handy but out of view of the computer camera. Everything is about your Zoom background from here on out.

Jo-Lynne is always moving, but she managed to squeeze in a photo shoot in her new executive home office, here. 

It’s always an honor to help a client, and in this case, a colleague who has become a friend over the years. Whether you and I work together or not, I hope that your home is a haven that supports your best work.

If you are open to working with me for your executive home office design, remotely or in person, please contact me here. 

If you are new here, check out some other executive home offices that’ll make you swoon.