In this guide, we will take you through 14 home office decorating ideas on a budget, that will make your home office more creative, better looking and more inspiring for your work needs.
It shouldn’t cost the earth to make a few small changes to your home workspace to give it a fresh and creative look. Nearly every item in this article cost under $50 Australian. In fact, many of them are below $25 as well. Let’s go!
How do I decorate my home office for cheap?
This is a very common question, and there are a number of ways to do this, depending on your tastes. My first design suggestion is getting your hands on a bunch of wooden letters, of different sizes and colours. Places to find these wooden letters include Kmart, Bunnings and Spotlight.
Wooden letters used as home office decorating on a budget
The fun part is not even choosing the letters that make your name or your business name – they could literally just be chosen for their shapes or sizes. You can either place them on a shelf, at the back of your desk or hang them from the wall.
Home office wall decor ideas
Speaking of hanging from the wall, do you have a bunch of old magazines lying around? My next suggestion for home office decorating ideas on a budget is to start cutting out pictures, especially from old photography or art magazines, and you can then frame them in a range of small frames like the below image.
Home office decorating on a budget: framing magazine clippings
Decorate with second hand vases
There are always plenty of treasures to be found at your local second hand or charity shop. One of those is a variety of different coloured and different sized vases, normally going for a few bucks each. Why not spend a few hours and visit some stores near you and collect a mismatched set for a shelf or windowsill?
Budget decorating with second hand vases
If you find that they are all boring colours, a can of cheap spray paint can fix that in no time at all. Make sure to paint outside, and wear a mask and gloves, to avoid inhaling the fumes or wearing your paint.
Create a bright feature wall
Speaking of paint, how recently were your home office walls last painted? If your walls are looking a little dull, why not consider buying a small can of bright interior paint, and make a feature wall? This is a great home office decorating idea, and it doesn’t need to cost the earth.
Bright feature wall in your home office
In fact, many paint and hardware stores often have mismatched paint in cans for bargain prices. The hardware store near me often has 1 litre cans for $5 when someone has returned the wrong colour. Ask at the counter and see what they may have.
Frame paper samples or swatches
Here’s another wall art idea. If you don’t have access to any art or photography magazines, you can go to Officeworks, Spotlight or other stationery places, and get yourself a stack of coloured paper. Then frame these in small frames and group them on your home office wall like the below.
Framed colour paper samples on a wall
Another fun method is to grab a handful of various paint swatches from Bunnings. You can use those, or indeed buy sample pots of your favourite colours, and paint the entire frame as well.
Add some greenery
Indoor plants on a shelf
You can pick up small pots like these in the home section of department stores, or at Bunnings and other garden centres. If you can, buy more than you need, and then you can rotate the plants regularly from your home office to another room and back, to always have a change of pace and style.
Another great idea with indoor plants for your home office, is to put two floating shelves up, and have two rows of pots, a vertical garden in a sense.
Vertical garden in the home workspace
Add some cushions
There are some fantastic decorative cushions for less than $30 on websites such as Etsy. This bold mono-coloured printed cushion (below) is available here for $28.50 (inc GST), and would look great in nearly any home office setting.
Mono designer cushion
DIY coffee table
There’s something special about creating your own furniture. One of the simplest furniture projects you can do, is creating a coffee table from disused wood pallets. It is easily achievable in a day, all you need is a hammer, a drill and some time.
Wooden pallet coffee table
If you drive around your local industrial estate, you will often find wood palettes on the verges, hoping for new owners, If not, try Facebook marketplace or Gumtree; they are usually free or under $5 a palette.
Create a blackboard wall
Another one of my favourite home office decorating ideas on a budget (and I have personally done this on my kitchen wall) is to buy a can of blackboard paint from your local hardware store, and paint part or all of one wall.
Blackboard wall in home office
This is a fantastic way to keep notes, write personal messages, even add some fun or motivational sayings. You will also discover that any visitors you may have to your home office will want to join in the fun. Maybe leave a cup with chalk on a stool or small table near that wall?
Light it up!
For sale just under $110 on Etsy Australia, this lamp may be more than the other budget items in this list, but how beautiful does it look?
Home office lamp
If budget is of primary concern when thinking of home office decorating ideas on a budget, maybe try and find similar retro lamps at second hand shops, or even just the shade if you have a lamp to replace at home. Good lamps and light fittings always make a statement, especially in the evenings when lit.
Time travel back to vinyl
I’m a big fan of vinyl records, and enjoy using them on my modern turntable. However, they can be so much more than just for your listening pleasure. Why not visit your local second hand shop or garage sale, and grab a handful of records for a dollar or two each, and either hang or affix them to your home office wall?
Vinyl records as wall art
This is one of the more controversial home office decorating ideas, as many of us vinyl lovers regularly visit second hand stores looking for good music. Maybe try and pick the records in the worst condition, that way you won’t feel so bad just sticking them to your home office wall, instead of actually playing them.
Low budget small office interior design using coffee cups
How’s this for an idea? Go to your local supermarket or discount shop and buy a handful of the same style of coffee cup. Then place your pens and pencils in them and create a row of these stationery holders.
Home office desk decoration: Pencils in cups
Not only does it look interesting and different, this decoration is actually practical as well, keeping your favourite pencils and pens close by for when you require them.
Signs make great office decoration items
Clip on letters on felt sign
You have no doubt seen those felt boards with push-pull or clip plastic letters that you can insert? These make a great focal point in your home office, especially if you use it to write a saying, or leave a message. You could write office open, or something more witty to do with what business you are in.
Your mind is your only limitation. These signs are found at most department stores, as well as places like Typo or Officeworks.
Bring home to the home office
Another of my favourite ones on this home office decorating ideas on a budget list, is bring the family into the home office. Photographs of the family, that is. At the end of the day, your home office is still inside your actual home. Make it cosier and more homely by including some photos of your family members.
Family photos in home office
Conclusion
I trust that you found some of the home office decorating ideas above to your liking, and you’ll use them to freshen up your home office. We are always keen on hearing from our readers about their home office designs, so we encourage you to take some photos and send them to us.