Style the perfect budget-friendly Scandi style home office

The Scandinavian trend is a minimal, clean and functional style that is perfect for a clutter-free and organised work space. The heavy use of clean whites and warm wood textures in Scandinavian design can also create a warm and welcoming feel to your space. This is incredibly important when it comes to your home office where your environment can be crucial for creating inspiration and motivation. Your home office should be a space where you should not only feel comfortable but at your most productive and creative so you can cross off those tasks on your to-do-list and achieve those goals.

Creating your dream work space from scratch or even just a revamp may seem like an expensive task. Office chairs and desks can easily break your budget and I will readily admit I have put off creating a space for myself for so long for this very reason. However, there are many budget-friendly Scandinavian style home office pieces available and with a bit of careful thought and planning a tight budget shouldn’t be an issue when it comes to creating a stylish, practical and comfortable space to work.

Here are a few tips to get you started!

Choosing a space

Setting up a home office doesn’t necessarily mean painting, furnishing and decorating an entire room or large space. Provided it can be defined from the rest of the house a small space or corner can be perfect for a work space. My mini home office is set up in the corner of our guest room that doesn’t often get used and required no additional expense to create.

What’s perfect about the Scandinavian minimal style is that it is all about making the best use of your space and can make a small area appear much larger, clutter-free and open.

Budget-friendly Desk

Furniture can be a bulky and expensive investment especially if you are after something that is going to last many years. If you are a renter like me and tend to move around a lot there is also the worry that a big investment like a desk won’t fit or match with your new space so spending big on office furniture is really not an option.

Luckily, there are many budget friendly Scandinavian style options available that may not be the same quality as that beautiful oak desk you have had your eye on but are practical, minimal and stylish. Ikea is always the go to for Scandi style furniture but if you search around you can find some amazing bargains in second hand stores or on Gumtree. If you are after something new Kmart and Officeworks also have some great budget-friendly desk options.

I opted for this minimal Scandi Essential desk from Kmart available here that is an absolute bargain at only $39.00! It matches with nearly anything and can be easily revamped with a bit of paint or vinyl contact like these marble print vinyl rolls currently available at Kmart to give it a more personal touch.

Seating

Choosing a seating option on a budget can be a little bit more difficult than other furniture. You might have noticed from Instagram and Pinterest that Scandinavian style chairs are often selected from the dining room department. Although there are many cheap and stylish chairs available that might match perfectly with your Scandinavian theme they are not necessarily the most comfortable or functional choice.

An adjustable office chair is always the best choice for your back and your posture but they are generally on the pricey side and are often bulky if you only have a small space. If a proper office chair isn’t possible you should at least aim for a seating choice that strikes a balance between the functional and stylish.

I picked up one of these cheap white dining room chairs from Kmart that is firm with a back support and matches perfectly with my Scandi theme. Adding a cushion or blankets can also make this type of seat a whole lot more comfortable if you are planning on sitting for extended periods of time.

Lighting

Adequate lighting is important if you are planning on working at night and also has the effect of adding ambience to your space. If you are lucky enough to have a space near a window that lets in natural light make sure to align your desk to make the most of it.

For extra light in the evenings adding a desk lamp or floor lamp to your work space is essential. However, even if you have a tight budget lighting choice doesn’t have to be boring and can be used as an accessory to add to the style of your home office. A simple industrial style lamp like this Copper & Wood Table Lamp from Kmart Australia can add a cool twist to the feel of your work space.

Storage

Nobody likes working from a cluttered desk and the Scandi style is all about achieving that minimal clutter free feel to your work space by making use of clever storage solutions. A desk with built in drawers like this Brusali Desk from IKEA is always the easiest way to store your papers but there are many other alternatives for storing your office stationery and papers.

I am lucky enough to have a built-in wardrobe nearby and have made use of the shelves in there to store any folders, loose papers and spare stationery I may need without it getting in the way of my work space. If this isn’t an option for you, a freestanding set of drawers, filing cabinet, storage tubs or containers near your desk will also help to keep your desk free of clutter.

Creative storage ideas for holding things like stationery and bits and bobs close by on your desk can be useful too. This cute little white pegboard box from Kmart is perfect as a storage space on my desk for any loose odds and ends I want to keep close by.

Accessorise with lovely things

Scandinavian design is all about achieving that minimal look but your work space should also feel homely and personal. It’s important not to go overboard with accessories as it can be a distraction from productivity but you should also aim to create a positive place where you actually want to sit and get things done.

You can give your work space a personal touch by adding prints or a mood board above your desk. This gorgeous ‘Forever’ print can be purchased from Karina Prints. If you are after something more office-ish this coffee quote print from Meyouevie would be perfect or hang one of these Wanderlust prints from Just Because Prints above your desk for some travel inspiration.

If you are in a rental and can’t hang anything permanent on the wall, clipboards are a great way to display your art and prints. The bonus is that they can be purchased very cheaply at your local stationery store.

Scented candles are also a perfect accessory for making your space smell lovely and to add a relaxed mood particularly if you are working late at night. I am loving the range from the lovely Filled With Love Soy Candles that come in beautiful minimal style tumblers and smell delicious!

Something living

A bit of greenery or some blooms are an inexpensive way to enliven and add a pop of colour to your home office space whether you choose to go with real or fake.

Hanging planters can be a beautiful and creative way to display your greenery and free up desk space like this macramé hanger from Nicha Fibre Art.

If you are a regular at the local farmers market and love to collect a fresh bouquet, a vase on your desk can be a perfect place to display them. Succulents are also a great office plant choice as they are cheap to buy and require little care. There are also many beautiful ways to display your succulents like in one of these minimal style concrete planters from Everything is Mint.