Go biophilic
Searches for biophilic design have gone through the roof. Aaron Markwell, colour lead at Coat says this is a trend to embrace for the long term. “In office spaces I always follow biophilic design principles,” he says. “When you’re doing something unnatural like working, it’s good to surround yourself with as many natural materials as possible”. That could be a wooden desk, or just a selection of plants. Markwell recommends using a green-based neutral on the walls as “the cones in our eyes relax when we see green.”

Bright colours are great in small amounts but can drain energy if used too liberally, says interior designer Sophie Pringle of Pringle & Pringle. “Long wavelength colours like orange and red are energising, so it’s good to have a pop of them on your desk,” she says.

Draw focus with paint
If your office “room” is a desk set into an alcove or corner, try painting this space a different colour to zone it, says interiors expert and author of Home Sweet Rented Home Medina Grillo. Panelling, or a split colour wall – with a darker tone of paint on the lower half – can also be a good way to draw concentration downwards.

Don’t mimic the work stationery cupboard
Instead of taking a simply functional approach, give your desk soul by repurposing things you love, whether that’s a pretty old tray to hold papers or a clay pot for pens. “A vintage display cabinet from a shop can look beautiful in a home office. Put fabric behind the glass door fronts to hide all the clutter,” says interior designer Kate Guinness. If your desk is an open table, try skirting it with a curtain to mask unsightly messes.

Pull the room together
“A rule of thumb with all schemes,” says interior designer Emma Neame, “is to make sure there is a material that links it together.” In an office, this could be as simple as having identical brown paper box files – rather than random colours – to give the space a calm and uncluttered feel.

Make your shelves feel bespoke
If you’re renting or can’t afford bespoke joinery, a simple way to make your office shelves look expensive is by sticking rechargeable LED strip lights under them, says Grillo. Neame agrees: “I have a chest of drawers in my office from Ikea that I bought years ago. I changed the knobs to brass ones from Homebase and put strip lights along the back – it looks amazing.”

Find natural light
According to one study, office workers exposed to daylight slept better at night and did more physical exercise than those working in windowless offices. “Always try to place your desk so it’s facing a window, or close to natural light”, says Neame. “Just add a voile [sheer fabric] roller blind to the window for those points of the day when the sun is too low or the glare will bug you.”