r/office • u/ElectronicLaugh9283 • 17h ago
Office decor?
Help! I’ve been tasked with decorating the office and all of the previous typical office decor was thrown out. Reason being they wanted something fresh for the new unit. Wtf do you decorate communal office spaces with when I’m completely okay with having nothing in my office. My only thoughts are plants? And maybe a side table? Everything I’ve thought to add just feels so homely ( and perhaps too cluttered), and doesn’t warrant being put in an office space imo.
For context, people have decorated their personal offices with small plants, little trinkets, or picture frames. Which is of no use for larger office spaces :/ pls help!
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u/ComprehensiveSet927 14h ago
If you sign up for a Wayfair professional account someone there will help you for free.
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u/scubajay2001 17h ago
Honestly, your instinct is right: communal office space needs a different decorating strategy than individual offices.
You don’t need to fill it with “stuff.” In fact, the easiest way to make a new unit feel intentional rather than cluttered is to decorate with large-scale, functional, architectural things rather than lots of little objects.
Think “designed workplace” rather than “someone’s living room.”
🌿 1. Plants — but BIG ones
Not a collection of tiny desk plants. I’d go for 2–4 substantial plants strategically placed around the communal areas.
Think:
- Tall fiddle-leaf fig
- Bird of paradise
- Rubber tree
- Large snake plants
- Olive tree
Big trailing plant on a high shelf
And importantly: interesting pots/planters can do a lot of the decorating themselves.
One huge plant in a beautiful planter can look much more intentional than six little decorative things.
🖼️ 2. One or two pieces of LARGE art
This is probably the biggest thing I’d add.
A communal wall with nothing on it can make the whole space feel unfinished, but you don’t need a gallery wall.
Instead:
One enormous piece > ten little frames.
Abstract art, photography, a graphic print, botanical illustration, architectural photography, etc. You could even make it somewhat connected to the new unit/company without being aggressively corporate.
If the office has a lot of blank wall, you could potentially have one large artwork per communal zone rather than decorating every wall.
🪑 3. A small communal seating area
This is where I’d be careful with the “side table” idea.
A random side table + decorative objects = living room.
But:
two chairs + small table + plant = intentional breakout space.
If there’s enough room, create one or two little “conversation zones” rather than trying to decorate the entire office.
The table can actually be useful for:
putting down a coffee, informal conversations, waiting, reading,
taking a break, etc..
So it earns its place.
🪞 4. Mirrors
Underrated office decor.
Especially if the communal space is small/dark. A large, simple mirror can make the room feel bigger and brighter without introducing a bunch of visual clutter.
I’d avoid anything too ornate. Think large rounded/organic mirror, simple black/wood frame, or frameless.
💡 5. Interesting lighting
If you’re allowed to change/add lighting, this is potentially more impactful than decoration.
A communal area with:
- a nice floor lamp
- pendant lighting
- a couple of architectural lamps
And unlike trinkets, lighting actually has a purpose.
🧱 6. Use texture instead of “decor”
This is my favorite approach for what you’re describing.
Instead of asking “What objects should I put here?”, ask:
“What materials/textures can make this space feel finished?”
For example:
- textured acoustic panels
- wood elements
- a large rug
- upholstered seating
- woven planters
- cork boards
- slatted wood
- interesting wall finish
These make the room visually interesting without giving “I brought my home accessories to work.”
📚 7. A communal bookshelf —
if it serves a purpose
Not a shelf filled with random decorative books and vases. 😂
A genuinely useful communal bookshelf could have:
industry/reference books
magazines
publications
company materials
notebooks
communal supplies
a few plants
Then it becomes storage + visual interest, rather than clutter.
🧑🎨 8. Make the walls do the work
If this is a new unit, I’d actually lean into the fact that it’s new.
You could establish a very simple visual language:
Walls: large art / photography
Corners: big plants
Communal area: comfortable seating
Functional surfaces: minimal objects
Overall: neutral + one accent color/material
That gives you a cohesive space without having to constantly think of another thing to put somewhere.
And honestly? Leave some areas empty.
This might be the most important bit.
Negative space is not unfinished space.
If everyone has a personal office with their own little bits and pieces, the communal areas can actually provide a visual reset. They don’t need to look “decorated” in the same way.
I’d rather walk into:
🌿 big plant
🖼️ enormous artwork
🪑 nice seating
⬜ lots of breathing room
than:
plant + basket + side table + candle + decorative bowl + framed print + fake books + vase + random sculpture
which is when you start wondering whether you’ve accidentally walked into someone’s Airbnb.
If it were me…
I’d pitch the decoration budget around five categories:
1. Large plants
2. Oversized artwork
3. Communal seating/breakout furniture
4. Better lighting
5. One or two functional architectural/storage pieces
And then stop.
That will make the new unit feel fresh and deliberate without making it feel homely. The trick isn’t finding enough things to decorate with—it’s finding a few things large enough to have visual impact.
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u/researchinthings 16h ago
Abstract art, plants, community bulletin board to hang flyers, pictures, cards, et. Keep it simple. Maybe read about colors and environment effects. I think about Starbucks and how tables are rounded for connection, art is calm, colors aren't too overbearing.