When was the last time your home workspace or study station inspired you? For most people, the answer is, "Not recently."

Whether you’re prepping an area for your work-from-home days or setting up a spot for young scholars to study , you can kick inspiration into high gear with home office solutions that will get your creative juices flowing again.

Window wonder

It's no secret that sunshine does the body good. Fix up a space near the window so you can soak up plenty of vitamin D while pumping out price lists or writing that term paper.

Greenery looks great near a bright area, so a potted plant or two might help naturally bring your space to life.

Arts and crafts

The age of DIY is upon us. Embrace the casual-cool vibes and create your very own home desk area.

Need a semipermanent to-do list? Try using chalkboard paint to make yourself a giant notepad on a nearby cabinet or a framed chalkboard. Tired of the overdone corkboard for your sticky notes? Framed chicken wire with clothespins makes a more shabby-chic memo board.

The possibilities really are endless for this type of style. Just don't let your DIYing get in the way of the tasks you originally sat down to do!

Collaboration is key

For those less focus-intensive projects, investigate a collaborative workstation with several small spaces or a giant community table. This type of work environment has been popular among small companies and creative agencies for the purpose of bouncing around ideas.

If you still want your own personal space, put a divider between you and the other desks for some extra privacy, and take it down when it's time to meet and discuss. You know what they say: Teamwork makes the dream work.

A clear mind

While many of us would like to think we have complete control of our habit of logging onto Facebook or checking what else our calendar has in store for us, most of us really don't. And the greatest enabler of this sidetracked behavior is a cluttered workspace.

Set the stage for a clean slate with a bright white desk and matching chair, a simple light fixture and an inspiring element. Keeping your workstation simple and clutter-free ensures you have a productive day - even if your homework is less than exhilarating.

Whether you're up all night cramming for exams or prepping for a work presentation due first thing in the morning, you'll feel more focused and productive by incorporating any of these tips into your workstation.

Related:

• 10 Ways to Conquer Clutter and Simplify Your Life
• 3 Steps to Creating an Organized Entryway (Even If You Don’t Have the Space)
• 7 Ways to Self-Sabotage Your Organizing Efforts

Originally published September 7, 2016.

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What better time to turn your home into a warm and welcoming den than during the chilly winter months? With just a little investment and some ingenuity, you can bring a distinctive winter-friendly look into your home.

Here are three concepts to inspire you - and some tips to get you started.

Look 1: The British study

The vibe

This look is a perfect fit for a snowy winter day. Filled with shelves of leather-bound tomes, tufted chesterfield sofas and focused lighting from brass sconces, the study is the perfect spot to curl up with a favorite novel, enjoy a cup of tea or nap away the afternoon.

Get the look

Built-in bookcases may run up a tab, but two or three flat-pack units arranged tightly in a row can nearly fill a wall without breaking the budget.

Pack them with as many books you can find - the fuller the better. Check out garage sales, thrift shops and library clearance sales for additional hardback books if you're short.

Sure, you may not have a tufted leather sofa on hand, but any love seat positioned in front of the bookcases will look dramatic. Instead of square throw pillows, try round bolsters in the corners for a more formal style.

A vintage rug is ideal underneath, but convincing reproductions can be found online for a fraction of the price.

For the coziest of lighting in the evenings, add sconces to your bookcases. Inexpensive clip-on downlights work perfectly in a pinch. If possible, flank the love seat with a pair of floor reading lamps, swiveled low over the arms of the sofa.

Look 2: The Scandinavian chalet

The vibe

Crisp white paint, whitewashed wood and neutral furnishings make even the gloomiest of days feel bright.

This aesthetic is definitely modern, yet it’s touched with woodsy rusticity and directly connected to nature. Winter-friendly accessories bring in a bit more comfort and prevent the space from feeling cold.

Get the look

Compatible with the popular all-white color scheme, the Scandinavian chalet look can be achieved with a few tweaks - some more involved than others.

For an amazing yet affordable chalet transformation, consider covering one wall (ideally around a fireplace) in inexpensive pine boards. You can run them horizontally or vertically, and you may choose to either paint them to match your other walls or seal them with a whitewash or light gray stain.

Embrace irregularities and small gaps between the boards - they’ll give you the modern, woodsy touch that makes these spaces memorable.

Define a seating area using a generously scaled jute rug. Build on this surface's natural color and texture with pieces of upholstery. If your furniture isn't neutral, try slipcovering it or even tossing a large canvas dropcloth over it.

A stack of substantial floor pillows encourages a more relaxed gathering beside the fire or around a board game. And a faux sheepskin throw or two will further warm the space.

For accessories, try hanging a white papier-mache deer mount over your hearth and stacking paper birch logs beside the fireplace.

For lighting, overscale paper lanterns affixed to a simple plug-in pendant light make a big 1970s Scandinavian statement at minimal cost.

Look 3: The boho nest

The vibe

Longing for the warm colors of summer? This look brings them indoors using tapestries, artwork and an abundance of houseplants.

Layering is the name of the game, with floors covered by an arrangement of inexpensive flat-weave rugs, upholstery draped in throws and embroidered pillows, and groupings of mixed-media art on the walls.

Get the look

While many seeking the boho style focus on white walls as a backdrop, you can create a warmer space with a bold color or dark earth tone. Paint one or more of your living room walls to invite contrast.

Start building your nest from the floor up. Instead of purchasing one large expensive rug, try layering a mixture of smaller and more affordable rugs of varying styles and colors for an eclectic and relaxed feel.

If you have walls that feel a little barren, consider draping them with floor-to-ceiling curtains. This will envelop and soften the edges of the room.

If premade ones aren’t in the budget, you can easily make your own perfectly fitted drapes with fabric. Create a simple hem around the edges with a quick pass through the sewing machine or a little bit of ironing with hem tape. Use ring clips to attach the fabric panels to curtain rods.

A gallery wall can also give your living room a warmer feel. While typical galleries consisting solely of framed art tend to be the decorating norm, you can keep the look fresh and more bohemian by integrating a broader spectrum of art types.

Hang clay or wood pieces, textile art, paper sculptures and even wall-clinging plants - like staghorn ferns - to give your gallery wall life and personality.

Related:

• 2019 Design Forecast: What’s In, What’s Out
• 3 Design Tricks That Will Make Your Small Space Feel Big
• 8 Ways to Incorporate Your Passions Into Your Home Decor

Originally published January 2018.

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As we flip to the last pages of our 2018 calendar, it’s time to look at interior design trends on the rise - and say goodbye to those on their way out in 2019.

Here are our predictions about what’s in and what’s out in the year to come.

What’s in

Warm modernism

It’s official - many regions throughout the U.S. are choosing a modern aesthetic over a rustic style.

While black-and-white contrast and raw materials like steel and wood will continue to be popular, they’ll be softened by color and asymmetry. These modern elements will have a fresh approachability when surrounded by sun-soaked fabrics and natural wallcoverings.

Effortless technology and transformations

Talk-to-me tech products help you get things done with your voice, and homeowners are using them to modernize their daily routine.

In 2019 you’ll see smart faucets, fans, window coverings and appliances paired with popular platforms - Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Apple HomePod - for a convenient, connected home.

Additionally, products that offer easy installation and seamless integration into existing layouts make projects remodel-friendly. Innovative sinks, faucets, medicine cabinets, appliances and lighting provide a quick transformation to refresh the style and functionality of your space.

Om sweet home

Though talk-to-me tech is trending, some will be looking for ways to escape the chatter.

Meditative and sound-barrier features will appear in more homes this year - think transformative experiences using acoustic panels, colored lights and aura effects. Ethereal, sheer and translucent fabrics will support the aesthetic, pairing an organic feel with the benefits and convenience of select technology.

Industrial style

Concrete, quartz and metal lovers, rejoice! Industrial styles are predicted to rise in popularity in 2019.

Matte black and bronze continue to dominate and complement a more industrial vibe. But when selecting wall colors, appliances, faucet finishes and fabrics, consider the possibilities of moody blues and the gray color spectrum. From warm light grays to the coolness of matte black, these tones add a subtle layer of intrigue and distinction.

Plus, black and charcoal gray front doors could earn up to $6,271 more when selling your home!

Organic maker accents

Handmade details can immediately soften an interior. This year you’ll see rhythmic patterns and imperfect lines incorporated through hand-painting, stitching and detailing, expanding the possibilities for endless mixing and matching in the home. Additionally, fabrics and accents with strands of crystal, wooden and pearlescent beads present a sophisticated flair for artful detail.

Home decor favorites will still include earthy elements and nubby textures. Think neutral naturals by simply adding a wooden side table and sculpture, live and fake plants for color, and natural fibers through rugs and fabrics.

What’s out

Rustic

Is America finally over the “Fixer Upper” movement? Not quite, but the rustic, farmhouse-chic elements are getting refined.

The shiplap-crazy trend seems to be leaning toward a modern twist, simplifying layers of the look. Cutesy barn doors will take a backseat to more modern versions featuring glass and metal instead of reclaimed barn wood.

The signature statement range hood covered in rustic materials will swing to simplified finishes, like brushed brass, stainless and matte black. Lastly, the harsh light of the Edison bulb will move to a more complementary glow, reflecting concealed bulbs versus exposed ones.

Millennial pink

Bold, trendy color schemes are likely on the way out, with more subtle earth tones and cool, classic palettes on the rise.

Blues and neutrals continue to top Zillow trend reports, adding higher dollar values related to home sales when used in kitchen and bathroom areas. While millennial pink may have been all the rage on designer Instagram feeds, people don’t actually want to live with it throughout their homes.

Whether trends inspire you or not, it’s important to be aware of them, because they help shape our own personal interior style. If you love purple gingham in your dining room, go for it. If an all-white interior speaks to you, celebrate it.

Our homes are where we express ourselves and tell our unique style story, so I encourage you to do just that in the new year.

Related:

• 3 Design Tricks That Will Make Your Small Space Feel Big
• Quiz: What Type of Bar Should You Build in Your Home?
• A Park Slope Townhome That Went From ‘Mess’ to Masterpiece

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