Home Office Ideas to Steal from 9 Creative Companies

Your organizational system need not be fancy; it just needs to work. At the Fueled Collective, a co-working space in New York City, rough-hewn wood crates are mounted to the paneled wall of a lounge area, creating a visually interesting focal point while providing convenient storage for all sorts of snacks, healthy and not.

Related: 8 New Ways to Use Old Crates

You can't get any work done if you're uncomfortable. Plop a La-Z-Boy in front of your computer? Maybe not. But it may boost your productivity to decorate the home office like the rest of your house. Here, an intricately detailed mock colonnade sets off a conference room area at San Francisco-based Grow Marketing.

Related: 10 Alternatives to a Traditional Home Office

Ever stared out your office window on a perfect April day? When the warmer months hit, it's normal to long for the outdoors. Zappos, the giant online shoes and accessories retailer, gets it. Separate outdoor workspaces feature couches, chairs, tables, even firepits with wide stone benches. And really, as long as you have your laptop with you, any place at home—from the porch to the patio—is your office.

Related: Outdoor Lighting - 12 Products to Light Your Way

Proper lighting can be key to concentration, a concept not unfamiliar to the team behind Path, an app that simplifies social media platforms and direct messaging. Oversized windows—that double as a white board—lets in loads of natural light and the view of San Francisco's Bay Bridge. And when the sun goes down, the tripod task lamp helps power through that last project of the night.

Related: 9 Inventive Ways to Hang Pendant Lights

Sitting at a desk for eight hours a day, five days a week can be surprisingly draining. So do like the team over at Birchbox, the beauty subscription service, and add in an energizing workout area. Recreate your own zone to bust through creative blocks with a hula hoop or stretch bands.

Related: Weekend Projects - 5 “Strong” Ideas for Home Gyms

Even when you aren't short on space, it's always a good idea to outfit a room in multifunctional pieces. Check out the DIY desk front and center at the office of Quirky, the NYC-based invention company. Originally designed by Founder and CEO of Quirky Ben Kaufman, this receptionist desk was repurposed from an old locker to create a unique work station with with a cubbie for everything.

Related: Get Organized: 25 Clever Ideas for Repurposed Storage

Not everyone can pull off the Lego wall that exists in the headquarters of Pinterest, the company that invented the online inspiration board. But the takeaway is clear: Surround yourself in a space that has room to design and flex your creative muscles. No Legos on hand? Consider a white board or black chalkboard wall to promote daily doodles.

Related: 10 Reasons to Go Crazy for Chalkboard Paint

Is your home office painted a nondescript beige? Or a functional black and white? If that works for you, great. But if you dread sitting down to work each day, try color—and lots of it. Detroit-based Quicken Loans has color to spare—from the floors to the ceilings to the walls. Take a page from their book and turn your work space into a destination you can't wait to visit.

Related: The Best Paint Colors for Low-Light Rooms

It's convenient to keep your notes, calendar, and correspondence stored digitally. But when you need to break out of the box and brainstorm, nothing beats the tactile experience of paper. In the hip offices of the design company IDEO, coworkers share project ideas by posting papers on the wall, and officemates comment or vote on their favorites using sticky notes. For the visually-oriented, spreading out to the walls could be the next great idea in home organization.

Related: How to Keep Your REAL Desktop Organized

For more on home offices, consider:

Buy or Build: 15 Desks We Love

10 Tips for a Creating a Home Office That Works for You

10 Ingenious Alternatives to the Traditional Home Office