How Much Money Should I Spend Furnishing My Home Office?

Over these last few years, there’s certainly been an uptick in people working from home and the desire for a suitable space to work where you live.

The more we did our jobs from home, too, the more we saw the need for a designated space. A space that you can leave at the end of the day - shut the door, turn off the lights, and not even think about all those emails piling up until you go back into that room the next morning.

Home offices are becoming an integral part of the home and since this might be newer territory for you, you might feel a little lost when it comes to the cost of furnishing this type of room.

Even before we started working from home so much, McElheran’s Furniture + Design has always carried office furniture. You want to feel comfortable in any room in your home and that’s what you’ve come to expect from the high-quality products at McElheran’s. Just because a home office is a place to work, doesn’t mean that you should compromise on quality or comfort.

Our in-house designers, known as Design Guides, will take you through the cost of furnishing an office in this article. We’ll also break down the price piece by piece.

There are quite a few factors that affect the cost of office furniture, so we’ll go over that and discuss what piece you should really invest in. And hang tight - we have a little bonus tip for you at the end, too. (Hint: your office furniture may not cost as much as you think!)

How much will it cost to furnish a home office?

The cost of furnishing a home office can vary greatly. It really comes down to what pieces you need to perform your job comfortably and effectively. Or, maybe your home office is more of a flex space and performs a few different functions within the home. We’ll definitely go over those variables in a minute.

But if you’re looking for well-made, functional pieces for your home office, a general price range would be between $6,000 and $25,000.

A breakdown of the cost of home office furniture

Desk: $2,000 – $10,000

Chair: $1,900 - $5,000

Bookshelf/Bureau/Cabinet: $2,000 - $8,000

Lamp: $250 - $1,500

Accessories: $500 - $2,000

What are the factors that affect the cost of furnishing an office?

Probably one of the biggest factors of the cost of a home office is… well, does your home have room for an office? Or – even if you have the space - do you want a home office?

Yes, a lot of us have grown accustomed to working from home, but if you’ve started to go back into work and you don’t want to bring your job home with you, there might not be a need for such a room.

Is your office more than just an office?

Sometimes a home office may be more of a flex room, a den, if you will. In addition to a workspace, it may also be an occasional guest room, a storage space, or a TV room. In that case, you’ll also need to factor in the price of other “less office-y” articles of furniture, like a console or sleeper sofa.

The amount of storage needed

You may not ask for much out of your home office. Perhaps all your files and sensitive information are stored on a laptop. If you’re not physically filing documents, you may not need a bunch of shelves or cabinets – or even a desk with a lot of drawers.

So, on that note, you might be better suited for a simple table, like a writing desk, instead of an oversized solid wood desk.

Do you need multiple seating?

Are there a lot of people coming in and out of your home office, or is it just you?

Unless you’re hosting a bunch of meetings (in person, not over zoom), you probably don’t need to spend money on additional chairs or seating options.

Is ergonomics important to you?

If you’re into ergonomics and very cognizant of your health and comfort when you’re working from home, that could affect the overall price of your home office.

Standing or heightened desks have become quite trendy, which could bring up the price. But then again, you won’t have to pay for a chair if you’re standing all day.

Existing pieces in the home office

The range between $6,000 and $25,000 for furnishing your home office is based on you starting from scratch. But hey, if you already have a perfectly fine desk or office chair, right then and there, you’re saving yourself a few thousand dollars!

Your flexibility on the pieces you want

If you have a specific look in mind or a furniture manufacturer you’ve fallen in love with, that can definitely affect the price. Customizing a piece to get it exactly the way you want it could bump up the price and certain manufacturers are more expensive, simply because of their name and reputation.

However, if you’re willing to explore different looks at different price points, that could make your budget more flexible in certain areas.

The size of the room

Sometimes decisions on cost can easily be made based on the size of the room you’re furnishing.

For instance, if your home office is pretty small, you just might not have the room for an elaborate bureau or a ton of accessories.

Where should I spend the most money in my home office?

There’s nothing worse than going to work and sitting in an uncomfortable chair for eight hours. To do your job and do it well, you need a comfortable chair!

So, why would your home office be any different?

That’s right, the item that you really want to invest in is your chair.

Of course, your desk is important, too, that’s where you’re putting all your work on! And due to its size, it will cost you a reasonable amount of money in comparison to the rest of your office pieces.

And once you have those key pieces figured out, you can move on to bureaus, lamps, cabinets, additional seating (should you need it), and accessories.

Your office furniture may not cost you as much as you think

First of all, we’re not your employer, and we don’t work for the Canada Revenue Agency, but you might be able to claim a lot of your home office furniture or get your work to pay for it.

If you’re spending money to make your home a comfortable place to get your work done, it’s absolutely worth seeing if you can get some of those costs covered.

And if you can claim some of your office furniture or get reimbursed, that can save you money or allow you to spend it on better quality pieces.

How much should I spend on my office in comparison to furnishing the rest of the home?

As we mentioned, the home office is really having its day in the sun right now. We’re seeing the significance of a designated workspace in the home.

You may not have to spend as much money furnishing it as, say, your master suite or the living room, but the office is still an important part of your home that requires functional and quality pieces.

To see how to work a home office into the rest of your home’s budget, check out How to Budget When Furnishing Your Entire Home.

And when you’re ready to get started on furnishing your office, schedule a visit to McElheran’s! Our Design Guides are here to take your budget – regardless of what is it – and create a beautiful space for you and your home.