Exciting and Fun Work Desk Décor Trends for 2024

Are you struggling to enhance your work desk decor? This article will provide you with a list of actionable steps and accessories you can utilize to enhance your workspace.

While there are many life lessons we have learned from the pandemic, there’s one thing that it has taught most office-goers about their desk decor at work – it doesn’t have to be so boring.

After more than a year of working from home and coming up with a whole new definition of “works well without supervision,” we have come to realize that we can bring our personality to any formal setting, and that includes your office desk.

Work Desk Décor Trends

There are so many office desk decor ideas and office desk decorations that can be explored and implemented.

Granted, your home office was, and continues to be your personal space, and as such, it is exempt from any corporate mandates regarding office decor and how much space you can use.

That, however, doesn’t mean that some of those desk decor ideas can’t be transferred from your informal home workspace to your office space.

With that in mind, here is some excellent work desk décor you can use to brighten up your office decorations and space. Chances are these ideas won’t work easily in an open office vs closed office space, so if you currently work in an open office you don’t have a lot of options.

There are open plan office advantages and disadvantages but one main disadvantages is that without a personal workspace that you can decorate and accessorize there are certainly limitations. If you have your own personal workspace, the ideas below can easily be incorporated into your work setting.

Start By Decluttering

Although this doesn’t sound like advice on the best office decor for your workspace, the truth is that if you don’t start by decluttering, there’s very little you can do to improve your working environment.

There’s a very good chance that you don’t have the same taste you did before the pandemic sent everyone home to their home offices.

The difference between your home office and your typical office space is that the latter typically offers less space for personal items. That, however, doesn’t mean that you can’t apply your personal touch and ideas wherever possible.

To do that effectively, start by clearing out your desk and getting rid of anything that no longer resonates with who you are as a professional. Think of taking a minimalist approach: only what is necessary should remain on the desk.

Office Desk Decorations can Start with Art

Nobody said work office desk decor ideas or home office desk decor ideas had to be dull and uninteresting. To bring your personal touch into the forefront means that you can infuse the kind of energy you want into your workspace.

While it’s true that most people often think of wall décor when there’s talk about art, the truth is that there is so much more to office décor than just wall art. Some well-placed modern desk accessories can make a huge difference!

Take, for example, this Indoor 3-Tier Relaxation Tabletop Fountain by HoMedics. It’s a small enough 3-tier decorative fountain that doesn’t take up that much space on your office desk.

Thanks to the built-in submersible pump, this fountain operates automatically to continuously create a gentle and soothing flow of water.

Not only does it have a calming effect (something most of us will need once we start dealing with the pressures of our office environments again), but it also presents itself as an interesting piece.

Not that you would want people randomly striking up conversations in your desk area when you are at work, but if you did, then this 3-tier fountain is the perfect conversation starter and one of the best desk decorations.

Another addition to your desktop which could emote some comments and ideas from your coworkers would be a Magnetic Poker Sculpture Desktop Toy. It can not only relieve some stress but it also adds a little personality to your desktop.

Other than that, you could also decide to go the wall art route and find a small yet impactful piece to either hang on your office wall or place on your desk. You know, something that just speaks to you.

Consider Floating Shelves

If you know that you must declutter your desk or create more space for your decor but can’t find anything to throw away, how about bringing in floating shelves? This simple yet quite aesthetic option will not only add some style and class to your cubicle but will also add to your office space.

With just two floating shelves, you can create more space in your desk area for your preferred decor or for most of those “work things” that tend to take up so much space.

If you decide to use that extra space for decor, you don’t have to go the typical route and place framed photos or anything like that (although family photos are often a good addition to the overall decor setup).

You can choose to go a different path. Maybe some paper, crocheted, or wicker balls will add a nice touch to the overall look.

If your work space is a cubicle these 10 storage solutions, many of which utilize the walls like the floating shelves above, will expand the footprint of your cubicle space.

A wall desk organizer can take great advantage of wall storage and usage. You just have to explore the many different ideas for an office. This also goes for any home office ideas you can incorporate into your at-work workspace.

Desk Decorations – Add Plants and Flowers

There’s a reason people have kept flowers and plants on their office desks for almost as long as the office desk has existed: plants just bring life to any setting.

However, some plants require a great deal of care, which can become counterintuitive because you still have your own day-to-day duties to cater to. You should think of your workspace in the office like you would your home office.

The idea is to choose plants that can thrive even with minimal TLC. A good example would be Maidenhair Ferns. Not only are they beautifully green, but they are also quite easy to care for on a day-to-day basis.

In fact, all you will often need will be a squirt bottle from which you can mist up the plant every couple of days or so. Another great option for office desk decor ideas which requires minimal care would be succulents. They add an exotic flair to your office ambience and are low maintenance.

Another excellent option is to go for freshly cut flowers. Granted, this will demand a bit more of your attention as you will have to change the flowers every few days, but very few things can lift your spirits quite as effectively as freshly cut flowers in a beautiful vase.

Fresh flowers can certainly be considered the best desk decorations especially for a home office where you have the time to water and tend to them.

Infuse Some Funny Office Decor or Fun Cubicle Decor

I’ve always been a proponent of adding some whimsical desk decorations. The items above have been incorporated into my own cubicle and desk in my home office. I’m a fan of funny office decor.

The Butt Station Dispenser is a really interesting desk accessory as it not only is a tape dispenser but it also holds pens, Post-it Notes, and paper clips. It is certainly a really cool gag gift if you’re looking to surprise a co-worker or just give one to a friend for their home office.

The No Button is a classic! I wrote a No Button article where you can hear the various responses. It basically provides 10 different ways to say No.

It is advertised as being great for parents and co-workers. If you want to add some fun office decor into your own desk environment or a co-worker’s desk, this novel desk decoration toy will be a winner for sure.

The Cat Pop-Up Post-It Note Dispenser is another really cool gift for yourself or for a co-worker who might love felines or maybe even in your home office. You can see my own Cat Pop-Up Note Dispenser in action in this article on my desk.

Your regular ordinary Post-it Notes will not work with this pop-up dispenser. You will have to buy the pop-up version of Post-it Notes to use with this dispenser but it’s certainly worth it!

Along the same vein are the Dog Shape Paper Clips which are just really cool versions of your traditional paper clips but look like dogs. Mine look like the classic Corgi dog. You can see the Dog Shape Paper Clips on my desk in this article up close as it includes a video.

In today’s office environment it’s important to infuse some fun into your office with some practical accessories but certainly some whimsical desk accessories, funny desk signs, playful sign office desk accessories, and funny desk decor.

Desk decor funny accessories can only make your working day that much more enjoyable and fun. If you’re perusing the internet and see some fun desk accessories that might work for your office at work or home you should certainly add to favorites and revisit after you’ve done your research.

Experiment with Various Table Lamps

A table lamp is a mainstay of office decor across the globe. One of the main reasons these lamps are so popular is that they are quite practical.

If you buy the right lamp, you will have the kind of lighting you need whenever you feel those headaches coming on, as it tends to happen from time to time when you work under extremely bright fluorescent light. There are a myriad of tables lamps available for your workspace.

You just have to find one that speaks to your space.

That being said, you don’t necessarily have to settle for a boring lamp. You can use this to make a statement and show people your individuality. If you feel like having an office lamp that emits neon green light is the best way to go, then why not?

Maybe that’s exactly what you need to put an end to the monotony that comes with working late into the evenings. A multifunctional LED desk lamp from AFROG could be the perfect addition to your work area. I have one in my home office and use it all the time.

Office lighting solutions can dramatically change the ambience and decor of your working space so you must consider wisely what to incorporate into your space and what makes sense for your working environment.

If you’re feeling down during the darker months, maybe an energy light can boost your mood. It isn’t a light that stays on all day long but it could give you that boost you need.

Get Creative with your Office Desk Decor

There’s always room for individual creativity when it comes to such projects. Many different aspects of your office decor can be entirely original and a product of your creative mind. For example, you may be an avid reader who simply must have a few choice books displayed on your desk.

What about your planners that you use every day? On the one hand, you could go the traditional route and purchase a book stand, such as this Maitys 2 Pieces Book Stand, or you could go in a completely different direction.

A nice creative channel to take would be to pick up a couple of rocks from the park or even on one of your nature trails. You can decide to spray paint these rocks whichever color you fancy, and use them as a pair of book stands for your beloved desk collection. Those could be considered nature’s desk decorations.

Not only does this give you a unique take on book shelving, but it also saves you money while making you look like you should have a store on Etsy. You also might want to add some really cool and sophisticated leather desk accessories.

Make Your Space Comfortable at Work or Home

Think of all the comforts you offered yourself while you had a home office when you could decorate without having to worry about company policy. What is it that’s in your home office for the sole purpose of making you comfortable? Is it a warm and fuzzy blanket for your legs?

Maybe a thin cushion for your seat or a rug for the floor? How about a round non-slip rug pad? All these qualify as the little things you do to make a space yours.

Since your workspace says a lot about who you are, why not take the chance to make it as comfortable for you as possible? Bring that blanket into your home office with you. If it’s too much of a problem, you can even have one designed in your office colors so that management doesn’t have any issues with it.

You can bring a small pillow or seat cushion for your office chair if you need one. Think about what makes you comfortable and keeps you motivated to put in those long, hard hours and try your best to incorporate that into your office space.

Think about a Safe Personal Space

One of the key changes that humanity has had to grapple with during this pandemic is the idea of personal space, or “social distancing.” These are some protocols that will probably remain in place even long after the virus has become less of a threat to human life.

The idea of social distancing is so easily accepted in the workplace because people mostly just love to have as much office space to themselves as they can. A Plexiglass Sneeze Guard is possible option that could be incorporated in an office setting. Here’s an article that talks about one in detail.

If you have to share your office space with a colleague or a few other workmates, it’s important to come up with a system that ensures the office furniture, such as desks and chairs, is arranged in such a way that you have some kind of personal space for both social distancing and personal taste reasons.

Even in an open office in the New Normal Workspace, the use of plexiglass could be instituted as a safe separator. Even an acoustic partition could provide not only sound protection but germ protection in an open office.

Maximize the Use of Vertical Space

What about those who don’t have large desks or even huge office spaces? Are they not supposed to enjoy their personal space at the office? If you have a small office desk or are stuck in a small space that has vertical walls, you can still do something with it.

What about your above desk decor?

Apart from floating shelves, there are other options you can explore. Here is a great list of cubicle hangers and cubicle hooks so that you can utilize those walls for storage purposes. Here is another list of 10 Cubicle Storage Solutions, many of which pertain to utilizing the walls of a cubicle.

You could buy hanging file folders, a rod with hooks for things like your pen holder, some interesting wall decor for the rest of the space, as well as a host of other small yet vital additions that will help you keep most of the office supplies within that space organized.

How About Changing Your Desk to Enhance Work Desk Decor?

A Standing Desk could be one of the Best Ideas to Promote Company Health

While it might sound like a “nuclear option,” sometimes what you need is a complete revamp of your office furniture. The traditional office desk and chair are slowly becoming outdated.

Today, you have many options that are not only innovative but also quite advantageous as far as your health and productivity are concerned. For example, there are a myriad of standing desks that you can buy for your office.

Not only are these desks good for your posture and health, but they also offer a bit more space for your office decor options. As far as health is concerned, this article details 5 Healthy Work Life Benefits of Standing Desks.

However, if you are not very keen on standing all day, you can simply opt for a work desk that accommodates both sitting and standing.

This kind of desk will give you the option to change positions, view, and postures throughout the day, making it the ideal fit for those of us on the team who are health-conscious but not quite keen on standing all day. 

Apart from the fact that your home office desk decor says a lot about who you are as a person, it’s also a chance for you to create an environment that encourages productivity and peace of mind.

It couldn’t hurt to add some motivational office quotes to the walls of your office to help spark your productivity. The options are only limited by your creativity.

Check out social media sites like Pinterest and Instagram for a myriad of ideas for work desk decor ideas and office desk decor items. The beauty of it all is that it doesn’t have to all come together at once. You can build the perfect office environment one piece at a time.