A well-designed home office promotes much more than productivity. Often tucked away from shared spaces, it's the perfect place to express a bit more personality. Although functionality is always at the forefront, a serene aesthetic and comforting details are key to a swoon-worthy design scheme.
When designing a sprawling home-away-from-home in Park City, Utah, Shea McGee created a characterful blend of 'eclectic' design and her signature modern rustic style. And in the office, she went all in with moody, comfort-forward colors and textures.
Aside from expressive details and decoration, a double-monitor-ready setup and a stunning outdoor view make the design scheme sing. Here's a look inside, with behind-the-scenes home office details from Shea.
The office's moody color palette makes the space feel cozy and cocooning, a world away from the snowy scenery outside. Nightfall by Benjamin Moore, a deep blue-gray hue, is used on the built-in cabinetry, natural wood wall paneling covers the backdrop and ceiling, and a textured area rug grounds the desk space. In a YouTube video touring the final reveal, Shea directs attention to the built-in – more specifically, the hardware.
'It has this great cut-out – this is brass – and then it has this little notched detail here,' says Shea. 'I think it's just those little things in these luxury, custom homes that we design that make all of the difference.'
The earthy built-in, both nature-inspired and elegant, creates a chic background for the space's statement desk. Shea notes that the layout of this home office was considered and intentional, making space for the desk setup of a busy professional. Two large surfaces and a carefully placed swivel chair make for an efficient, productive work-from-home arrangement.
'The layout here is one we use a lot for our clients who have a lot of monitors and screens,' she says. 'We'll do two desk spaces, so one that's built in up against the wall where we keep those monitors, and then we'll have a desk floating in the middle so that they can swivel back and forth with a chair that has casters.'
On the other side of the room, Shea points out 'one of [her] favorite vignettes in the entire home,' which centers around a charming plaid-patterned settee: 'We did a custom plaid fabric on this settee – it's adorable and it's fun and it's classic, and I love that you walk into this room and you can't miss it.'
Framed artwork, a light coffee table, a gold floor lamp, and a leather golf bag hanging from the wood-paneled wall complete the vignette, showing off the homeowner's personality and Shea's design expertise. The space isn't cluttered or over the top, but still displays plenty of personality-driven charm.
'We interview clients and say, "What are your interests and hobbies, and things that inspire you?" In common spaces, not everyone has those same interests, so in an office you can really go for it,' says Shea.
This home office is one of the Summit Estate project's standout spaces, boasting a statement color scheme and loads of intricate details. Built for productivity but also peaceful retreats, it's the perfect work-from-home solution for a luxurious mountainside stay.
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