The 7 IKEA buys interior experts always go for when styling and furnishing a home office

IKEA and its budget-friendly homeware are not just popular with us regular humans – it’s a go-to resource for interior designers and experts as well. And that goes for most areas of the home, including the home office – I was curious what IKEA products interior experts always recommend for a home office. And they came back with several of their top picks.

Spanning everything from desk and office chair designs to the best lighting options and storage solutions, these IKEA home office ideas have got it all. And it proves that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to create the perfect, stylish and well-functioning home office set up – if the designers and experts can, so can you.

‘I think it’s important to show people that good design doesn’t always have to come at a luxury price point, you just need to know what to look for,’ says interior designer Bilal Rehman.

Alex Stubbs, Flitch interior stylist, adds, ‘Interior designers consistently turn to a few standout pieces from IKEA when styling or upgrading a home office, thanks to their smart functionality, sleek design, and adaptability to living spaces.’

These are their top picks.

1. LAGKAPTEN desk

The IKEA LAGKAPTEN desk came up more than once when I was speaking to various designers and experts as one of the best home office desk ideas.

‘The generous surface area of the LAGKAPTEN/ALEX desk provides space for tech and paperwork, while the integrated drawers keep everything organised,’ says Hannah Prescott, interior designer at Diamond Interiors. ‘I particularly like that it’s finished on all sides, so it looks smart whether against a wall or in the middle of a room – ideal for flexible home office setups.’

Jo Lane, interior designer and founder of See Your Place, also favours the LAGKAPTEN desk with the added KALLAX extension, ‘I would focus on choosing pieces that create a streamlined, clutter-free look. Rather than scatter storage units of different sizes around your space, look for a larger shelving unit that effectively creates a storage ‘wall’. The IKEA KALLAX/LAGKAPTEN desk and shelf combination is perfect as it delivers a huge amount of vertical storage without taking up too much floor space. A great choice if your room is on the smaller side.’

2. BILLY bookcases

The IKEA BILLY bookcase is one of the Swedish retailer’s bestselling products for a reason. Its simple design is the perfect blank canvas for various IKEA BILLY hacks so you can elevate your home office storage ideas and turn the bookcases into something like a built-in-looking library of dreams – the perfect backdrop for work calls.

‘One of the most recommended items is the IKEA BILLY bookcase, loved not just for storage but as a stylish focal wall. When paired with neatly arranged boxes and curated ceramics, it transforms a purely practical feature into something that feels designed and lived in,’ Alex at Flitch says.

3. STOCKHOLM 2025 rug

This year, IKEA launched the STOCKHOLM 2025 collection which includes some of the most stylish and high end-looking pieces of the entire IKEA offering. Including the STOCKHOLM 2025 rug in white, brown and light blue, favoured by Bilal Rehman.

‘One of my favorites is the STOCKHOLM 2025 flatwoven rug in white, brown, and light blue. The palette has this subtle retro vibe, but the colors are still calm and sophisticated and can adapt to any space you put it in. The only caution is that flatwoven rugs can shift more than a plush pile, so layering it over a rug pad is essential and will help make it feel more high-end and anchored,’ he explains.

You can bag a rug pad like this one from Dunelm for as little as £5 though.

4. HAVSTA storage

If you’re after a built-in-looking home office storage but prefer a slightly more traditional style than the BILLY bookcases, the IKEA HAVSTA storage system is for you.

‘The IKEA HAVSTA range can deliver this “built-in” look at a fraction of the price as its cabinets have deep plinths which create a premium feel. I would combine two 81cm-width HAVSTA floor cabinets, using a 246cm-width KARLBY walnut worktop on top as a desk surface, and top with two HAVSTA wall shelving units mounted on the worktop, above the floor cupboards,' Jo at See Your Place says.

'This leaves a generous 80cm-width desk space in between. You could further dial up the look by adding some tongue-and-groove panelling to the wall space above the desk. Try this inexpensive but effective panelling kit from Amazon, which you simply stick to the wall using standard adhesive.'

5. TERTIAL lamp

Incorporating the right home office lighting ideas into your WFH space is almost just as important as picking the right desk and chair. And if you like the look of the iconic Anglepoise desk lamp design, available at John Lewis, but can’t quite justify spending £190 on a lamp, then you’ll love the budget alternative, courtesy of IKEA’s TERTIAL lamp, selling for just £15.

‘Good lighting makes all the difference, and the TERTIAL lamp is a brilliant, affordable upgrade. Its adjustable arm and head mean you can direct light exactly where you need it, which is essential for reducing eye strain. At just £15, it’s a simple way to make your workspace feel more functional and professional,’ Hannah at Diamond Interiors says.

6. STOCKHOLM 2025 cabinet

It’s not just the rug that interior experts highly recommend for home office spaces from the STOCKHOLM 2025 collection. The sliding-doors cabinet is another piece that puts a stylish, elevated spin on a practical design like a storage cabinet.

‘Storage as a design element always gets ignored in home offices. I often see people picking storage for functionality instead of looks but there are tons of options that are a great balance of both. The STOCKHOLM 2025 cabinet has such a clean, minimal silhouette, and I love the detail of the key lock – it makes it feel more like a thoughtfully designed piece, not just utilitarian storage. I gravitate toward the oak veneer finish, but it also comes in a beautiful green if your style leans more eclectic,’ Bilal Rehman says.

7. DEJSA table lamp

If you prefer more homely lamps in your home office, rather than the more traditional task lighting, the IKEA DEJSA table lamp is the perfect solution, highly recommended by interior designer Bilal Rehman.

‘Lighting is another area where you can make a huge impact in any space. The DEJSA table lamp is one of my favorites. The silhouette looks far more expensive than its price point. And it’s scaled beautifully for desks or side tables without overwhelming the space,’ he says.

Which IKEA home office picks are your favourite go-tos?