Home Design

5 Essentials for Your Perfect Study

Jan 22, 2019, 8:40 AM | Logan Arey
A book sits in front of the fireplace in a study

Now that you have your perfect home, it's time to make it yours. When planning how to use each room, consider if you've ever wanted the perfect space where you could sit comfortably, read, have some privacy, and relax with your thoughts.

You have? Then what you need is to plan a study.

A study is the perfect place to get things done for professional purposes or to gratify your personal interests, and setting up the perfect study will help you achieve these things.

The 5 Essentials for Your Study

1. A Leather Chair

A fine leather chair can bring your whole study together. When others walk into the room, the leather chair will immediately grab their attention. It's the perfect accent piece.

You can opt for either real leather or faux leather. The benefit to real leather is it ages nicely and you'll have a unique piece for your study. Check out your local furniture stores, Pier 1 imports, or Pottery Barn for great selections.

However, your chair doesn't have to break the bank. You can find decently priced ones at Walmart or Target that still look great. Also, check your local thrift stores or classifieds. You might find the perfect piece, and their selections are often unique than what you'll find in stores.

2. A Desk

It is, after all, a study. If you're looking for something to put your laptop on, then get something basic like a writing desk.

But if you're looking for something to keep your desktop on or something to keep your important paperwork in, then you might want to consider something bigger with drawers and storage cubicles. Remember, you'll want to keep the clutter out in order to achieve a relaxing environment.

3. Books & Bookshelves

Instead of keeping your books and bookshelves in the living room, consider adding them to your study. Not only will it look great, but it will mentally designate your study's purpose. Plus, you'll have that comfy leather chair to relax in and read.

4. Lamps

First of all, the lighting in a room is crucial. It can open up a space and make it feel warm and inviting.

Secondly, lamps not only provide this essential function, but they can also serve as decorative pieces for the room, as long as you have the right strategy to pull it off.

In order to successfully decorate with lamps, you should start by turning off the room's overhead light so you can identify any dark areas. Typically, the corners will have the least amount of light, but be mindful of your furniture too. You should use floor lamps to brighten up these areas.

Next, you should consider putting two matching floor lamps on both sides of your desk.

You might also want to place a table lamp next to your leather chair, though this only works if you have a side table to put it on.

Finally, play around with the layout of your lamps and see what works, and, more importantly, see if they make you want to stay in the room.

5. Color Coordination

I know, this isn't an item, but it's crucial and is where everything comes together. Remember, this is supposed to be a relaxing environment; you're supposed to want to come into your study.

So where do you start? Are there bookshelves you already own that you want to keep, and are they a brown wood tone? Then get a brown leather chair and a brown desk to match up the colors.

You could also go for a sleek monochrome look by getting a desk, chair, and shelves in black. To spice it up a little, but still keep a feeling of understated elegance, you could also mix and match pieces in shades of black, white, and even gray.

For a lot of people, color coordination can be a bit tricky. To you start thinking about it in the right way, here's a quick list of things you want to keep in mind:

  • The color of your walls and how they match your furniture.
  • What color is your lighting: yellow or white? White light and black furniture is good, and yellow light can really bring out the wood and leather tones in brown furniture.
  • Both lamp bases and shades come in many colors, sizes, shapes, and designs. Be mindful of what works best in your space.
  • Are there detailed wood grains in your desk or bookshelves? This could help you decide on your choice of light and lamp design.

Finally, get input from your friends and family (or an interior designer if you know one). If you're unsure about where to place things or how everything is coming together, outside help works great.

Additionally, look to Pinterest. Pinterest is a great way to visualize things—you can hone in on your design by looking at what appeals to you in a finished space.

Bonus Decorating Ideas for Your Study

We couldn't end without giving you some bonus ideas. Let's say you've achieved your perfect study, but you want to add some more accents to liven it up a little. Here are a few things you could consider:

  • A Monochrome Globe – You can get globes that are one color. Stay away from the colorful ones, though, because they'll detract from your perfect set-up.
  •  
  • Electric Fireplace – Remember to not clutter up your study, but if you have the space, you can create some ambience with an electric fireplace. Match it with your other furniture, and try to get one with realistic looking flames.
  •  
  • A Decanter – Decanters are very elegant pieces and can accent your study well. Especially if you enjoy some wine or a dram of scotch at the end of the day.

Achieving the perfect study doesn't have to be too hard, and this quick guide should help you get things started. When you're done, just remember to sit, relax, and enjoy your new space.

Logan Arey