How to Arrange an Office With a Fireplace & French Doors

Office Space

• Utilize a software program, an online room planner or grid paper, re-create your office to scale, including exact dimensions of the fireplace, hearth depth, and doors. Indicate the door swing clearance as required inside the room and include the location of all electrical outlets and media access points. If working with existing furniture, measure and create scaled cardboard patterns of each piece to consider multiple arrangements prior to actually moving furniture. Capitalize on the view provided by the fireplace and French doors by positioning the desk to face toward one or both focal points. Provide at least 24 inches of clearance behind the desk for a chair return, and consider a swivel desk chair if space is limited.

Fired Up

• Consider the elements and design features of the fireplace in an office, such as the materials used to face it. For example, a bricked fireplace is enhanced by traditional features within the room, such as a mahogany or cherry desk. Add complementary pieces, such as one or two winged-back chairs, that can serve as fireside seating or accommodate desk-side conferences. Include a decorative fire screen to protect nearby furnishings: Finishes and fabrics can be damaged with regular exposure to the dust and drying elements of lit fireplaces. Adopt a consistent metal finish within the space for continuity. If your fireplace is asymmetrical within the room, mirror the style with an offset desk placement on the opposite side of the office, as space permits.

Doorway Delight

• French doors offer inviting entrance into any office. The glass elements create visual flow when used for interior doors that adjoin a foyer or another room. A study that includes outside access through a set of French doors will benefit from generous natural light bathing the room throughout the day. Avoid placing a desk directly in front of a French door or window to avoid glare on a desktop computer monitor. If necessary, install door-friendly operable window treatments, such as wood blinds or Roman shades, to control glare and privacy, when placement options are limited.

Study Hall

• An office arrangement often includes built-in or free-standing bookcases. If space allows, flank a symmetrical fireplace with matching bookcases on both ends to enhance office functionality and visual appeal. Place the desk directly facing the fireplace and include two padded armchairs between the desk and the hearth for an inviting and cozy arrangement. Opt for a glass-topped or open-legged table base and a pair of ergonomic chairs to enhance a contemporary setting.