While your natural instinct in a smaller space may be to play down the design, Todd suggests the exact opposite. "I think how you treat a wall or all the walls of a room can make a huge impact," he said. "I did a home office and we did great fuchsia wallpaper with shelving on top of it." Because this doesn't take away from the utilitarian nature of an office, it's an opportunity to experiment with a funky paper, stencils or stripes and happy colors.
Todd also said to think about what will energize and excite you. Your office should be inviting and reflective of your own personality. Something on the floor, such as an interesting throw rug, can make all the difference (be careful if you're using a desk chair that rolls, however). If you don't need ergonomically designed seating, you can look at dining room seating options instead and find something with patterned upholstery to add some flair to your chair.