No matter what your office’s purpose is, it would be best to have a few things. A functional space considers your body’s needs—comfortable furniture, good lighting, and an ambiance that lends itself to productivity. Designing a warm, appealing office space doesn’t have to break the bank—with a little imagination, creativity, and used furniture, you can create a luxe look for much less. Use these seven simple tips to design an office on a budget.

Office Design With Used Furniture

Your office furniture is the most significant investment in your space, so make it count – you may be spending more time in your office chair than in your bed. Deluxe executive office suites may cost thousands of dollars, but if you shop quality secondhand furniture, you can get a lot for a little. The furniture used for your office can be high quality and created from rich hardwood and leather. While you might discover a find at your local second-hand store, shopping online at a site dedicated to quality used furniture for the office, Office Furniture Plus, will give you more options and the assurance that you’re getting quality furnishings.

Use an Alternative Whiteboard

A large-scale whiteboard, like one in an office conference room, can be valuable when brainstorming and collaborating. Oversized whiteboards in large dimensions can get pricey. Instead of splurging on a hanging whiteboard costing nearly $100, opt for a sleek, reusable whiteboard sitting flush against your wall.

A stick-on dry-erase board, versus a massive framed one, can be much less—a 2’x3′ re-stickable board can be just as little as $10! Instead of anchoring a whiteboard to the wall and creating unsightly holes, the restickable whiteboard from sites like Writey Board can be moved and removed without damaging the paint or wallpaper on your wall. Flexible and budget-friendly for your office design!

You can upgrade your workspace with new office furniture to achieve a modern and professional office environment.

Create Your Calendar

Your office should be your inspirational retreat, decorated to your unique taste, including made-over-used furniture. But staying on task requires organization, and a calendar keeps you on track to meet your deadlines. Create a unique, conversation-starting timekeeper instead of purchasing an oversized wall calendar or desk blotter.

Make a colorful, reusable wall calendar with paint chip swatches from your local hardware store. Sounds crazy? It’s surprisingly easy, even for those with two left thumbs. A large wall frame, 35 strips of paint swatches in your favorite colors, and a bit of glue – voila, a colorful calendar that you can customize to highlight certain days, express your favorite colors, and keep on top of due dates. Follow these simple DIY  instructions – and to stretch your budget further, purchase a large picture frame from a thrift store instead of an expensive office décor boutique.

Bring The Outdoors Indoors

Plants in an office design can create a soothing atmosphere and keep your air fresher. Different types of live plants can have a different effect on the aesthetic of your office – small violets add a pop of color, while more giant hanging vines are lush. Studies show that live plants help reduce stress and boost productivity – up to 12 percent for some workers! Office plants aren’t just pretty – they can also minimize distraction by muffling background noise. There are even indications that large-leafed plants help remove toxins from the air.

The key to finding the best houseplant is determining where you’ll put it and the kind of light it will be exposed to. Low light or bright sun – different plants thrive in other environments. Ask your local greenhouse or home improvement store for recommendations.

Decorate Your Desk For Less

Desk accessories for your office design can be fun yet functional – and, best of all, easy on the wallet. Many thrift stores have fabulous deals on desk décor and office supplies. Assorted photo frames can be painted to match your DIY paint swatch wall calendar or the craft paint you’ve used to give an old metal stapler a facelift. When decorating with used furniture, like an office desk, you may be able to cover any damage from the prior owner with strategically placed desk décor.

Other “found items” that can be repurposed into attractive desk décor include mason jars, tea light candle holders, pens, paper clips, push pins, and other office supplies. Wrapping decorative type or a pretty ribbon around a glass jar or using an antique vase for pens makes an attractive display. Coffee mugs can double as more masculine pen holders or decorative baskets can do double duty for paper storage and an in-box/ out-box storage system.

Ditch The Frames For Creative Wall Decor

Don’t bust your budget on a costly array of photo frames—hang your pictures along with a decorative wire with fun clips, instead. Artfully twisted wires in bold weaves or an anchorable strip of photo line are a money-savvy way to show off your friends and family. Colored clips and clothespins in your chosen color palette can brighten up a series of black-and-white prints, too.

Use the color scheme for your office for little pops of interest in small places. Following a cohesive color scheme can create a soothing environment. For your wall décor, consider purchasing plaster or ceramic relief sculptures from thrift stores and painting them with your colorful craft paint. Textured surfaces in your chosen colors are a budget-friendly alternative to expensive art prints.

Clean Up Your Computer Cords

You may have used furniture that looks as good as new with gorgeously coordinated colors and a jungle full of office plants. However, nothing can detract from a cohesive look like exposed, tangled cords from your electronic equipment. Ugly cords sticking out of a desk or trailing from behind a comfortable executive chair distract you from your carefully styled work retreat.

You could purchase an expensive cord and cable organizer, but you’re designing on a budget, remember? Instead of costly equipment, wrap and tie the cords with ribbons, available at your local fabric store, and label them with the plastic tags from your bread bags. You can also hide multiple cords with a DIY charging station, using a cardboard photo storage box and a few minutes of crafty time.

Creating a lovely and functional office on a budget can be as simple as shopping for used furniture and a few hours of DIY efforts. If you’re thrifty and creative, you can achieve beautiful spaces on a budget.