I thought moody colors would make my small office feel too dark, until I saw Nate Berkus’ new project – this 1 simple feature instantly brightens the room

Anyone who knows me is well aware of my love for moody hues. Rich chocolate browns, dramatic shades of burgundy, and deep yet warming greens can be found around my home to add interest and contrast to my rooms.

But I have been hesitant to decorate with moody colors in my small home office, fearing it will feel too dark and uninviting. That was until Nate Berkus shared his latest project, and it threw all of my concerns out of the window.

He used one key piece to make the deep green office feel instantly lighter – a large, bright rug that completely lifts the room. Along with a few other subtle details, it's convinced me to give this approach a try in my own home.

I'm not afraid to drench a room with dark hues. Take the bold powder room trend, for example – it proves the smallest room in your home can truly shine when deeper colors are embraced and celebrated.

But I spend so much time in my home office, and it's the last place I want to feel dark and uninviting. Which is why I thought a warm neutral wall color was the best choice, despite my penchant for moody palettes.

Then I saw Nate Berkus' latest project, a small office with every wall painted in Studio Green by Farrow & Ball. Even the floor-to-ceiling bookshelf has been drenched in the same hue, creating an all-encompassing scheme, yet the space still feels bright and inviting.

And it's all thanks to one key feature – a light-toned area rug with three tones that combine to lift the space while still adhering to the room's color palette. It's something we all likely have in our home office, but by simply choosing a design that's a bit lighter, it introduces the perfect amount of contrast to prevent the office from feeling cave-like.

The brown tones in the rug tie in with the leather of the desk chair and the wood tones throughout the room, while the white nods to the picture frame on the wall and the lampshade on the desk. It's these subtle details that elevate the room and create a sense of cohesion.

It's an interesting approach – you usually introduce a rug that adds a cozy feel but doesn't detract from anything else in the room, this particular rug has become a focal point. And it's a necessary step that draws your eye to the lighter tones in the room and prevents the room from becoming too dark.

There are a few other design decisions that help the room to feel brighter, too. The overall layout of the room draws your eye to the windows, and by keeping built-in storage away from them, plenty of natural light can fill the office.

The low profile of the furniture is another smart choice. The low backs of the chairs don't block the windows, and the colors are light and tie in beautifully with the tones around the room, especially the rug.

For me, this home office is a lesson in decorating with dark colors in small spaces the right way. It shows that with the right furniture and decor, a dark color can give the scheme character and a sophisticated feel without creating an unwelcoming atmosphere. It's certainly got me searching for the perfect moody shade for my office.

Shop the look

This space proves you can paint your small scheme any color you wish, as long as you design it the right way, especially when it comes to darker tones. But this moody, color-drenched look is actually one of the easiest ways to make a home office peaceful, and can help you to design a room that doesn't feel like an office.