how should I decorate my office?

by Alison Green on January 2, 2025

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes:

I have a fairly low stakes question for you now, but I am feeling a bit stuck. I’ve recently been promoted (yay!) and I have moved into a new office. It’s looking very bare to me, so I’d like to decorate it, but as it’s my first time having my own office, I’m unsure what to do. Some of my colleagues have a few decorations, and some none at all, so I’m not looking for anything excessive, just one or two things to brighten up the place. And as there’s no locks on the doors, I’m not inclined to bring in anything expensive.

I’m a massive geek, so I’d like something leaning in that direction, but not so much that it’s a distraction (and I’ll be leaving my love of horror firmly at home, as I know not everyone wants such things in the workplace). Real plants are out due to allergies, and though I’m willing to consider fake plants, I’d like something a little unusual. I’m hoping your or your readers would have some suggestions for me, as I’m drawing a complete blank!

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{ 332 comments }

{ 332 comments… read them below or add one }

  1. Roscoe da Cat*

    It’s boring but necessary – think about what shows in your background. I have all the more personal stuff (people and pet pictures) behind my desk and my awards and relevant diplomas, etc. where they show up on camera.

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    1. RedinSC*

      If awards and diplomas aren’t necessary in OPs job, what I have for my back ground are two pictures I took that I really love, I had then blown up and framed (inexpensive frames). They’re of Portugal. They look nice on Zoom.

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      1. FunkyMunky*

        I love this idea! I also think a few prints and maybe a sturdy plant or two should do the trick! maybe some nicer stationary or few decor bits for the desk to make it more personal

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      2. Kuddel Daddeldu*

        I did the same for my WFH office. Took a picture of my city’s skyline from a ship I was working on (during the pandemic, I had my lunch outside on the bridge wing).

        Pro tip: Having a photo printed on canvas works best. I learned the hard way that reflective surfaces tend to … reflect, mainly my screens.

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    2. A Pocket Lawyer*

      I work in a traditionally conservative profession, but in a very laid-back sector (tech), so where my degrees and bar/court admissions were appropriate to display in my law firm days, they would probably come off very differently in my current role (they’re all currently in a closet somewhere collecting dust). The picture in my background now is a print my cousin made for me with a bear that says, “Some days you eat the bear. Some days the bear eats you.”

      I had a grandboss once who put his bartending certificate on his office wall, and I absolutely loved the self-effacing irony of a highly credentialled lawyer putting that up versus his prestigious degrees.

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      1. Jack Straw from Wichita*

        This was something I have been wondering about: “where my degrees and bar/court admissions were appropriate to display in my law firm days, they would probably come off very differently in my current role ”

        I completed my Masters last summer and wanted to display the degree, but I work in a environment where some of the people I manage have not attended college. Just put my prints of famous paintings with black cats inserted into them (think Waterlilies with a cat leaning into the water or The Kiss with the cat at the bottom standing in between the lovers) into the painting back up for the new year!

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        1. Liu*

          Before I retired, I hung my degrees and certifications in my home office, where I could see them and my webcam could not. After retirement, they went in a box in a closet, lol.

          My camera-visible decor is all prints and other art associated with my interest in wildlife and part of my book collection. Perfectly innocuous, and still reflective of myself. Some people prefer a generic background that reflects nothing of them personally. As long as your backdrop is not offensive, either way is fine.

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      3. Glitsy Gus*

        As a bartender, I also love the idea of a lawyer putting up a bartending certificate. “As you can see, I have passed multiple Bar exams, but this is the one I am most proud of…” I love it.

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      4. Good Man Hennerz*

        I worked the Y2K computer panic in an ”original” (as in started with people using IBM punch card machines) IT company. The bosses, some of which had been there 40-odd years had accumulated ”stuff”. And some had made it art, old circuit cards on velvet in a frame… My boss however, had besides some diplomas, a ”doctor’s note” from ~ 70’s for sick leave due to a broken toe ”…dropped a hard drive magnetic disc on his foot…” or something along the lines. Back in the day, the ”hard drive” was a huge contraption the size of a fridge, and the disc plates were 24-inch and not light weight!

        I worked later on with some obscure telecoms software, that was first designed to get data off spy satellites, so in a cubicle office, I had a plastic ISS(?) model hanging from the cieling light, and one of those old Commodore portable computers set up as a ’control station’ on top of the bookshelf dividers. I was across from the boss’ offices and en route to meeting rooms, and I always had visitors go ’squee!’

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    3. OP*

      We have a nice virtual background that we use and I have a window if I don’t use it, but I’ll definitely keep that in mind for the future!

      Reply ↓
  2. Mrs Jameson*

    If you have space on top of cabinets or on a shelf, maybe a small sculpture or a globe? I’m thinking of stuff you source at a local yard sale or thrift store. Something a little quirky but not too expensive.

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  3. EEB18*

    Along the lines of fake plants but a little more unusual – my husband recently started building plants/flowers out of Lego and bringing those to his office for decoration.

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    1. SubjectAvocado*

      Oooh, a coworker of mine did mini versions of those for all of us in the department at Christmas one year. I kept it on my desk and loved it! Took it with me when I left and now it’s proudly on display in my new cubicle.

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      1. Not that other person you didn't like*

        Fishtank. You can get small really low maintenance setups (not like a giant thing) and they are unique, beautiful, and relaxing.

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    3. Worldwalker*

      I built the big Lego wreath and the poinsettia this year. For an office, I’d recommend one of the flower bouquets from Lego’s “Botanical” line, and a nice thrift store vase to put them in.

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    4. SGK*

      I have Lego flowers in my office and people love them! Not only are they pretty and geeky, I am fundamentally unable to keep actual plants alive so it’s good to have some that I can’t kill. :)

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    5. arctic tern*

      I got the Lego plum blossom set for Christmas this year, with the intention being that I could take it to my office to decorate, but I loved it so much it stayed on a shelf at home. I plan on getting more of the botanical sets in the future for my office because they are surprisingly nice to look at!

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      1. badatpseudonyms*

        I made those out of giant green plastic easter eggs, complete with big lips and huge teeth. They sat on my office windowsill for about 10 years, and not a single person noticed. :/

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    7. RedinSC*

      Yes! My supervisor has a Lego scene, and it’s really fun to see.

      Also, if you’re into it, it’s something that can be changed out for the seasons.

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    8. leeapeea*

      I like these! They are interesting but don’t read as a “toy” the way things like Funko pops and other (wonderful and fun) geeky delights can.

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    11. Mornington Crescent*

      That’s a lovely idea! I spoke to a client before Christmas who had some Lego flowers behind it, and we had a chat about that during our call, it was nice.

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    12. Lauren19*

      Came here to say the same! Former co-worker of mine had one of these and it was both decorative and a conversation starter!

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    13. OP*

      Thanks to the many comments suggesting Lego plants, I already have some on the way to me! I’m particularly excited about the cherry blossoms, I love those…

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      1. addicted to books*

        Pro tip: You can change the height of the individual flowers by adding and removing the pieces that make up the stems. This can be very helpful if you’re trying to put together a bouquet. All of the colors are available to order via Lego’s Pick a Brick service.

        The cherry blossoms look nice with the lotus flowers. :)

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    1. EEB18*

      I was going to suggest the same thing! My husband just started building Lego flowers and bringing those to his office for decoration :-)

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    2. ThatGirl*

      Second this – we have a bunch around our house, you can do anything from the tiny plants, succulents, bigger “stemmed” flowers you can put in a vase, orchids… there’s a great variety and they’re fun to look at.

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    5. Tau*

      Beat me to it! My flat is slowly but surely becoming greener, Lego block by Lego block.

      Just remember to give them some Lego water every now and then ;)

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    6. FricketyFrack*

      Yep! I have a black thumb, so I have the LEGO wildflower bouquet and chrysanthemum in my office. I also have the tranquil garden set. I do work in a fairly casual office and we have a lot of kids coming through, so that might be overkill in other environments, but it’s fine here.

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    7. Be Gneiss*

      Great idea! I have a few of the quirky minifigures that I use as cord-minders. The hands are just the right size to hold small cords and cables, and it makes them easy to find, and they have some character.

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      1. Cupcake*

        I also was going to recommend Lego plants/flowers. Even a Lego set from a favorite Fandom. It shows personality, but is pretty mainstream, easily fixed if broken.

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    8. Keymaster of Gozer (she/her)*

      Oh good idea! And you can mod those to be to your taste. Lego sell the individual parts in many different colours.

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    9. Aggretsuko*

      I have four sets of these! People love them! (wildflowers, cactus, Moana flowerpot, and just got plum blossom)

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      1. strawberry milk charlotte*

        I love the lego plants! (the idea of them, anyways, I don’t have any yet) The orchids are so pretty.

        I love putting stickers on my laptop (don’t know if that’d fly for you), custom/interest-decorated folders are also cute.

        I have an art/fashion/colour palette book open to a different spread every so often propped against the wall on my desk. Maybe you could get something like that from your preferred fandom? Fan-art prints are also great and you can frame them, I have some from etsy of a video game I like. You can find stuff that’s still really nice/professional looking but if you know, you know, and I like that.

        If you’re artsy and have a place where you live, you could do some kind of paint-your-own ceramic figurine? There’s an axolotl at my local shop that I am dying to paint for my own desk but haven’t had the time to go and do.

        This thread has me imagining decorating my own professional space! That’s fun. I’m all kinds of unsubtle so I’m glad I have this site and know to keep things scaled kind of back.

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  5. HigherEdExpat*

    Geek life+no real plants=LEGO plants?

    If you’ve always wanted to do a paint & sip night, your office would be a good place to put the resulting artwork!

    Locally themed art/aesthetic map from a local gift shop.

    My colleague has Mulder’s I Want to Believe poster framed in his office.

    And don’t underestimate (reasonable amounts of) seasonal decor! Mine makes all my colleagues smile.

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    2. Spider Plant Mom*

      Lego flowers are an awesome idea, I have a set in a sleek black vase to balance the quirkiness with low-key decor. I was also going to suggest the other way around, get a nice looking fake plant but source a plant pot that is in whatever fandom you love.

      I am all for subtlety in displaying fandom! Something where if a fan sees it they’ll notice or comment, but anyone who doesn’t know it just looks like some pretty art.

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    3. AY*

      Maps are fantastic! I had a Tolkien-style map of the city I used to live and work in, and people freaking loved it. I think I bought it from etsy. When I moved to a new city, I got a huge map of the USA. It’s 4 feet by 3 feet and it brings me joy every single day I’m in my office. When I need to think for a bit, I look at my map.

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      1. Sharpie*

        Maps, blueprints (I used to have one of the USS Enterprise NCC1701-A, once upon a time) or artwork – these days, my preferred art is prints of sailing ships. All can be as a nerdy or otherwise as you like, and still be classy.

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        1. Sharpie*

          Along the line of blueprints, I have four diagrams of a sailing ship’s sails and rigging that I want frames for, that I would absolutely put up in my own office if I had such a thing.

          My fandom is the Age of Sail, replace with your own nerdy prints as you choose!

          (Though I would love some Star Trek and Star Wars stuff too. I just don’t have the wall space at home and less is more anywhere else!)

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      2. DannyG*

        Agree with maps as decorations. I have a huge framed map of the world that I have used as the focal point of my living rooms in 3 different locations. Have used topographical maps in other places. Even aviation charts, framed.

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      3. Six Feldspar*

        I love geological maps! Takes me back to my last career, they can be beautiful abstract shapes and colours while cramming a huge amount of info on one piece of paper, and if you’re inclined you can geek out about the rock formations.

        Astronomy maps and meander maps (of rivers) are similar!

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      4. OP*

        I do have a completely unused whiteboard on the wall that I could put a map on… I might see about getting a map of Ankh-Morpork in the right size…

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  6. Tio*

    I’d get a fake orchid or lily as a plant. I like that style. I would mostly avoid roses, as those tend to read somewhat celebratory (valentine’s, birthday, congratulations, etc)

    I would bring a couple photos for the desk and maybe a landscape picture if your walls are bare. If it’s shelves, maybe some nice candles (led or real, as long as you don’t light the real ones. But just having the scent can sometimes be nice.)

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    2. Older Boomer, yet still working*

      I would avoid anything with a scent as some people who come may be allergic or scent sensitive.

      I hung an antique stained glass window to give the illusion of having a window and added a few odd but decorative items found at an antique store in my office.

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      1. BlueCanoe*

        I am scent sensitive and I thank you for pointing this out.
        If any of my coworkers or either of my managers had a candle (even on unlit one) I wouldn’t be able to go in their office.

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    3. OP*

      I think a bit of fake greenery would be nice. I think I feel a little embarrassed as some of my colleagues have gorgeous real plants, but I do have to prioritise my ability to breathe and not be sent to sleep by pollen…

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      1. BlueCanoe*

        I don’t think you need to feel embarrassed – I personally like plants but plants aren’t everyone’s thing, even if they don’t have allergies. I honestly have never thought twice about my coworkers’ plantless offices.

        If you’re only allergic to pollen and not allergic to other plant stuff (for example, potting soil, dead leaves, etc.), and if you really want a plant, there are a ton of house plants that just have decorative foliage but don’t bloom. Some plants can even be grown in a glass or bowl of water. You would need to research which plants can grow like this, and you’d need to get the appropriate fertilizer to add to the water. But that’s only if you really want a live plant – it’s totally fine to have a plant-free office too.

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  7. Jennifer Strange*

    Without knowing more about your geekish interests, maybe look to Etsy and see if someone there can create something that’s geekish, but looks more like typical office art work. Most places even offer a digital-only copy of the work so you don’t have to pay for shipping. My SIL and BIL have these neat artworks of Hogwarts, Overlook Hotel, and Avonlea that look more like a tourism ad, so they don’t feel as overtly pop culture. My husband also has an artist he buys from at comic cons who does art deco style drawings of geeky things, so again we’ve got the reference but they feel a little classier than just a picture of Spider-Man (not that Spider-Man isn’t classy!)

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    1. MissMuffett*

      And I would recommend putting any art in a frame to make it a bit more professional. Even if you are using a command hook or something non-hole-making to hang it on the wall.

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    2. Alanna of Trebond*

      I also came to recommend the National Parks/tourism poster-style art that references your fandom but isn’t an overt movie poster or whatever.

      So if you’re into Star Wars, for example, you could get a series of tourism posters for Tatooine, Naboo, and Coruscant.

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      1. Great Frogs of Literature*

        NASA has free National Park-style posters for places in the solar system. We used to have printouts in our office, but they could be classier with a frame and/or better-quality printing. Just search “NASA tourism posters.”

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        2. Fleur-de-Lis*

          I have four of these up on my walls in my office! They’re from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and since they are officially “government documents”, they’re in the public domain and free to download and print in whatever size you like. I did them up in 24×36 size and framed them. They are colorful and popular with everyone who comes into my workplace. I work in higher ed, and the whimsy plus spacegeek equals crowd-pleasing.
          https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galleries/visions-of-the-future/

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      2. Gudrid The Well-Traveled*

        There are also posters of silly reviews of national parks that are well designed and have safe humor.

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    3. House On The Rock*

      My husband had several really beautiful, abstract Battlestar Galactica and Babylon 5 framed prints in his office back when he had a physical office and people regularly complemented him on them without even necessarily knowing the source material. I had similar ones – including a stained glass style print of one of my favorite bands and a clock with a Babylon 5 character as the background. People who knew what they were loved them and people who didn’t still thought they were very attractive pieces. I’m pretty sure we got them all from Etsy at different points.

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      1. Anon this time*

        Big yes to fandom items styles towards a m0re traditional/professional vibe. Back before I started WFH, I used to have an art print of Han Solo on my office wall and a rose made out of Spiderman comic pages in a vase.

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    4. Joielle*

      Yeah, I was going to suggest printable wall art from Etsy. There are tons of options! I have a few abstract prints that I’ve hung using those magnetic poster hanging strips and command hooks.

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    5. 3-Foot Inflatable Rainbow Unicorn*

      I was going to suggest the same – something really subtly nerdy, like a “Visit Scenic Overlook Hotel!” or “My mother loved staying at the Bates!”

      The bonus is you can nod to your love of horror without triggering anyone’s squicks that way.

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    6. Elizabeth West*

      I tend to let my geek flag fly high and visibly (my desktop is Din Djarin walking with a tiny Grogu at his feet) since that is how I find people with similar interests, but these all sound amazing.

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    7. Insert Clever Name Here*

      If I could decorate an in-person office now, I would bring:
      – a nice coaster for my drink (I have one made out of a geode and edged in gold paint which I love)
      – a short vase for pens
      – a pothos (but since you need fake: Lego, wood, crochet, etc.)
      – a framed personal photo or two
      – a framed abstract art print, no more than 8×10
      – a framed fandom travel poster, again no more than 8×10

      Adds warmth, personality, and fits in a paper box (I WFH mostly now, but have always kept my in-office personal items to “can fit in 1 paper box” quantity).

      Congrats on your promotion!

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      2. Silver Robin*

        “Can fit in 1 paper box” is a very clever metric. Easy to pack/unpack and move, quick to set up, love it

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    8. Former teacher, forever educator*

      I had these style prints, framed, in my office where I would host 10-15 families for special education meetings each week. Mine were based on Parks and Rec and The Office. They were very well-received. Those that were in the know loved them and others just thought they looked nice (and sometimes asked if I was from PA). It was a nice way to help people feel comfortable and relaxed in what are often emotionally charged meetings.

      I no longer have that office but they look lovely in my home.

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    9. Lady Kelvin*

      Things that are tangentially related to your field is always a good choice, especially if you incorporate your own interests as well. For example I am a marine biologist and many of my coworkers have Lego boats, pictures of marine life, etc on their walls. Also things they have collected on their travels. My office has teapots that I have collected from each country I’ve traveled to for work, which ties in nicely to my tea drinking habits. Think of things that might tell people a little about yourself without being too obvious.

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    10. Squirrel!*

      This! I bought a print on Etsy to go in my bathroom at home that looks like a vintage travel poster with an image of Tower Bridge and a certain blue Police Box that says “Visit London by TARDIS.” Whatever your Fandom, etsy’s got something for you.

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    12. OP*

      I love the Overlook idea and found a digital download already. I have some very nice horror tourism pictures at home, but they’re a little big and took so long to hang that they’re not moving until we leave this house! Also off to a convention soon, so I’ll be scouring the merch and artist tables for decorations…

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  8. Nicosloanicota*

    Honestly, hate to say it, but I wouldn’t bring much more than what you can carry in one load, after witnessing one of my coworkers who was dismissed without a lot of notice – watching him trying to pack up a whole bunch of big stuff and like, wheel it out to his car was tough. I would rather request to paint the wall behind me than bring giant art after that, although I know places are weird about that.

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    1. That Paralegal*

      Ding! This is the answer. I know people love to make their offices homey, but you don’t want to have to bring a U-Haul to take your stuff home.

      That said, I recommend a lamp first. Floor or desk, whatever suits you.

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    2. Rick Tq*

      Not just one load, but things that you aren’t especially attached to.

      AAM has too many reports of personally important items brought to an office going missing.

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      1. Guacamole Bob*

        I’ve exceeded the “1 paper box” limit on person stuff in my office (I’ve worked with my org nearly a decade) – I’m probably up to 2-3 boxes. But looking around, I could easily get the stuff I actually care about into a single box if I abandoned a few ikea fake plants, some industry freebie swag tchotchkes, and a bunch of snacks stashed in my drawer. And it wouldn’t take me more than an afternoon to switch offices if I needed to – probably less.

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    3. CR*

      This is exactly what I came here to write. I learned this lesson the hard way after decorating my office and then being let go. I had bought a big painting that I just left there.

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      1. Beveled Edge*

        I had a supervisor who bought two cushy chairs and a side table so visitors would feel more welcome. I wondered how she’d get all that furniture home if the bosses ever woke up and finally fired her.

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    4. Ms. Murchison*

      Came here to say the same. Make sure you don’t bring in more than you can comfortably carry out in one box. Maybe go thrifting and see what jumps out at you?

      Does your office have any kind of decorating budget? Perhaps you can get a simple framed nature or art print that goes well with the color scheme/fits the space, and that you can leave behind if you leave the job.

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      1. Seeking Second Childhood*

        This is my go-to since an unexpected layoff. I like having “un-officy” things around, but now they’re from charity shops so I can just leave things behind. (Worked to my benefit going home abruptly in March 2020–just schlepped my plants and some paper files!)

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    6. Ellis Bell*

      I think that’s an important consideration, as is CzechMate’s warning that items shouldn’t be irreplaceable or expensive. But I think it’s possible for things to be both decorative and disposable. Like you could print out attractive wall planners and to do lists, and you wouldn’t necessarily need, or want, to take them when you go. It can also be possible to get stuff in the workplace for your office which isn’t yours anyway. I’ve worked places where the fancy wooden stationery tidy would be on the house, and others were there’s lots of cool stuff up for grabs if you don’t mind rescuing it from the skip. I worked somewhere where there was zero budget for refurbs or stationery but the coolest old printing press tray and metal letter blocks found in the basement was mine for the taking. Though, not the best example because I did want to take it when I left! As someone who now teaches, I’ve never worked out of a room without a lot of tote bags stashed in a trolley nearby, so that may be an option if OP wants to have more than a paper box worth of items in their office. It could be worth rolling things home when they have painters or decorators in. This happens to me every half term.

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    7. NYWeasel*

      I was coming to say something similar. I will never forget how miserable it was carting everything out at the end!

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    8. OP*

      This is great advice, as even though working in a government job means I’m not likely to be let go without notice, I can get moved with very little notice. And I think smaller will get the balance between geeky and professional that I’m looking for.

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  9. J. F.*

    If it’s your jam, some colorful abstract prints via etsy, homegoods, marshall’s, etc are nice. Or botanical prints! Uncontroversial and cheerful.

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    1. Jane*

      Uncontroversial is a very important point.

      The audience for my job (university students) means I always have to think “if someone wants to say they are being discriminated against, could any of my material be used as evidence for that”. All my political/religious/gender identity opinions have to be left at the door when I go to work. Even something that shows support for a specific community such as LGBTQI+ can make other people feel that you don’t value their identities, and this can come back to bite you when you least expect it. (“She’s always been disliked me because …”)

      Stick with neutral things like the Lego flowers, photos of views, etc

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      1. ThatGirl*

        Gonna disagree with you on LGBTQ-related things, though I think it’s important to know your audience/company/community. But I am queer, I am a lead in our LGBTQ+ ERG, and I have pride flags and small subtle pride/rainbow items around my desk (along with other things). I think it’s important to be my authentic self, and to signal to others that I support (and am part) that community.

        My husband is a counselor at a college, and he he has a few pride-related items in his office so that queer students know it’s a safe space for them.

        Now, again, know your audience – we live in Chicagoland, it’s safe for us to do this. But ANYTHING could risk “offending” someone if they tried hard enough to be offended; I don’t think that’s a reasonable stance for most workplaces.

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        1. Chickadee*

          Seconding this. I definitely felt more comfortable when I spotted the LGBT ally lanyard on my coworker’s desk, and have added a few pride pins to my cubicle. When I work with interns, I want them to know they’re safe.

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        2. Anon for this*

          These days a lot of Pride organizations have come out as openly sometimes violently antisemitic. This as actually been going on for a while but it’s gotten a lot worse recently. We’re in a world where Jewish students are being made very unsafe on university campuses and the pride things might well send a message that they are not safe around you.

          It is really sad that something that should be built on including people ends up excluding them for their identity.

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          1. ThatGirl*

            While I’m not aware of what you’re referring to, specifically, I’ll take your word for it – but I’m not talking about specific organizations other than my own company’s ERG; I’m talking about things like a rainbow flag, a few branded pride-themed toys/tchotchkes, some stickers my coworkers designed for our company pride month festivities.

            That said I think you might be leaping to conclusions. If my husband, for instance, were displaying something from an antisemitic organization, his Jewish boss would certainly tell him. What he has are generic pride flags from campus events and a LEGO “Everyone is Awesome” display.

            If a Jewish student saw general LGBTQ-themed items and felt unsafe, well…. that would be a problem, but the rainbow flag would not be the problem.

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          2. I Have RBF*

            Huh? I swear, about a quarter of the LGBTQ+ folks I know are Jewish, so I think this is off base. Also, pride emblems don’t necessarily mean that a person is a member of an organization that is antisemitic. Quite frankly, it sounds like a divide and conquer trap to me.

            I’m non-binary, and having pride knick-knacks for me is just truth in advertising. If that reads as “antisemitic”, well, their loss. I’m not, and I don’t join a lot of “organizations” anyway.

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              1. Ask a Manager* Post author

                There’s been loads of antisemitism on campuses separate from protests over Gaza — but I also don’t know any Jews (including myself) who equate Pride stuff with antisemitism and was very surprised to read that. Obviously that would be wildly problematic if it were the case, but I don’t think it is. In any case, this is taking us off-topic and I’m closing this thread.

                (But while I”m here: I strongly, strongly disagree with the comment suggesting not putting up pro-LGBTQ+ stuff in case someone is bothered by it. We don’t need to cater to bigots that way.)

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          3. Good Lord Ratty*

            I’m a Jew and also part of the LGBT+ community, and while I know exactly what you’re referring to (and am sympathetic, since I’ve personally experienced more antisemitism in the LGBT+ community than outside it, unfortunately), I don’t at all appreciate a response like yours that implicates the entire LGBT community and all Pride organizations. Not only are not all LGBT+ non-Jews antisemitic, many Jews are LGBT+ ourselves.

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        3. Lenora Rose*

          This works for me: I have a heart-shaped rainbow pin right next to the heart-shaped orange “every Child Matters” pin on my desk, as well as a more subtle rainbow pin and an orange ribbon in with my pottery tchotchkes. But the orange ribbon was given to me *by* my workplace, and we marched with the Pride Parade (education-related.)

          I would not have done so at other workplaces, though.

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    3. OP*

      Uncontroversial and cheerful is exactly what I want, mixed in with professional. I want people to enjoy seeing the decorations without feeling it’s too much of anything…

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  10. spuffyduds*

    Real plants are banned in my workplace (for valid reasons) so I have some crocheted succulents which are very cute. Happened to know a local crafter for mine but I’m sure someone has them on Etsy!

    Reply ↓
      1. Occasional commenter*

        Seconding the idea of crocheted plants! There are TONS on Etsy, you could probably find some if you have any local artisan markets, and they are really cute.

        Also, an interesting table lamp or floor lamp.

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    2. Grandmss Cassie’s Lady Slipper*

      Real plants are banned in my workplace too.

      Our company has a wide variety of “approved” artwork that you can request from an on-line catalog and it will be delivered to your office/desk, furniture pieces too.

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    3. Zinnia*

      Tons of people have them on Etsy, and people will show off their bouquets on reddit’s r/crochet (search “wedding”). There’s also outside sites like Hook Ok that sell kits for making your own or sell the finished thing. Just get a vase and you’re done.

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    4. OP*

      Were I a faster knitter, I’d probably do some up myself, but I’m very slow! I’ll have a look. Very glad for Etsy’s existence!

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  11. CheesePlease*

    Some nice framed photos (of your family, pets, travels etc) are always ok as long as the picture is work appropriate.

    Re: unusual I think some little fun items like the plant Jellycat stuffed animals or a fandom funko-pop would be fun

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  12. CoffeeCoffeeCoffee*

    I have a fake succulent on my desk that had hand sanitizer in it; it was a gift but I think it was from Bath & Body Works.

    Reply ↓
    1. Worldwalker*

      I haven’t been able to convince myself to spend $30 on it, but one of the warehouse clubs had/has a powered USB hub/charger made like a very realistic fake succulent. It was called the “Power Plant,” Only 3 USB ports, though

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      1. wendelenn*

        OK I love the name “power plant”. It’s like the “Juice Bar” we have on the tables at our library for patrons to plug things in and charge.

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  13. AOR*

    I have a small collection of artwork and postcards that came as part of an online book club I was part of. Solved two birds with one stone – I didn’t know what to do with the collection, and didn’t know how to decorate my office. Nothing big or sentimental, but just nice to have up.

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    1. 40 Years in the Hole*

      When I worked in cube-land (full cube, not Workplace 2.0), I brought in several postcards from my work/vacay travels, mounted on a small, framed bulletin board (criss-crossed with ribbon). Insert postcards and voila!: instant decor + trip memories + convo/ice-breakers.
      It hangs on my home office wall now.

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  14. Joelle*

    I’ve been seeing FaceBook ads for Sola Wooden Flowers and I keep on wanting to buy them despite having no use for them. An arrangement of those in like, a pride color assortment that applies to you, or in a color arrangement that evokes space or whatever Media Franchise is your favorite, would be unusual but not over the top in any way.

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  16. Lady Lessa*

    If you want to include something about your horror side, but not really, may I suggest a picture of the cosmic bat nebula. NASA has an excellent one.

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  17. WorkerDrone*

    Depending on your flavor of geek, your local renaissance faire probably has metal roses for sale that look really cool in a vase; I get one each year I go and I now have a nice bunch!

    If you have what I affectionately call a “junk shop” nearby you (a store probably labelled as an “antique” store but not selling expensive antiques, more like a store that is a big estate sale or a good garage sale) they will have endless amounts of stuff designed to sit on a shelf and look pretty. I found a unique old vase that holds my metal flowers, a neat wooden cat statue, a pretty dish that holds candy and mints, plus a cool basket-kinda-thing that I toss my gloves, keys, sunglasses, etc in when I get to work. It makes my office looked lived-in but professional, and while I like all of those things I think the most I paid was $12 for the vase so I wouldn’t be too fussed to lose any of it.

    These stores tend to have a lot of unusual or unique stuff that sat in someone’s grandma’s basement for 30 years. Bonus in that they’re super fun to browse.

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    1. Red Reader the Adulting Fairy*

      Yes! I have a vase of leather, metal and wooden roses on a shelf in my home office that I’ve collected over the years.

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    2. Worldwalker*

      Actual estate sales are good too. You can get things for good prices, and have the satisfaction of giving something someone loved a new purpose.

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    3. Elizabeth West*

      This kind of permanent garage sale store is known as a flea market in certain parts of the country. Googling this term can help you find them.

      Reply ↓
      1. WorkerDrone*

        Interesting! In my area of the country, if you google flea market you’ll only get outdoor markets with stalls that lasts a day or a weekend, but is not a permanent set-up; much more rarely, there will occasionally be one in in a church basement or something like that during the winter when you can’t be outside. They’re also usually geared towards produce/baked goods/honey/knitted or crafted items.

        Here, you have to google “antique store” – just with the understanding that they’re not actual antiques lol.

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      2. Jshaden*

        Other alternate terms to try – vintage store or thrift store. You’ll figure out the best term for where you are locally after visiting just a few stores.

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    4. OP*

      We have a few charity shops nearby and I often go hunting further afield with a friend, so I’ll be on the lookout!

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  18. Antilles*

    -A couple personal photos (family, friends, pets, a hobby) are always acceptable and easy to do.
    -If you went to college, that’s also an easy out. A photo of the university, a mascot bobblehead or trinket, something of that sort.
    -I also always hang a spare jacket on the back of my chair. It’s not “decor” in the traditional sense, but still gives that occupied look and a bit of color. Also can be useful for when the weather changes or the office gets cold.

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    1. OP*

      I’ll have to resist the temptation to fill the place with pictures of my godchild and my dog, people must be sick of me showing them off already! I have my ‘unexpected meeting’ suit jacket in there, which definitely made it feel more like mine when I started.

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  19. Keymaster of Gozer (she/her)*

    I have a light up keyboard and mouse mat that has the engineering status display of the USS Enterprise on it, several (small) Star Wars Lego pieces and a nebula image from NASA on the wall.
    Additionally, there’s a noticeboard that has many postcards from various sci fi series on it.

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  20. Unreasonable Doubt*

    I’m a fan of at least one large framed poster – something bright and colorful and reflective of your interest or experience (a favorite movie, a travel/airline advertisement for a place you have a connection to, or an event like ComicCon that you love). I don’t like a lot of clutter/tchotckes, so a larger piece that’s artistic but still different and personal- plus a great visual- always gets my vote.

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  21. Drago Cucina*

    I really like the Lego flowers being suggested.

    My first decorative item when I became a public library director was a framed poster from that year’s teen reading theme “Make Waves at Your Library”. It very much fit what we were doing in trying to raise support, and money, for a new library building. It also fit in with my geeky interests. (I’ll post a link to the poster in a reply–Not my previous library.)

    Is there something that hits that sweet spot for you?

    Reply ↓
        1. Drago Cucina*

          It’s still one of my favorites. I will say it was one of my most fun years doing the summer reading program.

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    1. MsM*

      Seriously, though, I have a teeny-tiny Audrey II-style Venus flytrap plushie visible on my bookshelf. It gets appreciative laughs, if it gets noticed at all.

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    2. AnReAr*

      I was just coming to suggest this! Sure it’s not really straight horror but if you’re a fan at all an Audrey II something is the perfect fake geeky plant. There’s also Stranger Things to look into for some plant like horror props that shouldn’t be too gory.

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  24. Zona the Great*

    I work in public transportation planning. In my office I have a subway-map-style coat rack I installed on my wall with heavy duty sticky tack. I also have my dog’s and cat’s paw paintings hung up as well as some random small framed art pieces. I hang everything using 3M products or on my tack-board where they make special hooks for hanging art and stuff.

    I decorate a little for each holiday as well.

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    1. public transit yay*

      Yes, if you’re in a field that has cool stuff (I’m in public transportation as well), that’s a great option — promotional merch or posters, relevant books, some of the fun stuff you might pick up at a conference. Something that shows an element that you like about the field is nice!

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      1. Another transit planner*

        Transit is usually a pretty easy field for office decor. Lots of cool subway and bus maps around (plus I have a couple up that are genuinely useful), which take up big wall space. I have a few model buses of various kinds, too.

        I kind of envy the people who have old bus stop flags (metal signs) as office decor, or custom street signs and similar from various transportation-related jobs.

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    2. Mrs. Pommeroy*

      Oh please tell me where you found a subway-map-style coat rack!?! We want to move house soon-ish and will definitely need a different coat rack then, and as somewhat of a transport nerd, this sounds delightful!

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  25. Delta Delta*

    A friend of mine makes stained glass succulents. She’s on Etsy, and there are a few folks who make them and sell them there, as well. Cute and no allergens (unless someone is allergic to glass?). Other things could be a world map or large map of your state or area, a stellar map, botanical prints.

    I also totally agree with someone upthread who suggested keeping it limited, as well. You want a few things, but not so much stuff that it’s hard to remove if you need to.

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  26. DarthMom*

    Mine is decorated in a little bit of Darth Vader and a lot of Snoopy, and an assortment of snarky coffee mugs… I have always loved Snoopy and my son (now 17) has always been a fan of Star Wars, so it’s a mix that makes sense to me.
    I’m our HR Director…. and, practically speaking, sometimes in HR you have to channel your inner Darth Vader, and sometimes you have to channel your inner Snoopy. :)

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  27. Freelance Bass*

    3D-printed things can be really fun in an office! Pen holders, picture frames, and planters (how cute would a Bulbasaur planter with a lego plant be?) can all add some personality to your space.

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    5. OP*

      Oh, definitely not anything I’d be heartbroken to lose! We’re a secure office, so I’m not worried about theft, but accidentally breaking things is a worry.

      Reply ↓
  29. Llellayena*

    This depends on what space you have available to decorate. If you’ve got expanses of wall available, a framed (and tasteful) poster/artwork from one of your geekdoms would be fine. If you’re looking for desk based decorations, think about how much space you can take up and any overlap with useful items. A themed coffee mug is always fun. Fancy pencil holder? Bookends? I agree with the commenter above on the Lego plants, they’ve got some really good ones out now. I actually saw someone at work building the Lego bonsai tree over their lunch break! Overlaps of your geekdoms with your job type are always fun, but may be difficult depending on your job. I’ve got the Lego Venice set (architecture). I could see artwork based on Star Trek Ferengi designs for an accountant, Fallout artwork for a nuclear engineer, DnD dungeonmaster references for management. Once you get a couple things you’ll be able to grow into a style. The decor at your desk is still just a reflection of you so getting things you actually enjoy looking at and which relax you or energize you and that you wouldn’t mind if someone commented on is the goal.

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    1. Nihil Scio*

      Multiples of 7x5s or 8x10s, similarly framed and matted (dollar store are your friends here) can be grouped in 4s, 6s, 9s to take up wall space and fit in that small box

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    2. OP*

      It’s the energising bit that I’m looking for; I want it to feel a bit like me and make me smile when I go in. I’m thinking something Vulcan might be nice and subtle enough for anyone not in the know…

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  30. DisneyChannelThis*

    Mousepad / Deskmat s are pretty cheap but add personality and are somewhere you’ll see them often but not so cool that you’ll be sad if someone steals it.

    Crochet plants are another fun take on fake plants.

    Funky pens is another cheap one that shows personality. I have a cool dragon pen in my pen mug on my desk. (Mugs obviously also a good way).

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  31. Caffeine Monkey*

    When it came to combining geekery and fake plants, my first thought was a model of Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors! Although the Lego flowers are probably more professional.

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  32. officeworker*

    -If you have large walls and need to cover a lot of space, I recommend a big map of your local area. (Personally I like Raven maps.)
    -I also like giant photo strips (they look like the ones from a photo booth but are huge) for displaying photos on the wall.

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  33. betsyohs*

    I love the ideas of subtle references to your geekery. I’m an energy nerd, and I was an energy auditor early in my career, doing a lot of site visits in NYC apartment buildings. I took a photo of the roof of an elevator room for an audit – showed big holes in the roof through which heated air was always escaping. But it turned out to be a cool geometric and colorful photo. When I got my own office, I printed it, framed it in a very cheap frame, and hung it on my wall.

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  34. Slinky*

    A few people in my workplace (myself included!) showcase local art. Think the kind of thing you’d find at a decent craft fair. These are generally prints, so costing around $30-ish each and replaceable. It can also be a good way to showcase your geekiness, depending on the prints. Mine include a poster from an author reading at a favorite bookstore and a cute T-Rex.

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    1. HL*

      I do this too- I work in an animal shelter, so I have a bunch of fun, colorful animal prints by a local artist on my wall!

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  35. Fellow Nerd*

    Fake plant/succulent in a nerdy pot! I have a Star Wars (R2D2) planter with a real plant, but you could use the same for pens, a fake plant, or anything else

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  36. HannahS*

    Artsy movie/book cover prints? Etsy tends to have lots. You could get them printed at a printshop and either frame them or use a poster hanger. You know those artsy faux-travel posters? Could do Paris, London, Alderaan, The Shire, etc. That would tickle me, anyway.

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  37. Gudrid The Well-Traveled*

    Calendar prints can be a cheap and easy way to add bland personality to a work space. I used to get calendars with porches and I’d decorate my cube walls with my favorites. Then when I was stressed I could imagine myself on one of them. I also became known for them and it was a popular landmark in the cube farm.

    Vases and other “Pier One” types of things would also work well. You don’t have to put anything in a vase, and remember to dust any fake plants often. You might also appreciate a decorative felt or paper humidifier this time of year. Mine are green and cut to look like plants. I keep them in a shallow bowl filled with water and they add a little moisture to the air.

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    1. MissMuffett*

      I have something similar at home – a set of 3 frames with pictures of my state during the different seasons, and each season i switch them out. I went through a ton of old calendars and just picked 4 pics for each frame and just keep them all behind the one showing this season. Cheap, easy, and keeps it fresh!

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    2. me*

      +1 to calendars. I love picking the best one for the coming year.

      I’ve always loved page-a-day calendars for my desk. You can add a pop of humor or color or escapism. Last year I did travel scenes, this year I did art. I save the pages I like the best and put them on my bulletin board.

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    3. The Unspeakable Queen Lisa*

      The National Park Foundation calendar is a great one – it’s the official nonprofit branch of the National Park Service, so your purchase helps fund the parks. I’ve been buying one each year for a few years. The photo quality is great, you’ve got a nature scene and a little historical info. And there are so many parks! You could definitely frame any of them later.

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  38. WantonSeedStitch*

    A wall calendar is a nice way to add art that changes every month.
    When I had a cube, I put up “travel posters” that the Jet Propulsion Laboratory created called Visions of the Future. There are posters for different planets and exoplanets, done in a really charming style based on the old WPA posters for the National Parks crossed with retrofuturism. Geeky, whimsical, and not out of place in an office at a place where science is big.

    Reply ↓
    1. Awesome Sauce*

      Oooh that’s a great poster series! I have JPL’s solar system travel posters up at home! They’re in a stairwell, so you proceed from the sun outwards as you climb the stairs.

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  39. Awesome Sauce*

    Any certificates, diplomas, etc. that are relevant can go on the wall behind you where they are visible on camera. 1-3 is a good number for those IMO, more than that and it starts to look cluttered.

    The suggestion for local art is good – maybe art based on a map of the area, a painting of some local architecture, photos or drawings of local wildlife. If you want to go a bit offbeat, maybe a photo collage of local street art / murals.

    The Lego succulents look classy and pretty realistic at a glance, plus they’re small and can be arranged to fit the space you have available.

    An unobtrusive stuffed animal would probably be ok, depending on what it is (e.g., I have a plush Albert Einstein perched on a shelf behind me in my home office – since I can’t move the shelf anywhere else, and totally empty shelves would look weird, I went with a not-overly-cutesy little stuffed friend).

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  40. Bitsy*

    Art posters. Maybe you don’t want to put up anything directly horror related, but you can probably find reprints of film posters that are less garish, or art that tends quirky, like Magritte or Dali prints. If frames are too expensive a frame shop can bond them to foam core which makes them easier to hang and look less like college dorm room posters.

    Stuff on the walls makes a big difference in polishing up a space.

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    1. The Unspeakable Queen Lisa*

      I just bought some prints from an artist who does movie posters every year for the local horror con. Some were still NSFW, but some were definitely more “normal” art cinema prints.

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  41. i like hound dogs*

    My husband has a bunch of art prints from Etsy that reflect his interests (Star Wars, retro video games, sports stadiums he has visited). A magnetic board and word magnets is always fun, or a magnetic Scrabble board (not sure how practical that would be for actual games unless you have a close work friend who comes by a lot, lol).

    When I was in college I used to write a would-you-rather of the day on the whiteboard outside my dorm room and people would cast votes as they walked by. It was fun!

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  43. Rij*

    Posters are your friend. Depending on the vibe of your office and your type of geek you could go for movie posters, artsy landscapes, colourful abstact prints, or vintage educational posters. Frames are cheap and make posters look nicer.

    Artsy, cute or weird office supplies. Again, depending on the vibe. I like my cat shaped pencil holder a lot more than the plain plastic one my company provides.

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  44. Ms.Minn*

    I have a couple of fake plants, a lamp (in case I’m having a day where the overhead lights are too much for my eyes), and some neutral wall art. Plus a couple family photos. Due to past work-related trauma (lol), I try not to have more personal items that I can carry on the way out, if needed.
    I’ve found that Homegoods or TJ Maxx are great places to shop for office decor, since I don’t want to invest too much.

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  45. MPerera*

    If you want relatively cheap fake plants, I made a cactus out of pebbles painted green and superglued together. Fill a pot with sand, put that inside and brighten up a shady corner.

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  46. Lemons*

    I dunno, I’m wary of making your space TOO ‘you’, work personas are necessary for a lot of us, and if you’re bringing in stuff like action figures or anime posters, it’s going to read as childish to a lot of folks. You don’t specify your flavor of nerd or what type of work environment you’re in, so this is difficult to answer, some places would welcome a geeksplosion and others would not be appropriate.

    That said, if you want to be geeky, I’d make sure it’s really subtle, like those Star Wars posters that look like old school American train destination advertisements. I think the Lego flowers are OK, but no other Lego.

    Also, don’t underestimate the power of a nice incandescent desk lamp to change the mood of an office!

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    1. iglwif*

      Along those lines, a while back my spouse was cleaning out a storage area at work (a frequent part of his job) and found several small framed posters that must have been part of a series — they’re railway-tourism-style posters advertising planets in our solar system! Since neither of us have an office, we now have Earth, Neptune, and Mars on our bedroom walls alongside the similarly-sized framed posters of Doctor Who villains. But I would absolutely put one of those in my office if I had one.

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    2. OP*

      I do want to get the balance of ‘cool space’ with ‘working space’ right. One of my colleagues has an office apparently very well decorated and it’s very much admired, but mine is a smaller space, hence why I was stuck! Lego plants and prints are now high on my list, as is little touches like a geeky mousepad. Things that people will enjoy but not overly distract.

      My geekiness is very broad (my home office set up has merch from Pokemon, Funko Pops, Star Wars, A Nightmare Before Christmas, a spaceman, skeletons, a wizard, Wonder Woman and Back to the Future all within my line of sight but not the webcam’s), so it’s almost too many choices! But what I’d have at home isn’t what I’d have at work, the suggestions for subtler decorations have been brilliant.

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  47. beautiful, talented, brilliant, powerful musk-ox*

    In my last office, I bought some prints from an artist who creates pieces centering around a few nerdy(ish) subjects (I mean, I don’t actually know how nerdy Star Wars really is considered these days, but I like it, so it was right up my alley), bought cheap frames, and stuck them up with Command strips per my office’s policy about hanging things on the wall. They were a unique enough style that they truly looked like art, but also pretty obviously Star Wars characters, which acted as a conversation starter with certain people. I don’t love having a ton of fandom stuff as decor in my home, so this was a fun outlet for me. There are a ton of artists who sell prints on Etsy (and that goes for non-nerdy subjects too! There’s an artist I’ve purchased a ton of prints from for my home…they do watercolor pictures of cute animals in different seasons, so I swap them out depending on the current season/holiday in frames at home. It’s a quick way to make me feel like I’m decorating according to season when I am not that on top of things )

    This wasn’t decor, but it did make things feel less sterile: I had a table in addition to my desk, and keep an electric kettle along with a small French press for coffee and tea bags on the table, mainly because I preferred having the option of making my own coffee in the morning (the office-provided coffee was really bad and a lot of people would go to the on-site coffee shop, but that gets expensive after awhile). I was initially a little hesitant to do this because I was afraid it would make me seem snobbish, but…eh, I let my work friends know they were welcome to use my stuff, too, and no one seemed to think anything of it.

    I also bought a cute ceramic ghost-shaped candy container one Halloween and ended up keeping it out year ‘round with candy in it. I like cute cartoon ghosts at all times of the year, so it made me happy, and though I’m sure it was considered a bit quirky, people were generally appreciative that they could stop by the ghost for candy whenever.

    I know people who hung their college diplomas on the wall, and one who built one of those Lego floral arrangements and had that on their table, some who had photos of family members, etc. on their desks. I think just considering what side of yourself and your interests you want to show to your coworkers — and possibly answer questions about — can help narrow down options.

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    1. beautiful, talented, brilliant, powerful musk-ox*

      I should maybe add that I didn’t jump straight into all of this, either. I’d observed over some time what the norms were at my particular office, and while I was in an industry that can be kind of old-school in a lot of ways, my particular company was NOT. There was a lot of variety in the offices, and people seemed to do as much or as little as they felt like when it came to customizing their space, so my Star Wars art and candy ghost were far from going overboard or seeming childish. But I imagine in some workplaces, what I did would be considered out-of-the-norm, so you might also want to glance around and see what others do in their offices at your place of work.

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    2. Red Reader the Adulting Fairy*

      Star Wars can still be nerdy if you go for the slightly less mainstream options. :) Baby Yoda, not nerdy. Loth cats, more nerdy. The plushy wampa on my desk, middle of the road.

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      1. 2e asteroid*

        Not nerdy at all: writing your name on your door in the High Galactic Alphabet
        Extremely nerdy: saying that your name is written on your door in the High Galactic Alphabet

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        1. beautiful, talented, brilliant, powerful musk-ox*

          I’m whatever level of nerd sees “High Galactic Alphabet” and wonders if you meant Aurebesh before looking it up to see if High Galactic Alphabet is just a thing I’m unaware of (it is).

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  48. Strive to Excel*

    Check your practical things. Do you need better/different light? A nice mousepad? Coathook, kleenex holder, desktop pen organizer? All places where a bit of personality can shine through. Having a random trinket can feel like clutter; having a nerdy trivet to protect your desk from your mug is both useful and fun.

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    2. Make it bold and make it red*

      This is the best piece of advice here – there’s no need to junk up your office right away, but inject your personality into the officey things you’ll use anyway:

      fun mug as a pen cup
      cool desk lamp
      nerdy themed calendar
      colorful post-it notes
      nice notebook
      other themed desk organizers you may need

      When I was in an office, I had a big bulletin board where I tacked my calendar, work-related references, design samples, and rotated in a handful of personal photos. It was intentional, tidy, but looked lived in and had personality!

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    3. me*

      Also, if you’re allowed, you could set a desktop photo / lock screen / screensaver to something cool, like one of the styles of fandom art mentioned in other comments, as another way to spruce up the items already at your desk.

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    4. OP*

      Kleenex holder and pen organisers are great ideas! I foresee a lot of trawling online to find the right things in my future!

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  49. Falling Diphthong*

    Offering up for some google image searches:

    An unexpected highlight of our trip to Madison, Wisconsin, was a tour of the Epic campus in Verona, which has great architecture and tons of art and is open to the public. A general rule I evolved to describe the art was “Gallery art, meaning it would fit comfortably into a normal size room, and if it was the first thing you saw when you (came downstairs/entered your front door/entered your kitchen) it would make you smile.” There was a huge range, though I would say a focus on things that were 3D rather than 2D.

    My favorites were sculptures of a velociraptor skeleton chasing flamingo skeletons, and a felted piece showing giant roses.

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  50. Bad Wolf*

    A life-size replica of Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors, jaws open, hanging menacingly over the guest chairs.

    Reply ↓
  51. HugeTractsofLand*

    There are some great ideas here already, but I second the lego flowers and abstract geek art from etsy or redbubble. My lego orchids have been complimented so many times, and I have some lord of the rings art that brightens the space without being immediately identifiable. Just keep in mind that anything you put up might be seized upon as a conversation starter, so use that as a gut check before putting a piece up. Leaving horror stuff at home is a good instinct, and unfortunately any fandoms that lean romantic should probably be left home at well (e.g. Lore Olympus, or art that highlights a couple within a known fandom).

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  52. CubeFarmer*

    I’m in the same situation: I now have my own office after a long time in a cubicle.

    I brought in my diplomas and hung them (inconspicuously, behind a door–I can see them when I need a reminder of why I do what I do, but they aren’t in your face.) I also have a few mementos from prior jobs. I have some professional books and reference volumes on my bookshelf.

    My predecessor left me with some photos of projects, which I kept hanging but relocated them. I brought in a cool poster that’s related to what we all do. I have a few pieces of my pottery scattered around. I have a little magnet board that I use to hang up cute cartoons and some day-to-day stuff.

    I just started a little herb garden on my windowsill–we’ll see how that progresses.

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  53. Dumpster Fire*

    I have a small fountain that I fill with water and plug in…. It’s on the top of a shelf near my desk. Provides a little bit of white noise and is good to stare at when I’m thinking about (I.e. stuck on) a problem.

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  54. Philosophia*

    Reproductions from the Astronomy Picture of the Day site . NASA’s own images are in the public domain, and the “About” page links to guidelines for their use and thence to image libraries. (I download the APOD to my desktop, though, so I don’t know how the paper reproductions are created.)

    Reply ↓
    1. Philosophia*

      Okay, I tried putting in the link in anti-bot format and it didn’t make it through moderation; I’ll try following the examples of including the actual link in a reply.

      Reply ↓
        1. Hlao-roo*

          Your previous comments with links will probably show up within a few hours. They’re in the moderation queue right now but once the links have been checked the comments will be posted.

          If you want something that shows up right away, you can type out a url like this:
          google (dot) com
          and people will understand how to get to the website.

          Reply ↓
  55. Llama Wrangler*

    For fake plants, either felted or lego plants are a good fake alternative. Someone also suggested glass plants, which reminds me of the great beaded plants my great grandmother made, which I bet are available.

    If you really want to avoid spending a lot of money, I’ve had great luck finding art at thrift stores!

    Reply ↓
        1. Lellow*

          Oh wait, that one’s not sewn, just strung on wire. Still multiple hours, plus the bead cost. Don’t undervalue art *work*!

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  56. A Simple Narwhal*

    A simple way to make your office look a little nicer is a fake plant and a floor lamp!

    Fake plants add a touch of green and are zero maintenance – there’s a lot of really good looking options out there. Anything that lets you get away from harsh overhead lighting can really change the vibe of a room. And both can be added pretty cheaply, and it wouldn’t be the end of the world if they went missing or if you had to leave them behind.

    You could probably find a fun pot to put the fake plant in if you wanted something a bit unusual and more to your tastes – a quick google revealed a plant pot with the carpet from The Shining pattern on it!

    Reply ↓
    2. OP*

      I love the carpet pattern from the Shining, and it’s my experience that not many non-horror fans recognise it, so it’ll fit nicely!

      Reply ↓
  57. Tupac Coachella*

    OP, you mentioned liking horror; conventions are a good place to find cool items that express your interests in a more “IYKYK” way. A small version of a vintage movie poster, something like Creature from the Black Lagoon or Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, gives a quirky, fun feel without being inappropriately gory or morbid. I used to have a framed page from an old medical book in my office (I worked with healthcare students, so it was particularly appropriate for my setting), I found that at a con, too.

    Reply ↓
    1. Falling Diphthong*

      IYKYK horror example:
      Sadako x Hello Kitty is a genuine collaboration between The Ring horror franchise and the Hello Kitty franchise. (I learned this at a great exhibit on the traditions of Japanese illustrated ghost stories, which you could see leading directly to anime styles in the 20th and 21st centuries, and then they had a little subsection on netsuke –> backpack charms.) I have a printout of the image on my fridge, because even though I am not a horror enthusiast this collaboration just delighted me.

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  58. Audrey Puffins*

    I focus on cheap and cheerful seasonal decorations. A small herd of felt deer that I add to periodically, a plushie pumpkin, a plastic owl skeleton, a clay model bull, a couple of cute cat mugs. I also have a little plastic shape from Hobbycraft that I’ve repurposed as a white board, cute and also functional. Nothing that I’m not willing to lose in a disaster, and I could fit them all in a single bag if I needed to, but for now they brighten up the place and make my desk feel like Mine

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  59. Juicebox Hero*

    Local government in a customer-facing role.

    I have a rabbit figurine with its tail broken off that I found on my old neighbor’s front lawn ages ago. I call him Peter Brokentail and he lives on my windowsill. He holds a tiny American flag toothpick and I surround him with seasonal tchotchkes. He wore a tiny mask throughout the shutdown.

    I also have a couple of plants and a drawing of the main drag through town from 1933 when they proposed widening it to accomodate those newfangled motor vehicles, and a painting of a couple of mallard ducks flying over a mountain lake. People love them.

    Reply ↓
    1. Juicebox Hero*

      Oh, and colorful desk accessories like a purple pen caddy and a gaming mouse (not a gamer, but it’s about twice the size of a placemat and covers a lot of the desktop so I don’t get pen marks on the wood) with big flowers on it. It seems to suit my “cheerful and mildly weird” vibe.

      Reply ↓
  60. Not Australian*

    You don’t say where you are, but just in case you’re anywhere handy for the UK I’d recommend ‘Railway Art’ (reproduction silkscreen posters of travel destinations from the gold age of steam – widely available) or maybe a calendar from the Northern Lighthouse Board.

    Reply ↓
  61. Sunshine on My Shoulders*

    I have a nice little board (like 10 x 10 inches) that says “hello” at the top, and has a little velcro in the middle that holds a variety of symbols that I change out periodically. A flower in the spring, a sun in the summer, a maple leaf in the fall, a snowflake in the winter, plus a little tent when I’m out of the office for a camping trip, a cupcake for my birthday, that kind of thing. It’s uncontroversial, small, but still says “a person works here” in a friendly way. You can find these things on Etsy, and maybe even incorporate some of your geeky love in the symbols (a millennium falcon on May 4th perhaps?). I bought little board black and added the “hello” myself because most of the boards say “home” or “welcome” which both felt like the wrong things for an office.

    I also submit an up-vote for the various suggestions of plants made out of other stuff (crochet, paper, legos, metal, wood, etc.). I have the same no-plants rule and my desk has a little vase with a bouquet of flowers made out of electrical wire, and everyone loves them.

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  62. Nelalvai*

    Every few months I swing by the thrift store and pick out a piece of art to add to my office. You get a lot of variety for very little money that way. If I stay at this job long enough I might fill up the walls.

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  63. Lego lamp*

    I’m joining the Lego theme troupe. You can make a Lego type bricks kit to make a lamp. Kitcosets.com has a cool kit by Brick artist David Truman Tracy. I think you can also buy the lamp already assembled. It’s a functional desk lamp but also quirky and not too big.

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  64. sara.bellum*

    I have real plants and put grow bulbs in my desk lamps.

    But my real tip is art – Cavallini makes “wrapping paper” which is actually a poster. The paper isn’t the heaviest, but it looks nice. Tons of botanical and nature options (minerals, birds, plants, mushrooms) – and only $6-8 each. You can find them at art supply or card stores (or order directly). Ikea makes frames that fit them perfectly (Lomviken is the one I buy – it’s gold!) – so for ~$25 you can have a large piece of attractive wall art.

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  67. Lady Galadriel*

    My suggestions, along with the rest of the Commentariat:
    – Fake plants, yes!! Lego plants would be cute and geeky, more traditional ones add softness and warmth to the space as well.
    – Framed posters from your geeky interest, especially ones that are ‘Geeky Thing but in the Style of [Blank]’ (Art Nouveau, Art Deco, National Parks Posters, etc. etc.)
    – Photo of family/friends
    – Candy dish
    – Frankly, some personal office supplies can make the space feel more “you”. I’m also mildly snobbish about keyboards and mice (Logitech M510 and Redragon K535 for my in-office setup), and consider it a big QOL improvement to have mice and keyboards that don’t suck. A cute mousepad, a coaster for your coffee, a red Swingline stapler so you always remember the Milton Option, etc.
    – I saw some other people suggesting small Lego sets, and I concur that it could be a great idea!

    Anyways I’m off to take my own advice and buy myself a cuter mousepad.

    Reply ↓
    1. Lady Galadriel*

      Oh, another suggestion – *small lights or lamps*. The big fluorescents can feel SO cold and miserable, do yourself a favor and bring in a nice lamp.

      Reply ↓
    2. Philosophia*

      Yes on mousepads! (I didn’t even think of that, as they’ve become familiar.) A year or two ago I ordered myself art reproduction mousepads. Such an inexpensive pleasure.

      Reply ↓
  68. Chickadee*

    Since other people have already recommended posters, how about printing out a few nerdy comics that are relevant to your interests? Eg Dilbert, XKCD, Hark a Vagrant

    Reply ↓
  69. OlympiasEpiriot*

    I like to have decor that fits with my job and I’m intrigued to see decorations in others’ offices that have to do with theirs. Fortunately for me, there’s a lot of potential visual material. I’m a Geotechnical Engineer and can put up geologic maps, or cool drawings (renderings or contract drawings) of completed projects, or photos of projects. An advantage to this is that I can often get this decor for free or nearly so as it is a product of my firm.

    Some people like to have art (who aren’t artists), like two of my doctors have done this.

    The personal photos and plant-but-not-plant thing can be nice if showing you have a life outside work is helpful or necessary. Depends on the culture. Everyone I work with has a life outside of work, that’s a given and we usually have some evidence of that, but, the decor isn’t structured around it.

    How do others do it there?

    Reply ↓
  72. E*

    If you don’t have windows, a large window decal / sticker makes a huge difference. I had 3′ x 5′ one of a local looking nature scene but you can find almost any natural or fantasy scenery you want

    Reply ↓
    1. Madame Desmortes*

      There are abstract stick-on wall decals too — lots of them — and they’re cheap (so leaving them behind wouldn’t hurt much) and come in a wild array of designs.

      Reply ↓
  73. CzechMate*

    Nothing too valuable.

    I work in a beautiful historic building. One of the managers has gone all out decorating his office with gorgeous antique furniture and fixtures. It looks lovely, but about two weeks ago, the ceiling of the office directly under him caved in. Immediately after the crash, we all saw him come sprinting down the stairs cradling this beautiful art deco lamp in his arms.

    Anyway, show your personality, but don’t put up anything that you would be heartbroken to lose. Sometimes things get stolen, the building caves in, you get locked out due to a global pandemic, you’re fired and told never to come back and someone packs up your things for you and forgets your favorite pen, etc.

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  74. Prof Ma'am*

    Get a desk lamp! Great way to decorate and add personal style but also let’s you turn off those harsh florescent big lights!

    Reply ↓
    1. Spreadsheet Queen*

      This! I have multiple lamps, including a swag lamp that hangs from the ceiling. (My office has ceiling tiles, and there are clips for that on Amazon). I found cool lamps with MCM shades on Zazzle and have two different styles of lamp (but same pattern – an “atomic” pattern in blue & black on a bright orange shade). I have one of those remote control “select a color” bulbs in my swag lamp, and “what color is the light today” is sometimes a topic. So definitely, there are cool lamps available which are both fun AND practical.
      Otherwise, definitely fun art. Professional reference books that I don’t have room for at home. A fun throw pillow on my chair because my chair is too deep for me.
      You can add a cool coaster so you don’t damage your desk with your water/coffee. If you have a standing desk, there are inexpensive mats in multiple colors available (work might even reimburse that). A small throw blanket in a color or design you like for when the office is too cold and your office sweater isn’t doing the trick.
      Also, you can get a nice vibe (if you have the space) if you set your bookcase at an angle in the corner instead of straight to the wall.

      Reply ↓
  75. TheBunny*

    A large picture. If you have a favorite fine art piece you love I’d bring that in. I’ve done this in all my offices and it’s neutral enough that no one blinks an eye but it also gives me pleasure.

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  76. geek5508*

    My hobby is building plastic scale model airplanes. I have a few of my most recent ones on a shelf behind my desk. They make good conversation starters – the last kit I built was of a plane built here in Baltimore during WW2.

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  77. Fort hiss*

    If you have bookshelves and are a nerd, those were made to house Re-Ments. There’s no better place for them.

    Reply ↓
  78. Triplestep*

    Former office designer here:

    My advice is to decorate your office little more than you would a cubicle or workstation, and here is why: The most important things about your office are THE DOOR and the GUEST SEATING. You were given this office because you were promoted into a role for which you’ll have meetings in your office and other closed door conversations. You were not given this office because you achieved a status that dictates you deserve more space to personalize than those who enter your space.

    The message your office should give to others is “this is a safe space for us to have a private conversation, collaborate, or just talk a bit more personally than we might in an open area.” You don’t need more art or other stuff to convey that message. You are sitting in an office and that says a lot on it’s face.

    I have seen the office personalization really backfire. In addition to being a bit showy, it can also say “This office is a novelty to me.” You mentioned your colleagues in offices have a few decorations or none at all – I am guessing they have a sense of what unintended messages over-personalization can send and perhaps you want to take a page out of their book.

    A lot of what I’ve seen people bring in to their offices to personalize them does not belong in commercial spaces, either from a design perspective, or more importantly from a fire rating perspective. Given the other unintended messages, I would stick with a few family photos and work related stuff.

    Sorry to be a killjoy, but congrats on your promotion!

    Reply ↓
    1. Spreadsheet Queen*

      Good point about being consistent with what others in the office do. So might be more toward a cool lamp or two (good lighting is practical!), and a fun coaster and coffee cup – until you see how that goes over.

      Everywhere I’ve worked and had an office, there’s been a pretty wide variation of what people do. Some people do nothing. Some people do quite a lot. (I do quite a lot, but it’s all very appropriate to a professional office in my industry).

      Reply ↓
    2. ArchivesPony*

      “your office are THE DOOR”

      Unless your office doesn’t have one ;) I have an office but it technically doesn’t have a door thanks to 1975s architecture (and the ceiling is a good 12 above me) :(

      Reply ↓
        1. ArchivesPony*

          *Cackle* Not quiet that tall. I do have a “door” but it’s part of a temporary half-wall that’ has a bi-folding thing that I refuse to call a door. Especially considering my ceiling is at least 12 feet (that doesn’t account for the pockets. It’s a honeycomb type ceiling). Yea 1975 architecture! (my space still has the original carpet LOL)

          But that’s archives life for ya. In the basement and not updated.

          Reply ↓
    3. OP*

      Thanks, that’s a lot of what I’m thinking as well. Some people do a lot, some do very little. I feel like where I am, being restrained is what I’m looking for, but it’s looking a little too grim and unoccupied. And I’d like something that’s a little cheerful, like fake plants. I’ll be looking at the suggestions and going for subtlety (though the suggestion of the Kleenex holder above is a good one, as I feel like there’s something very messy about the cardboard box just sitting in my in tray…).

      As I get further on in my career, I’ll probably add more of these ideas in, but there’s so many ideas here that it’ll help me pick the couple of things that will give my office the little lift it needs right now without overdoing things.

      Reply ↓
  79. Fidget spinner*

    As you accumulate things through your job it does the decorating for you: a thank you card, a pride flag, a framed picture or certificate, all add up over the years. Of course you can add things intentionally as well, but bare in mind that some other stuff will also appear

    Reply ↓
    1. Jack Straw from Wichita*

      Seconding the card idea. I had a photo board that I added a card my (self-absorbed and very bad) manager gave me. Earned me so many points with her since, on nearly every call for a month, she pointed out the card to others on the call–not because I did a good job of course, but saying how happy she was to be able to recognize employees and how everyone should make time for that. *eyeroll*

      Reply ↓
  80. Red Flags Everywhere*

    I have fidget toys (mostly adult-oriented) and nature-themed pictures/prints. I have a candy dish that has butterflies on it. I recently discovered door toppers – you have to be all the way inside the office and looking around/up to notice them, but everyone loves them once they notice. If you have some spot that can accommodate pins/tacks or magnets, there are lots of options. You can find different sizes and themes pretty cheaply online.

    Reply ↓
  81. Tempest*

    I have an LCARS Enterprise-D schematic on my wall, and some other ST themed decor that is less… intrusive. I’m not sure how that would go in other offices but it gets some good comments here! I have a lot of bookshelves with not much to put on them, so I went to the thrift store and bought a bowl and a basket, looks nice and cost less than $5.

    Reply ↓
  82. Alton Brown's Evil Twin*

    A couple things to think about:

    Is this stuff primarily to make you happy & relaxed, or is it something for coworkers & visitors to be entertained by or to get insight into your personality? Is your desk up against the wall, or is it in the middle of the room with visitor chairs facing it?

    How do your eyes/attention span react to a busy space vs a clean space? Would you be distracted by small stuff like bobbleheads, a collection of logo mugs, etc or would these be soothing for you? If those kinds of personal things would distract you, is there a place you can put them that is out of your regular eyesight, like on top of a bookshelf instead of your desk?

    Also consider how much cleaning & dusting you’re going to want to deal with.

    Personally, I like stuff on walls – art, diploma, etc and maybe a few items on a bookshelf, but I save my desk space for functional stuff, plus maybe a business card holder or a nice clock.

    Reply ↓
    1. OP*

      I have a pretty empty bookcase and bare walls, so that’s where I’m thinking of adding things. Aside from things like office supplies, my plan is to leave my desk and table clear so they can be used properly. It’s going to be about the light touch, and since my home office setup isn’t, that’s where I needed the advice!

      Reply ↓
  83. Craig CS*

    A coworker of mine loved to do jigsaw puzzles. If he particularly liked one, he’d somehow glue it all together and have it framed. He always had one hanging on his office wall, changing them out along the way.

    Reply ↓
  84. leeapeea*

    For wall art, I love a good map or blueprint, and this is where you can plant your geeky easter eggs. Oh, a quaint New England Olde Towne Mappe? … of Derry, Maine… A blueprint of a grand old hotel? Yes, the Overlook….
    I don’t have a lot of wall space, but I did hang two canvasses from those paint and sip nights. Bland but colorful, gives the aura of art and well, I did already pay for them so better than shelling out for Homegoods art.
    Congrats on your promotion and have fun decorating!

    Reply ↓
  85. Jonathan MacKay*

    Since it’s a little room off the warehouse which also has some storage space, I’ve kept it simple with personal touches – a few family photos, and a calendar of my own tastes (2024 was the Toronto Maple Leafs – haven’t decided for 2025 yet.)

    I have a company marketing banner up on the wall, but that’s about it.

    Reply ↓
  86. Jack Straw from Wichita*

    Here to tell you from experience, no one can tell my IKEA fake hanging plants are fake on a video call.

    I’ve actually gotten compliments on them, and then a (typically hilarious) resulting discussion of how I kill nearly everything I try to grow indoors. Usually there is at least one other person if it’s a larger meeting, who has the same black thumb, and we commiserate.

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  87. Fives*

    Jellycat has plush fake plants (and some plush that look like they’re out of Little Shop of Horrors) that have personality. I have a couple at home because I have a cat and can’t do plants.

    Reply ↓
    1. Cate*

      Seconding this! I’ve got four of their potted plants on my desk and they constantly get compliments for how cheerful they are. But being potted plants they don’t come across as too childish, and Jellycat is having a bit of A Moment in terms of their popularity recently so they’re pretty trendy even for adults.

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  88. Scrimp*

    See if you can get ahold of one of the little demogorgon dolls from the Netfix advent calander. It is small, subtle, and surprisingly cute.

    Reply ↓
  89. Aggretsuko*

    My cube theme is rainbow/tropical. I have rainbow pictures up, Lego flowers, cheerful messages (“being different makes the world more colorful”), and a bunch of random abandoned trophies I found. People love my cube and find it very cheering.

    I’d say go with what makes you happy when you spend all day there, and if it pleases others, great.

    Reply ↓
  90. iglwif*

    To combine plants and subtle geekery, how about some Lego plants or flowers?

    I got a Lego orchid for my last birthday (perfect for me, since I’ve managed to kill every real orchid I’ve ever owned), and my daughter recently asked for and received a set of Lego succulents as a Chanukah gift (so her large collection of real succulents can have some Lego friends, I guess??). She also has a bouquet of Lego flowers. These sets are super fun to put together and look very fun once finished. And if they show up in your background on video calls they will look enough like real plants to not cause distraction, but also they don’t carry the risk of allergies, dirt spills, or water damage to furniture.

    If you have a corkboard or a magnetic whiteboard in your office, you can add subtle nods to your interests with small postcards (as opposed to big posters on your walls) — big enough to be fun and colourful but small enough to be reasonably unobtrusive. You can also have fun pushpins or magnets.

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  91. JMC*

    First off shut off the big light and bring in a cool lamp for your lighting. A Himalayan salt lamp in addition to that would be really homey looking. Other than that bring what makes you happy.

    Reply ↓
  92. Stars at Night*

    I like to decorate with things that are representative either of where the office is or where I’m from. For example, in local shops, you can often find illustrative map prints of your hometown/current town from local artists that are beautiful framed. I’m from Texas originally but I’m living and working in Arizona. I’ve paired cactus coasters featuring the name of my current city with a framed typography print that says, “The stars at night are big and bright – clap clap clap clap – deep in the heart of Texas!”

    You can definitely also decorate with office supplies. For example, large artsy calendars can double as unobtrusive changeable art. Many companies offer stylistic (colorful, patterned, modern shapes, etc) staplers, pen holders etc., which can be used to, again, unobtrusively decorate.

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  93. PokemonGoToThePolls*

    When I had an office, I had a map of the US (where we were located) and a world map hanging and they were always great conversation starters when people came into my office – people would often point out places they’d been or lived and it was fun to talk about. They also looked nice and were perfectly professional and were pretty cheap at Staples.
    I also liked displaying postcards from my travels (we worked in hospitality so it wasn’t out of the ordinary for a work trip to take you to a sought-after vacation destination) and had real plants (but fake would definitely have been a better choice)

    Reply ↓
  94. Aspiring Chicken Lady*

    It might not be nerdy, but consider textiles … they can hang like a poster but not require the bulk or weight of a frame. They can also go on top of a file cabinet or other surfaces to add color and friendliness without a lot of effort. And they fold right up for travel.

    Just don’t do the bedspread/tapestry from college. Check out your favorite “we sell things from third world countries” shop for amazing pieces that will add pizzazz without much effort.

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  95. Artemesia*

    When I had a small windowless office, I framed a Magrit print of a window scene — absurd — it was great and really opened the office up.

    for another narrow but bright office I printed a bunch of 8 by 10 photos from my family and travels so that the wall I looked at had these beautiful photos/lovely memories.

    A nicely framed print or poster looks professional and it is fairly easy to find frames for posters or if it is a weird size there are on line sources of bespoke built it yourself frames. Depending on the office, a rug, a lamp, a nice sculpture can also make it look a notch upscale.

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    1. Lady Lessa*

      Was that the Magritte where there is an easel with a painting of the scene outside the window? I like his work very much, but some isn’t safe for work.

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  96. Professor Plum*

    A rubic cube calendar on your desk is a nice conversation piece if you’re inclined to solve it each day—fairly easy because you only need one side to read correctly.

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  97. Destra N.*

    I like the idea of deeply nerdy artwork masquerading as fine art prints. Like if you’re a Star Wars fan, a mid-century modern abstract of Tatooine’s twin suns.

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  98. Dasein9 (he/him)*

    A string of lanterns can add a touch of whimsy and make the light in the room more welcoming and flattering.

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  99. Safely Retired*

    Geek? Amazon has floating and levitation pens. Likewise some very unusual clocks. And other things, search on unusual office decor. Moon lamp? Levitating globe? Moving sand art? Levitating moon lamp! Levitating lamps of other types, too.

    And – applicable to many (to too many!) workplaces, but not necessarily career enhancing – Demotivational Posters. (See despair.com.)

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  100. Good Lord Ratty*

    I work in a cube and never have Zoom/Teams calls, so a backdrop doesn’t matter for me. I keep in my office the following: books relevant to my work that I reference periodically, some birthday and holiday cards from colleagues, friends and family (ones where I really liked the illustrations), a postcard of a scenic view of my hometown, a postcard of a Jewish religious site. I also have a small rainbow flag and a calendar. Nothing crazy. Some of my coworkers have stuff like dozens of anime miniatures, copies of the Quran, rosaries, professional development/years of service awards, “minions”, photos of their kids, diplomas, and so on. It’s an eclectic assortment of detritus. And of course there are those who studiously avoid having any evidence of a personality or life outside of work represented by stuff in their offices, which is almost as interesting to me.

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  101. cat herder*

    Sidebar anecdote: when I was an admin at an investment bank, one of the elderly curmudgeonly bankers had a real original Picasso hanging in his glass-walled office. It was a flex on his part, of course, but as someone who studied art in college, it was a surreal treat for me to get to see a Picasso whenever I visited his floor. This was 10+ years ago so I hope he’s retired by now, and that the Picasso is somewhere being enjoyed by others.

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    1. Jennifer Strange*

      it was a surreal treat for me to get to see a Picasso whenever I visited his floor

      Not as surreal as it would have been if he’d had an original Dali painting ;)

      Reply ↓
  102. Jo*

    I have a vintage quilt on the wall behind my desk. It’s a beautiful piece of art and perfect for my windowless office. It’s also a talking point frequently as it’s behind me when I’m on zoom.

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  103. Sunflower*

    At least one commenter already mentioned not to bring too much and I have to agree. Not only because you might be let go/quit but also simply moving desks/office. It’s exhausting and heavy work boxing everything up. I learned my lesson packing everything up when we all worked from home those few years.

    I like my desk to show personality but now I only have a cute mug of cute pens, and one knick·knack, and one mini Rubik’s type puzzle game to fidget with. Easy to pack up when I recently moved to another desk across the building.

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  104. DreddPirate*

    I have a few geeky touches in my workspace (cubicle) – A matryoshka doll with the members of KISS instead of the traditional Russian motif; a working scale model of a catapult; a miniature Japanese screen; a framed MC Escher print; and a letter opener that looks like the Excalibur sticking out of a stone.

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  105. Sparrow*

    Hello, fellow geek! One thing I really recommend is looking around online/at conventions/etc for geeky versions of typical office supplies—a D&D mousepad, a Firefly keyboard mat, Star Wars stationery, etc. I have BG3-themed sticky notes that my spouse got me for Christmas a few years ago. Also, geeky mugs are pretty easy to find and make great pen holders.

    This can be a really great way to add some extra personality to your office without necessarily adding a bunch more stuff, since this is largely stuff you’d need to have on your desk anyway, just a little more fun!

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  107. WomEngineer*

    You could get a poster with a motivational quote from your favorite character.

    I also like the idea of artwork related to your city or industry. This could be a framed map of downtown, a local landmark or nature, or a picture or model of your company’s product.

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  108. I'd Rather Be Reading*

    I have a colorful 4’x6′ boho “tapestry” mandala on my wall (just a cotton print). People often comment on how much they like it. I adore having such a large piece of color on my boring, off-white walls. And it’s easy to stuff in a box along with the framed photo of my son and my vase/mug pen holders and spare cardigan.

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  109. Throwaway Account*

    This might have been mentioned but my coworker has a desk mat that really brightens up the place. I’ll post a link to what I mean in a reply.

    I also bought stickers with LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter, and a few things I just liked. I have had positive comments on those.

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  111. One of the many librarians*

    The Army Corps of Engineers, Portland Division makes annual dog and cat calendars that might work for some offices — I’ll put a link in a reply. Giant adorable pets playing with cranes, peering over dams, etc. You’d have to print or go to a copy shop, though.

    If you have photos or postcards, a frame that brings them together can make them look more professional. I’m in a temporary cubicle right now, and I have a cheap Ikea multi-photo frame with a few favorite vacation pics, a fabric panel with a beach scene, and some postcards of libraries I’ve visited on the walls, pens in a fun mug and a plant on the desk, and as soon as I finish building, the Lego plum blossoms will go there as well.

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  112. Baska*

    I am also geeky, but wanted it to be in a subtle way in my office. (I’m the secretary of a small liberal church.) I have a Babylon 5 quote (which is actually a Carl Sagan quote that they stole) framed on my wall, as well a the normal religions “coexist” picture PLUS a geeky “coexist” picture. (All the letters are from different scifi / fantasy franchises.) I also have a bunch of fake plants to give some greenery.

    Really, it depends on your office culture. In some places, you’ll be able to get away with big, overt signs of geekdom, and in others it will have to be super-subtle.

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  115. Rumpoles Old Bailey*

    Depends upon your field. I’m a lawyer but I have teddy bears, small glass statues, a bobble headed Abe Lincoln, a snow globe and an hour glass which I use for a colleague who likes to come in and talk (I did warn them that I was going to get one to control their time). Don’t have enough wall space for pics just a big pin board where I put articles which interest me.
    I’ve been in my role more than 20 years so have the runs on the board to do this.
    Mind you there’s a determination to move us into open plan with hot desking. Which may see me writing my own letter in for advice

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  116. Margo*

    I have lots of pothos plants in my office. They don’t flower, are very low maintenance, and like the low lighting in offices. Some of the vines grew all the way to the floor!

    I’ve also found some fun, unique things on Etsy under “office decor,” including a dumpster fire-themed zen garden, which I’m definitely buying right now.

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    1. Good Man Hennerz*

      Ooh, I never knew it was called ”pothos”… in my language we call it ”golden wreath” and I’ve only heard ”devils ivy”… as far as office or house plants go, my parents and I have had one growing around a big window, there’s a picture floating on the internet there is one in some office that makes the whole place look a jungle!

      I brought a sad little ”christmas cactus” the first year I was hired for an office job. It decided not to die, so I got a proper pot… and it flourished. When I got pro/de-moted to another office, all the colleagues were ”you’re not taking the cactus are you!?!?” It was so long it was trailing to a floor off a chest-height bookshelf! Apparently, it was one of the ”zen spots of the floor”, whatever that was. Also I had to leave my souvenier posters, I loved my team and my team loved me. And the lady growing orchids in her office was slightly jealous of my cactus, as everyone had clippings.

      TBF, those ”christmas cactuses” can grow ancient, my mom had a sad looking one still in the 90’s, but it was my nan’s from 30’s!

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  117. I Have RBF*

    When I had an office I didn’t do much fancy decorating. My white board had my major projects on it, and my bookshelf was full of tech books. My desk, though… I have a small collection of geeky stuffies – Linux penguins, a Suse gecko, a plush dumpster fire, plus my signature pompom. My drinkware has geeky waterproof stickers on it. In cubeland it was the same.

    When I was stuffed into an open plan noise pit I still kept my desk stuff, much to the consternation of management who wanted everything sterile and identical, but I no longer had a whiteboard or a bookshelf. Now that I work remotely I just blur my background, although my dumpster fire plush is still at my shoulder.

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  118. werewolf*

    i mostly put up art in my cubicle, as i enjoy collecting art prints! one really affordable way i added some art back when i didn’t have prints from my personal collection that i was willing to leave at my office: i bought a set of 8 cheap 3×3 inch frames from Amazon, and then i looked through some art magazines i had and cut out illustrations that i really liked. you could also do this with photography books from the thrift store! it makes a cute display and you can switch out the art whenever you want.

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  119. Robby*

    In terms of wall hangings, sometimes offices (like landlords) balk at hanging anything beyond an itty-bitty nail or single command hook. I’ve found the best solution for maximum wall coverage is to get magnetic frames that snap on the top and bottom (they’re literally called ‘Magnetic Poster Hanger Frame’). You can get a poster printed custom from somewhere like Canva, or buy pretty wrapping paper sheets from somewhere like Paper Source. They’re so light, and easy to swap out if you get bored of what you have up. I have one that I swap out seasonally and everyone loves to see what it changes to.

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  120. earlthesachem*

    You can satisfy your love of horror by displaying prints of the classic horror monsters- Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, Wolfman, etc- that aren’t going to freak anybody out.

    I’ve never had an office, but when I worked in a cube farm I personalized my space with stuff I liked, in those days it was primarily Elvis stuff (when the Elvis stamp came out I ringed my monitor with ones I took off the incoming mail I processed, same with the Nixon and Marilyn Monroe stamps which came out at around the same time).

    If I did ever have an office, I would have adorned my walls with prints of artwork I liked (gotta make my Art History degree do something useful), cool looking landscapes, family, and the largest picture of an Easter Island head I could find.

    I know a guy who knows a guy (yeah… we all do) who was a landbound Naval officer of high enough rank to have his own office on base. He was a massive sci-fi fan and had multiple LEGO Star Wars spaceships suspended from his ceiling (up high and out of the way).

    It’s your office. Decorate it as you wish. Make it your space. Don’t limit yourself based on how others have decorated. Just remember it IS still workspace, so keep it more or less professional (so best to avoid creating your very own South American jungle temple, ala Indiana Jones).

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  121. SoCal Kate*

    I highly recommend the Lego Bonsai Tree! It’s fun to put together and subtle enough that most people don’t immediately recognize that it is Lego.

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  122. Lady Kelvin*

    Things that are tangentially related to your field is always a good choice, especially if you incorporate your own interests as well. For example I am a marine biologist and many of my coworkers have Lego boats, pictures of marine life, etc on their walls. Also things they have collected on their travels. My office has teapots that I have collected from each country I’ve traveled to for work, which ties in nicely to my tea drinking habits. Think of things that might tell people a little about yourself without being too obvious.

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  123. mrs whosit*

    I’m sorry if I’m repeating — my office was stark white walls when I moved in, and my counterparts’ offices were very decorated. To fill space quickly, I got some stickers from Amazon of fake potted plants (a set of shelves and a hanging set). They’re casual so wouldn’t work everywhere – I get lots of compliments, though. I’ve also added perler bead potted plants, Lego plants, and wooden flowers from the Target dollar section. Fake plants made of yarn or stained glass are on my wishlist.

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  124. Good Man Hennerz*

    Well… geek, into horror… I’d get into trouble replacing one of the suspended cieling tiles with the one of the Alien looking down from the ventilation shaft.

    …of course, you’d have a dippy bird on your desk as well.

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  126. RobareOwl*

    If you’re a Star Trek fan, I have found that to be a conversation starter, and I never had a negative interaction with anyone about it. Source: not office decor, but I carried a vintage-style tin Star Trek lunch box to work, and got lots of positive comments from not only coworkers, but bus drivers and building security. Or maybe it counts as office decor if it sits on top of your locker during the day? LLAP :)

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  127. OP*

    Thanks to everyone for your suggestions! I’ve already ordered some Lego flowers (which I know at least one person has), and I’ll be keeping an eye out for small things that’ll just add a little personal touch. Maybe in a few years I’ll have an epic office (which one of my colleagues does have), but I’ll build it up slowly with a focus on staying professional. Lots of great ideas here, so thanks again!

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  128. LegallyBrunette*

    Fellow geek, follow your heart with something tasteful that embraces your interests!

    I once hung two framed, professional artist prints of the Titanic in my law office – one was of it sinking. Despite my Mom’s assertion that decorative choice could “sink” my law career, that was easily my most successful position in the profession. Granted, clients didn’t visit my office, so I didn’t need to consider the public-facing ramifications of my preferred wall art ;)

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  129. Seriously?*

    I have several sites assigned to me. I took pics at the sites of iconic buildings and had them framed.

    I also have a few mementos of my previous career as a teacher, and one Homegoods painting to add a splash of color to the gray walls. My office is small but I love it after 20 years in a classroom.

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  130. Critical Rolls*

    Many fantastic ideas! If you have a guest chair, you can put a pillow on it; if you have a table other than your desk, a placemat or table runner can add some color without going full tablecloth. Also agree that looking for locally relevant art is great, whether it’s a poster for an event that you like the design of, or something from a local artist. Happy hunting!

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  131. Mid*

    I love more abstract nerdy posters, like art deco style travel posters of fictional cities. They’re not too expensive, they’re subtle, but also a little bit unique and fun. (Search Tattooine National Park poster for some examples, or Gotham City Art Deco Travel Poster.) You can also do less nerdy versions of the same thing—add your local city or a place you love.

    Otherwise, echoing what other people have said, Legos are great! If you’re in a more casual/artsy office, figurines like Funko Pops could also work. You can also do some of the classy looking fidget toys, like a Newton’s Cradle, metal top, kinetic energy sculptures, or moving sand picture.

    Pillows with cases that are fun pattern are a great way to add color (and if you want, you can often find subtle nerdy patterns, like small blue telephone booths, or swords, similar to tie patterns.)

    If you have a bookshelf, you can throw some more interesting books on the shelf as well, along side work related materials, or you can get fun bookends to add a little personalization to the shelves.

    Also, if you’re allowed, change your computer wallpaper! That’s something small and easy that a lot of people seem to overlook.

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  132. Liz*

    Think fun but not too personal. Also, things that aren’t valuable in case you walk out one day and never come back. I have vintage office supplies picked up from thrift stores. A rotary telephone and a manual typewriter. My boss snagged me a 1980s era electric pencil sharpener from the excess office supply closet. They are conversation starters when they show up in the zoom background.

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  133. Ohio Duck*

    My front office area is decorated with fake succulents from Home to Home. They look quite good and people will ask me if they’re real.

    We also have a large print of a painting hanging on the wall. think stuff like a sailing ship, windmill, mountain, beach, or floral theme – there are lots of options that are both neutral and quite lovely.

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