Interiors with Sarah Jane Nielsen, owner and director of Sarah Jane Nielsen Limited, at Staveley.

On the subject of home offices - is yours just the ‘spare room,’ a work place filled with files, books and usually a general dumping ground?

Nowadays we all need work space at home and respecting your environment will encourage you to create your best work – fact!

This charcoal and khaki scheme from Nielsenhouse delivers plenty of drama. There is no doubt in some minds it suggests a masculine ownership, although who knows? There is also an air of elegance in the detail. The artwork subject matter and the tea pot and cups for example. It’s over all feel tells us the inhabitant of this room is assuming to be taken seriously.

The charcoal backdrop and the graphite woodwork give the walls, curtain fabric and larger items of furniture instant depth of tone. This creates a solid base from which you can ‘dress’ your room for drama.

Don’t be afraid of using dark colours if they take your fancy, they provide marvellous impact. Anthracite, charcoal, chocolate brown, navy blue or pelt from Farrow and Ball is a favourite.

Although they do insist on thoughtful lighting to bring out the textures, tones and any sculptural qualities in furnishings and fittings. I like to use a combination of loose table lamps, directional and up lighting, with wall or floor lamps to create ambience. Here we have used more unusual, but structured forms of fitting, each are a thing of beauty in themselves, as well as functional. The grouping of beaten metal pendants directs the light towards the textures in the chair hide, velvet cushion and tactile fringe as well as highlighting the chair. I like to use odd numbers at all times, two would not work.

The luminous opaque balls shed a glow picking out the textures in the vinyl wall covering. These alone could not light this room sufficiently; the ‘Harry’ desk lamp from Porta Romana is a must to work by and is commanding in its position. These all add the character to support any ceiling recessed fittings lighting the room by directing spot lights towards areas or pieces of interest.

They draw your eye to them.

This room could have been too harsh if we had not introduced the soft wax timber flooring and thick silk rug. The dressing and accessories accentuate this personality by reflecting light through ivory, cream and ecru objects. Each with their own texture or characteristics.

There is no question this particular office could be considered luxurious or glamorous. But the formula can be taken in any context. It’s all down to you.