Introduction: Why Your Background Says More Than You Think

First impressions don’t just happen in person anymore. With so many meetings and interviews now taking place on Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet, the way your home office appears on camera has become an integral part of your professional presence. A cluttered or messy background can distract from what you’re saying, while a blank wall can feel flat and uninviting. On the other hand, a thoughtful setup instantly signals organization, professionalism, and even personality.

The good news is you don’t need an expensive renovation to improve how your space appears on screen. With a few affordable décor updates and some simple rearranging, you can create a professional home office background that looks polished, feels comfortable, and reflects your style. Use the following tips to create a backdrop that looks great, feels natural, and elevates every video call.

Why Your Background Matters on Calls

The background of your home office is more than decoration. On video calls it becomes part of how people evaluate you. Just as you would put thought into dressing appropriately for the office, your backdrop is an extension of how people view you professionally. A clean, organized backdrop suggests focus and dependability, while a cluttered or dull space can leave the opposite impression. According to Wirecutter, the way your environment looks on camera directly affects how others perceive your credibility and confidence. Even if your work is excellent, a distracting setting can undercut how professional you appear.

Good lighting and the right equipment form the foundation of a strong on-camera presence, but once those basics are in place your background becomes just as important. It also serves as a subtle introduction to your personality. Colleagues and clients often notice details like books, artwork, or plants, and these choices can spark conversation and help people connect with you. Tech experts at PCMag note that small background adjustments, combined with good lighting and camera angle, are some of the easiest ways to improve your presence online.

While virtual backgrounds on Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet are available, they can sometimes feel artificial. A thoughtfully styled real backdrop almost always comes across as more trustworthy and inviting. The best background for video calls is one that feels simple, intentional, and consistent with the way you want to be seen at work. By treating your backdrop as part of your professional toolkit, you make every interaction smoother and more impactful.

Step #1 Find the Best Wall or Corner for a Professional Home Office Background

Think about where your desk is located and what’s directly behind you. While it’s not usually the first thing you consider when setting up a workspace, it’s the first thing others notice on a video call. Choosing the right wall or corner can mean the difference between a polished professional home office background and one that feels distracting.

Avoid sitting with a window behind you since strong backlighting casts shadows. Instead, position yourself so natural light falls in front of you or at an angle, which creates a brighter and more flattering look on camera. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet all offer tools to test or change backgrounds before a call. Virtual backgrounds can help in a pinch, but a real setting almost always feels more natural and reliable.

Keep clutter out of the frame and angle your camera so the focus stays on you, not what’s piled up behind you. If you’re still figuring out where to place your desk or how to make a small room do double duty, revisit our Ultimate Guide to Home Office Design for layout strategies. Starting with a smart foundation makes decorating for video calls much easier.

Step #2 Use Shelves, Plants, or Art to Add Depth

Flat, empty walls can make your background look lifeless on camera. Adding depth with a few carefully chosen pieces helps your home office feel more natural and professional. A styled bookshelf or console is one of the easiest and most functional upgrades. Keep it simple: a few neatly arranged books paired with a decorative object are enough to look polished without feeling staged. For example, these bookends from Crate & Barrel double as sculptural décor and functional anchors, adding texture and sophistication without clutter. Choose items you don’t use often so you won’t be tempted to move them around before every call.

If you don’t have room for a bookshelf, a floating shelf is a great alternative. A solid wood option, like floating shelves from UrbanDi, offer warmth and a clean modern profile. They provide just enough space to showcase a plant, a framed photo, or one art piece, creating a simple home office backdrop that feels intentional.

Plants are another way to bring life into the frame. A medium-sized plant beside your desk or a trailing vine on a shelf adds color and softens hard edges. Greenery also creates a sense of energy and warmth that viewers instinctively respond to.

Beyond greenery, wall treatments can also soften how your background reads on camera. According to Verywell Mind, muted greens and blues can calm and focus, while brighter accents like yellow add energy. Neutral walls with one standout piece often read best on video calls, and safe choices like landscapes or abstracts feel professional across settings. For a more modern approach, consider felt acoustic panels from brands like Felt Right. They add clean texture, come in a range of colors, and double as sound absorption for quieter calls. Pair your backdrop with these lighting strategies for video calls to look your best on screen.

Step #3 Choose Lighting for Video Calls at Home

Good lighting does more than brighten your face. It also changes how your background looks on camera, which can make the difference between a polished setup and one that feels washed out. Overhead lights alone often create harsh shadows, so layering your light is key. Start with natural light whenever possible, then supplement with lamps or a ring light to balance the scene.

If your room lighting isn’t enough, a Wirecutter-recommended ring light is one of the easiest fixes. Adjustable brightness and color temperature help you look clear and natural without glare. For everyday use, a decorative lamp can serve both function and style. Something like the West Elm Sphere & Stem Table Lamp adds warm, diffused light while doubling as a design element in your frame.

Pay attention to bulbs as well. Soft white bulbs around 2700K create a warm, inviting glow, while daylight bulbs closer to 3000K mimic natural light and keep colors accurate on camera. Many newer lamps now include built-in dimmers and adjustable color temperature settings, so you can fine-tune both the brightness and warmth of your light throughout the day without changing bulbs. This flexibility makes it easier to maintain consistent lighting on camera.

If you’re an Apple user, Continuity Camera even lets you turn your iPhone into a webcam with advanced lighting features built in. No matter your setup, balanced lighting ensures both you and your background look intentional and professional.

Step #4 Add Personality to Your Home Office Background Without Distractions

A professional home office background doesn’t have to feel plain. Adding personality makes your space feel authentic and gives colleagues or clients a glimpse of who you are. The best results come from choosing details that bring warmth without creating visual clutter.

Start with one or two personal touches. A framed photo, a small object from your travels, or a colorful book can soften your setup and act as a subtle conversation starter. Books are also an opportunity to highlight your expertise. For example, we keep a few marketing and interior design titles within view. They’re both practical references and a quiet way to show credibility.

Keep it polished by limiting what’s visible. One thoughtfully placed item usually makes a stronger impression than a dozen scattered pieces. A small frame like the Brass Pedestal Frame from Target adds personality while keeping the look simple and professional.

Color accents are another easy way to add depth. A muted throw pillow, a bold spine on a shelf, or a ceramic vase can provide contrast against neutral walls.

Ultimately, your background should reflect your personality without competing for attention. When the backdrop supports rather than distracts, you’ll come across as approachable, professional, and confident on every call.

Quick Budget-Friendly Fixes if You Can’t Redesign Your Whole Office

Not every home office setup allows for new furniture or a full makeover. Fortunately, there are simple and inexpensive ways to improve your background without a big investment.

Lighting is one of the easiest upgrades. If you’re not ready to invest in a full ring light, a clip-on LED lamp (around $20 at Target or Amazon) can help brighten your face and backdrop evenly. Adjustable arms and dimmable settings make them easy to fine-tune without adding clutter to your desk surface.

Rearranging what you already own can be just as effective. Sometimes just shifting your desk to face a different wall, pulling in a small lamp from another room, or styling a shelf with pieces you already have can dramatically change how your space looks on camera.

Even small, budget-friendly changes like these can make your home office background feel more intentional and help you show up on calls looking confident and professional.