If you need a decent office space but are dealing with less paperwork and catalogs, you can perfectly go by with a small home office. With a only a few pieces of furniture and some simple storage solutions and décor, you can basically transform any small space into a highly functional home office.
Hopefully, these ideas should motivate you into thinking about re-doing a few square inches of empty space if it’s something that you’re after. You may realize that you do not really need lots of space to create an office to call your own.
1) Office nook in the bedroom
It’s not usually recommended to work in a place where you sleep. But as long as there is an empty space or corner in your bedroom, why not use what you’ve got? Place a desk with built-in drawers, a chair, and maybe a corkboard on the wall, and you will be able to separate the office area from the bed area.
This engineered wood desk from Ameriwood provides your essential office needs. It has a work surface, a file drawer, and a couple of open shelves; plus, it comes in a size that’s perfect for a small office setting.
2) Office nook in the kitchen
As long as there is plenty of countertop and cupboard space, the kitchen will always be an excellent area to build a small office space. Tuck in an office chair or a regular chair, place a computer or laptop on the countertop surface, a desk lamp, a file, and office items organizer (like this steel mesh variant from AmazonBasics), and you’re good to go.
3) Office nook in the laundry room
The laundry room can also be a quiet retreat – as long as the sound of your washing machine’s motor doesn’t get on your nerves. Therefore, the laundry room can also be the ideal candidate for your home office. Look for underutilized and overlooked areas to build your little office workspace.
Since they’re basically functional spaces, laundry rooms tend to look a little drab. Make it look more pleasing by repainting the cabinetry with eye-catching or relaxing colors, and adding a beautiful rug. Replace your current lighting with a decorative overhead light or more modern recessed lighting, like this six-piece downlight set from Sunco Lighting.
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As it is a laundry area, there will be chances of water splashes or detergent spills. You have to place your cables and electronics in a safe area so that they won’t come in contact with water and, in turn, cause electric shock. It’s best to hide your power strip inside a cabinet or any other enclosed area away from possible splashes.
4) Office nook in a closet
Probably the best thing about building a home office in a closet is that there’s a door that you can close at the end of every workday, so you can forget about work for a while. Most closets have built-in shelves, so you don’t have to worry about putting your office essentials.
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If you are building a home office out of a reach-in closet, good ligthing is essential. Even if the area (where your closet is situated) is well-lighted, you still may need a good desk lamp, like this adjustable goose-neck table lamp from LEPOWER.
5) Office nook under the staircase
That empty little nook under the staircase can also be a good candidate for a home office. But the downside is that these areas are usually dingy, so powerful lighting is essential. But let’s be honest: one desk lamp won’t be enough to illuminate the entire nook and make it inviting for work. It’s better to purchase some built-in lights or various layers of light to make this area more welcoming and enjoyable to work.
This simple but beautiful spherical gold metal and glass hanging light from H XD Global has an adjustable cable length, which is great especially for staircase nooks with high ceilings. For staircase nooks with low ceilings, the best lighting is either a recessed downlight or a sconce, like this wall light with the classic umbrella design from iYoee.
If possible, build a staircase with no risers or just take them off from the existing staircase. It guarantees that your under-the-staircase office nook will get a lot of light. Plus, it allows more ventilation, making your office space a lot airier.