If I were to put a number on it, I would say at least 75% of people have either a home office or a designated space, nook, or cranny where they work in their home. This work could be for your employer, for your own business as an entrepreneur, doing crafts, or a child doing their homework.
I want to share with you some of my favorite creative home offices that YOU, TOO, can create in your own home, even in the smallest of spaces! Get ready to feel inspired!
AN IMPORTANT NOTE: We live in a world of Zoom video meetings and interviews conducted from our home offices, and it is important to be mindful of your backdrop of what people see behind you through their computer screen. You are marketing yourself--good or bad--whether you realize it. Design Realign has designed backdrops, and I encourage you to click here to see one of our samples.
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The office above is a perfect example of how creative someone can be with little space to work with to create a cozy office nook. It is one of the most creative ones I have seen, because it addresses several needs or issues (which I break down further below).
CREDENTIALS FOR THE ABOVE PIC: The wall is simply chalkboard paint and can be tinted in any color you wish (Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams). Complimenting the chalkboard paint is a book theme wallcovering — Ex Libris 114/15029 – Fornasetti Senza Tempo – Cole & Son. The desk chair is from World Market via The Cross Interior Design. For all of you 'The Bachelor and The Bachelorette' fans out there, that is former Bachelorette Jillian Harris's company!
LET'S BREAK THIS DOWN:
Instead of having a bookcase, they wallpapered the wall with a FAUX BOOKCASE full of books. LOVE this! Maybe you don't have enough space in your own home or room to have a wall-to-wall bookcase or maybe you don't have the money to purchase one. Either way, this is a beautiful way to address that issue.
I don't know about you, but when I am on a conference call or for those of you who have interviews, I like to have notes and talking points up on my wall in front of me as reminders of things to say or not forget. Post-it notes are only so big, and the older you get, the harder it is to see. I know from personal experience! You can address this with a whiteboard or bulletin board above your desk, but how fun is it to have a chalkboard using CHALK PAINT TO WRITE YOUR NOTES. Not only can you write notes, but it turns into a work of art. So, be sure to use your best handwriting! :)
This desk can be a SIMPLE DIY PROJECT for you or a loved one who is a handyman. To get a beautiful office chair like the one above, check out the CLEARANCE sections of your local furniture stores. You'd be surprised what you might find. This cozy little office can be created for under $250.
Who says you shouldn't paint your walls black? Well, I disagree ... as it all depends on the room, design, and the goals and functionality of that space. In the home office example above, the black painted wall unit is gorgeous. In fact, this whole design is gorgeous from the dark wall unit to the animal rug to the gold accents, this space was created with masculinity in mind, and my oh my, does it speak beauty!
Contemporary Office Idea by Outfit & Outings
SHIPLAP CLOSET OFFICE -- REFERRED TO AS 'CLOFFICE'
Whoever came up with the closet office concept (referred to as 'Cloffice') is brilliant and deserves a medal! :) They are true space savers and can be quite functional. And because they are smaller in size, they add a cozy feel to the space, so why not get creative with it?
If you do not have an extra room in your home to dedicate to a home office, consider the addition of a desk in your bedroom, whether it be the master or a guest room. A bedroom can be the perfect spot to squeeze in an office if no other options are available. It’s peaceful and away from distractions that you will find in the main living areas – not to mention the bed is close at hand if you need a nap or some crucial time to reflect!
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT CONVERTING CLOSETS INTO AN OFFICE SPACE:
I don't recommend converting a BEDROOM closet into an office space, unless there are two closets in that bedroom. I am a former licensed Realtor and I can tell you that if and when it comes time for you to sell your home, you cannot legally call that type of room a bedroom, which will affect your selling price. A bedroom needs to have a closet with doors and rods to hang clothes, in that case, so be aware.
I love cloffices best when they have some sort of design as a wall treatment, other than paint. The cloffice above is actual shiplap wall pieced together. What a beautiful way to warm up that space! I am also into wallpapering cloffices. Since the space is small, this is a great opportunity to get crazy or funky with wallpaper print. Why not? Have fun with it!
How to Build and Install a Desktop in a Closet by The Happy Housie
Kids love having their own little cozy nook to do their homework. If you create one in your child's bedroom closet, however, be sure to read the important note above about closet to 'office' conversions.
This is not a Design Realign Design. Compliments of One Kindesign.
THE GREATEST AND MOST CLEVER SPACE SAVER
DING! DING! DING! And THE WINNER of all home office creations as the most creative home office is .................. THE WINDOW SEAT TO OFFICE DESK CONVERSION!
The picture above is a great demonstration of how clever and creative a person can be in their home office designs. I LOVE this design ... just not much of a fan of the decor! But, let's think about this design for a second.
LET'S BREAK IT DOWN:
There is apparently no dedicated room for this home office (or maybe they needed a second home office), so this person got very creative with their design. There is literally only inches of extra space being taken up in this bedroom simply by converting the window seat into an office desk. A slipper chair would slide right under it and take up no extra space.
NO CLOSET CONVERSION NEEDED! I love that this person did not use the closet to convert into an office because if they were to sell it, they would not be able to legally call it a bedroom (unless they converted it back), because there would be no functional closet with doors or clothes rods.
This person now has a beautiful view all day outside the large bay window. That is one of the most peaceful settings to me is when someone has their desk placed at a large window looking at the beautiful outdoors.
There is plenty of lighting coming through the windows (which you won't get with a 'cloffice') and they even added task lighting for days that are cloudy or when they work in the evening.
Flanking each side of the desk are a bookcase and workspace for the printer and other office needs and supplies. This is a highly functional workspace that takes up about a foot of space!
Office and Craft Room Reveal by Houseful of Homemade
Although I have seen better crafter cloffice designs on the INSIDE of the closet/cloffice, what I do like about the crafter's cloffice above is how creative she got with storing her supplies OUTSIDE of the cloffice space without affecting much of that room's space. This can lead to so many ideas for you, if you have a need to extend space or storage outside of your cloffice. Everything here is within one step of the desk, which is why this is one of my favorite crafter cloffice designs.
SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE THE INSIDE of the crafter's cloffice would be to add something similar to below. I used to teach an online bedroom design class to teens and I often suggested a pegboard for above their desk similar to the one below to save space in their bedroom and to help them stay organized. It is very inexpensive and can be cut to size. For example, a 4' x 4' section only costs around $10 and can be painted a color of your liking. How fun!
FOR A TUTORIAL ON HOW TO HANG PEGBOARD, CLICK HERE.
This is not a Design Realign Design. Compliments of One Kindesign.
This is my favorite type of 'cloffice' set up because THE DESK FACES OUTWARD. If the closet is large enough, a person can have their desk in it while they walk AROUND the desk and have it face outward, so they are not staring at the wall. This is a nice and handsome addition to any bedroom, as long as there is a second closet in that room.
This is not a Design Realign Design. Compliments of One Kindesign.
Depending on your needs, some people love to have a sitting room in their master suite. Quite frankly, that would be my choice in visualizing a peaceful master bedroom retreat. However, everyone has their own specific needs, and for some people, they would love to turn that space into a home office. This would be especially true for entrepreneurs who need some extra space but don't have a dedicated room for a home office or additional home office.
DIY Sawhorse Desk by Hege Morris
A DIY desk, like the one above, might be the perfect fit for your home if you would like to make something unique and personal. Take a trip to your local hardware store or online to find the wooden Saw Horses, which can be painted in the color of your choosing. Paint a piece of raw wood to match for the top. Just make sure you sand it to avoid any nasty splinters!
IN CONCLUSION
Whatever your needs, I hope these designs inspire you to create your own little haven of a home office. It will help us all to be more productive and less stressed!
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