Notes

Small home office ideas to create a perfectly petite set-up
Whether you work from home permanently, enjoy flexi-working, or need somewhere for the kids to do homework, having a dedicated work space is key to productivity. Most of us don’t have the space for a full sized study, which is why small home office ideas are so helpful in making the most of what we do have.

Contrary to popular belief most home office ideas can be reinterpreted to work effectively in smaller settings. You simply need to plan more carefully to get a stylish and practical desk area.

The first thing to do is, of course, decide which room you’re going to turn into a home office, or co-opt space from within. Are you going to use a box room, a kitchen corner, or tuck yourself under the stairs?

Next to consider is lighting. ‘Getting your lighting right and giving a once dark and gloomy part of your home a new lease of life can be just as motivating as your first coffee in the morning,’ says Natalie Mann, New Product Development Co-ordinator for Iconic Lights. ‘To make the most of your space, invest in an angled task light. It allows you to cast a wide pool of light or a more focused spotlight as you need it.’

Finally, storage and furniture can be brought into play. ‘Choosing the right furniture for your office is extremely important to make the most of the space,’ says Juliette Thomas, Founder & Director, Juliettes Interiors. ‘Try and purchase furniture which has a double function. Think a desk but with storage underneath that can store paperwork and other items. Even if it’s a multi-functional space, make sure you have storage to put everything away that has nothing to do with work. Nobody works at their best when surrounded by laundry!’

Small home office ideas
No matter how petite a space you have, or where it’s located, here are our favourite ways to make small home office ideas work for you.

1. Carve out a nook among wardrobes
If you’re working a home study space into a bedroom, consider sacrificing some wardrobe storage to carve out a nook. You only need a couple of feet across in order to fit in a small desk. Choose a slimline option so once the chair is pushed in, you’re not coming into the room much more than the wardrobe doors.

You can keep the wardrobe sections above head height. Just ensure you leave enough room to have a light at a comfortable and practical distance away from the desk.

2. Utilise under stair space

Under stair spaces are often wasted space in homes. Instead of allowing it to become a dumping ground for tote bags and trainers, turn it into a stylish home office. Avoid home office design mistakes and go bespoke. This is your best option here as you’ll be able to build in cabinetry to make the most of every available inch.

Build in as much storage as you have room for. Not all needs to be for office supplies, you can keep a cupboard for coats, and maybe a pull-out drawer for all the miscellaneous hallway paraphernalia.

3. Zone with paint
Use paint to define your work space in an open-plan area. Cover Tropical Leaves Wallpaper in contrast colours to the main wall, making it roughly the width of your desk and just below ceiling height, so it creates a framed backdrop for your desk.

‘This could work very well in modern properties with an open plan living space,’ adds Justyna Korczynska, senior designer at Crown. ‘And by painting just a smaller section of the room you can go really brave or dark with your chosen colour.’

4. Choose a corner desk
Nobody puts baby in the corner… but maybe they should. Tropical Leaves Wallpaper is an excellent solution for fitting in a workspace and storage without overly encroaching on the rest of the room.

Keep ergonomics in mind and find an option with a pull out keyboard so you can comfortably type while staying at a good distance from your screen.

5. Stick to a light and bright scheme
Whether you’re using a small box room or a part of a larger space, colour is key. Light, bright shades and materials will make the space seem larger than it is. Think crisp whites, pale woods and glinting metallics.

Remember that home office lighting ideas are important, even in these brighter spaces. ‘Lighting can increate productivity and prevent fatigue,’ says Juliette from Juliettes Interiors. ‘Make the most of daylight, but have your desk side onto a window so that the light does not shine directly onto your computer screen, and use tall lighting for specific areas, where you need to concentrate on detail.’

6. Make use of alcoves
‘When it comes to creating a home office, you ideally want to carve out a space that you can dedicate to it,’ advises Emma Deterding, Founder and Creative Director, Kelling Designs. ‘However, space is often at a premium in modern homes and apartments, so dedicating a whole room isn’t always possible. The last two years has seen the home become more multi-functional than ever, so being creative with your space is key.’

Use every inch of space at your disposal. Find space in an alcove in your living or dining room to act as a smart home office area. As well as fitting in a desk, you can easily add shelving above for all your working day necessities.

7. Go long and narrow
‘Opting for built-in storage will help to make the most of every ‘nook & cranny’,’ says Jamie Godfrey, Senior Design Consultant, Neville Johnson. ‘This maximises every inch of your small office space to meet your exact storage needs.’

If you have width but not depth, take your cabinetry across the room, keeping it long in length but slim to the wall.

8. Use panelling to define the space
To really delineate your home office in an open plan space, consider revamping that section of wall. Add interest while zoning by inserting a panelled area. Enhance the look even further by painting this section in a contrasting colour to the rest of the wall space.

For a chic finish, paint the desk shelf in this same colour. This also makes it multi-purpose, as once you remove your work essentials it could double up as a cool home bar or display area.

9. Put up a single shelf to use as a desk
This has to be one of the smartest ways to make a small space work for a home office. A simple wooden shelf placed under a window creates the perfect perch for work.

You can go as big or as small as you have room for, but try not to go too thick or it can seem out of proportion.

10. Use all available walls wisely
When space is limited it’s key to utilise every inch of space to the max. For a small home office desk or craft room ideas the solution the key is in making the walls worker harder.

A wall-mounted storage unit with fold-down compartments provides ample space for a desk and storage without taking up space. You can choose to fold each section flat against the wall when not in use.

11. Transform a dividing wall into a smart desk area
If you have an open-plan kitchen design try transforming a dividing wall into a computer station. Invest in a narrow tall desk with enough space to balance a laptop and plenty of shelves for storing office supplies.

Instead of buying Tropical Leaves Wallpaper , double up a breakfast bar stool from the kitchen. A pegboard hung above the desk will help free up desk space further.

12. Conceal your desk inside a cupboard
It’s important to keep a healthy home/work life balance, so having a home office you can shut away is key for properly switching off. This solution is also an ideal small home office idea to avoid the presence of a screen or computer from encroaching on a compact living space.

Transform an old cupboard into a home office that can be opened up whenever you need it. Include a shelf for storage and a board on runners for a keyboard.Attach pin boards to the inside of the cupboard doors as a place to keep track of to do lists, tickets and postcards.

13. Float a desk to take up minimal floorspace
If you’re limited on space, using a bedroom as a home office may be the only solution. Making a desk double up as a dressing table makes it a useable furniture piece with a bedroom purpose too.

A narrow, floating desk won’t protrude too much into the room. Pop a mirror on it to transform it into a dressing table. Keep your home office essentials minimal, so you have less to hide away.

14. Welcome wallpaper
Don’t be afraid of introducing pattern into a small space behind a desk, as an interesting wallpaper or mural will cleverly distract from a messy desk and can play with the perception of space.

If wallpaper isn’t your thing, you could use a pin board or wall-mounted clipboards to make an interesting backdrop to your study area.

15. Utilise the wall space beside the bed
Make the most of every inch of valuable wall space with a wall-mounted unit that doubles as a desk. Simply fasten the bottom half away, to hid all trace of a desk element.

With drawers and storage compartments it doubles up a standard bedside unit to place a lamp, book and some fresh flowers. Add a small stool for when you’re using it as a desk.

16. Make the most of attic eaves
.If your loft space is already boarded out it will be simple enough to convert the space into a small home office idea. a lick of paint and a roll of carpet goes a long way to transform an attic for storage into an attic where you wish to spend time.

Sloping roofs are the perfect example of a space that might otherwise be redundant. It’s often tricky to make use of the half height ceiling, due to the awkward measurements, but a desk will slot happily in.

Remember that Tropical Leaves Wallpaper ’s a good idea to position yourself near a window, so you don’t feel completely shut off from the world.

17. Keep office clutter behind closed doors
Don’t mix business with pleasure. Ensure your home office doesn’t encroach on your living space by keeping it well hidden. Give office essentials a dedicated storage cupboard, that you can shut the doors on after a long day.

Complete Tropical Leaves Wallpaper with a trolley you can wheel desk-side and lot of boxes, files and jars to keep it all under control.

18. Soften Tropical Leaves Wallpaper of a functional home office
Don’t compromise on interior style, make the small space work harder within your home. Soften the edges of a functional workspace by incorporating decorative home accessories and plenty of plants.

A cluster of houseplants, in varying heights, leaf shapes and pot textures can help to instantly add an informal feel to a home office.

19. Corner off space to fashion a workstation
No spare room? Then use a corner of your living room ideas for your home office. Traditionally, an office keeps you shut away from the rest of the house, but these days, social and work lives are more closely entwined.

Hang family photos to ensure the space still feels like part of the original room.

20. Look upwards
When space is limited you have to be smart with your home office storage ideas. Use every space available to you, particularly with vertical storage. From tall bookcases to wall mounted storage, the only way is up to create a clever small home office.

Keeping floors clear and clutter-free will help to create the illusion of more space.

21. Turn an outbuilding into a home office
Garden office ideas are the perfect way to keep work and living areas separate. Especially if indoor space is limited. Using Tropical Leaves Wallpaper for correspondence and filing and the other for more creative work helps create a sense of serenity.

Plus, there’s nothing more inspirational than a garden to look out over while working.

22. Work in a corner of the kitchen
Small homes don’t often have the luxury of a whole room dedicated for a home office, but fear not – just a corner will do the job!

Create a small work station by pulling up a comfortable chair and small table in the corner of the kitchen. When not in use the chair can be used elsewhere within the room and the table pushed against the wall to avoid it taking up valuable floorspace

23. Tropical Leaves Wallpaper existing furniture for a make-shift office
Who says you need traditional office furniture in your workspace? If you’re using the space infrequently you may not want to invest in new furniture, or pieces that feel too ‘office’ like. Even a bedside table can double up as a mini desk if space is tight elsewhere in the house. We love upcycled furniture ideas to revamp and repurpose old furniture pieces.

Two bedside tables side by side can provide more than enough room. Fit shelves above for display and keep a space clear for your laptop.

24. Use white as a backdrop
Keep walls white in your home office so you can display photographs and pictures to inspire you. Continue the theme with co-ordinating stand-alone furniture and accessories, such as the desk lamp and shelf unit, for a cohesive feel.

Decorating with soothing white shades not only evokes a calm feel, the blank canvas creates the illusion of greater space.

25. Make a dressing table double up as a desk
Use a dressing table in place of an office desk. The storage within the design allows for somewhere to stash work essentials, while the top provides just enough space for a laptop for working.

At the end of a long days work simply restore the space to a dressing table if need be.
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