Reader Q and A – Where to Put a Home Office Space
I recently received a home office design question from Nicky in Sweden…
Nicky”
Living room before photo
Living room before photo 2
Living room before photo 3
The circled space above measures 1.2 x 2 meters, (79″ x 47″). If the vertical wall space is taken advantage of, a bit of work space could be created here. For example…
A great example of taking full advantage of the vertical wall space while keeping the work area neat. Source
Go as wide as possible with a custom desk and shelving. Looks much better than small, cluttered furniture pieces without breaking the bank. Source
2 m or 79″ is a decent width for a desk top. Setting a desktop on top of a file cabinet and another drawer storage unit will help keep the area clean and neat looking. Additionally, adding the pictures above the top shelving helps make it an attractive addition to the home decor.
An easy and low cost alternative for fully utilizing the vertical wall space. Source
I have included other great examples in this blog post: Making the Most of a Small Home Office Space.
Option 2: This option will provide a larger work area, with options for concealing the area…
Option B takes advantage of a living room wall
The above circled area shows the work area that could be concealed. The down fall is that it takes away from the living room space, however there still is room for a decent sized sitting area. Here are some photo examples for inspiration…
A smaller version of a good furniture configuration. Source
The above photo provides a great example for what could be done. Since the wall is wider in Nicky’s place, she has enough space to add another file cabinet, and even two work areas. Utilizing the side wall for a bulletin board looks great as well, and helps keep paper clutter off the desk.
Den in a closet. Source: Dan Brungardt.
The work space above looks great and doesn’t need concealing. The keys are adding decorating elements, coordinating storage pieces, and having plenty of concealed storage to hide away the clutter. In this digital age, we are needing less and less paperwork fortunately! In fact I’ve been making the transition from notebooks filled with paper, to digital files in my own office.
Here are some options for concealing the office space…
A modern treatment which I’m sure is common in Sweden
These grommet hole drapery panels have a clean modern look, a short stack back, and can be customized in a fun style!
Here’s a more traditional look to a similar space. Source: Lowes Creative Ideas.
Folding doors is another option, but they could be tricky in such a wide space. Source
If you have a decorating dilemma that you’d like me to answer on this blog, please feel free to leave your question in the comment section and/or shoot me an email with photos at: info@DecoratingDenPortland.com . Otherwise, subscribe to this blog/and or “like” us on Facebook for more design tips and inspiration.
For more tips on using a design plan and choosing your decorating style, check out my blog post here.
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