An office in your small home

When your home also doubles up as your office, it’s not easy to create a work / life balance. In this case you need to design a solution that does double duty -  as a functional office and a cosy living space.

 

Where you need to combine living space and home office you need to not only create a versatile workspace, but also one that can easily be disguised when not in use. This small sitting room brings together life and work. On one side, there’s a spacious work area and wall of storage. Even the forgotten space around the windows was used for practical for shelving to add even more storage. The other side of the room has a comfortable sitting area that can also be used for meetings and brainstorms.

Begin by measuring out the space you’ll need for a desk or essential furniture for your work space. Then start at the innermost wall and plan out your storage. Painting shelves the same colour as the wall also adds a spacious, serene feeling.

ABOVE: Whether you keep your work space office super tidy or you think best through organised chaos, one way to create a work / life balance is to visually cover up your work space when not in use. In this case, a curtain on rails was mounted to close around the desk area. That allows the work space to be hidden out of sight to leave work behind.

In order to maximise the space, two side-by-side desks provide a large work surface to spread out. If you can't afford to splurge on desks, make a basic frame using PAR pine and 44 x 44mm legs and top this off with a Formica or wood countertop. For supplies for mounting a curtain track, pop into Finishing Touches at your local Builders Warehouse and they can assist with everything you need. Be sure to use strong fixings and secure brackets to ceiling beams.

Make full use of walls. Mount shelves up high for things not needed on a daily basis and lower shelves for everyday items. Cabinets with doors can be kept closed to hide clutter and keep dust away. Even the space below the desk is perfect for a printer cabinet or drawer pedestals on wheels.

Making sure you have plenty of storage will keep your work space uncluttered and organised. To keep track of mail, invoices and inspiration, a row of magazine files were mounted directly on to the wall. A piece of reclaimed wood adds decoration and also has a rail and knobs for always-needed necessities.

ABOVE: Create extra under-the-desk storage with fabric and curtain rods to have a hiding spot for papers you don’t need at the moment and to keep clutter contained.

ABOVE: The other side of the sitting room / work space has an arrangement of cosy chairs for a comfortable sitting area that can also be used for meetings and brainstorms.

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