No space for a home office? No problem. Browse our ideas for fitting your home office into a tight space.
1.Part Dining Room, Part Office
If the dining area of your living space is also a home office, choose
tall furniture for storage that complements the desk/dining table and
hide away untidy stationery in boxes that can blend into the background.
2.Use One Wall
In a living room, dedicate one long flat wall to a desk and wall
storage. Choose storage with doors to keep clutter hidden and the space
neat.
3.Cram A Corner
Your desk needn't take up too much space, but the storage can be tricky,
so look to use vertical space, such as a corner beside a tall window.
4.Use A Landing
If you have a large landing, why not use it for something useful? A
small desk, chair and good lighting will be enough to get you started -
although storage may need to be put elsewhere to keep the space tidy.
5.Under The Stairs
An underused understairs cupboard could be removed to create a much more
practical space. Choose a furniture finish that matches the woodwork in
your hallway to make the most of its looks and invest in good lighting.
6.Mix Display With Storage
If you are using a dining area as a home office, choose storage that
combines glazed units for the display of attractive accessories, such as
vases, with solid door units to hide away clutter.
7.Divide An Open Plan Space
If an open plan living room/home
office just won't work for you, consider dividing the space so that the
smaller side becomes a devoted work area. Choose sliding doors to open
up the space when you need to - and pick glass to reflect light and
create the illusion of the room being more open than it is.
8.Buy A Corner Unit
Use space efficiently by buying furniture that fits the room available.
Fitted furniture will use space better, but won't suit a living room.
Instead, choose matching, free-standing furniture that complements an
element of your existing decor, such as the tones of the flooring.
9.Use Bedroom Space
If you can get the decor right, there's no reason why you can't use the
tiniest of areas in a bedroom. A slim desk, painted to blend into the
wall and a no compromise approach to the accessories (in other words,
bag them because they work AND look nice in the room, not because
they're home office buys) will be the keys to its success.
10.Hide It In The Kitchen
If the only space you have is within your kitchen, choose really clever
furniture that will free up space elsewhere. This unit houses a mini,
fold out desk, and has masses of other storage space for anything from
files to cornflakes
11.Disguise It
Display space or home office? If you only use your home office
irregularly - perhaps for paying bills - it's worth creating a desk
that's a handsome display area for your favourite bits and pieces, then
occasionally litter it with your paperwork, which can be cleared away
afterwards.
12.Buy An All In One
If you want a contemporary style
home office that won't take up a whole room, buy a unit that can house
all your paperwork, clutter and computer needs behind closed doors.
13.Put It In The Shed
If you can insulate it well enough and have electricity run down to it,
there's no reason why you can't use the shed as an occasional home
office. At least it'll be quiet.
14.Put It Behind The Couch
If you have the space to move your couch forward and slip a slim desk
and chair behind it, do so. Ideally, place the desk so that it's not the
first thing you see when you come into the room.
15.Be Imaginative With Storage
Think you can't fit out a loft space with a small office? You can if
you're prepared to work hard at coming up with a design that's practical
and uses otherwise useless space.
