Throughout my career, I’ve always spent some time working from home but it wasn’t until recently that I thought about claiming a dedicated work space. Even before the Coronavirus Pandemic, I was becoming increasing frustrated with not having my own space but at the same time, I didn’t want to completely repurpose another room in the house when my husband – who works from home more than me – already had a dedicated space.
So, I continued to use an old desk in the guest room as my work space… Until I realized, why not switch it around! Instead of having a room with a dedicated guest space and ad-hoc work space, I created a functional work space that could accommodate a guest. Here’s how I did it.
Spare Bed / Extra Seating
Originally, the spare bed was in the centre of the room as is typically in a bedroom. But since I would more often use it as seating, I pushed it into the corner of the room, creating a day-bed feature. I opted to cover it with a neutral coverlet so that I could add some comfy pillows that also act as a backrest. This gives me the option to switch out the pillows seasonally or as I find new ones I love.
This Amazon Basics neutral grey coverlet is light and doesn’t add too much bulk to the seating area. Since it comes with pillow covers as well, you can use them as part of your pillow back-drop. For your pillows, have fun! Play around with the colours and styles you love most to create some whimsy in your space. Bouclair Home has a great selection of pillows but really you can find them easily at any home store… Consider it a treasure hunt!
Coffee Table / Extra Work Space
Having always worked in cramped quarters, I really wanted some extra work space where I could sit to do work away from my desk. This area also gives me extra space to have meetings or the kids can sit there to do their homework.
Wayfair had the perfect solution with this lift top coffee table. It has extra storage both under the table top and at the bottom so I have plenty of room to stash my stuff.
Desk Area
Of course, the most important part of any home office is the desk area. I wanted something that had storage and was functional but was also comfortable and pretty. This was harder to find than you’d think! Fortunately, I found everything I needed at great prices from IKEA.
I absolutely did not want a metal desk so this HEMNES desk in white stain fit the bill perfectly. The wood finish gives it a beauty-vibe and there’s more than enough room to store with stationary, files and extras.
For added storage, I mounted some LACK wall shelves overtop of the desk and included a high, narrow cabinet similar to this LILLANGEN variety close to the side.
The Small details
The best part about decorating this space was that it was all mine, which meant I got to make all the decisions. Yay! I picked art and lighting that reflected me, my interests, and generally just made me happy.
These two prints from Wayfair – Picks from the Market and Romantic Jeans – added some playfulness to the room. Whimsical table lamps like the one picture here are actually hard to come by, or rather, they tend to sell out quickly like this one did. But there are so many adorable options out there like this owl lamp from Walmart or this totally cute dog lamp from Wayfair.
Don’t forget… The Desk Chair!
I may have saved the best for last but it certainly shouldn’t be the last thing you think about. In your office, you’ll be spending a considerable amount of time sitting at your desk so make sure your tushy is comfortable!
For me, this Albaugh Plush Chair from Wayfair was love at first sight. Fortunately, my darling husband snatched one up for me as a birthday gift before it sold out. Equally as fortunate, it will be back in stock soon! When shopping on a site like Wayfair, be sure to read the reviews so you can be sure it’s a quality product.
Converting any room to have some dedicated work space is not only doable, it’s absolutely necessary for your own sanity and productivity. As we are working from home more, it’s important to feel creative and inspired in your space. With a little ingenuity, you too can take a critical eye to your current space and find a solution that would work for you.
It’s off to work we go!
