So spruce up your space with pretty, sentimental items that are meaningful to you, such as framed photos or a nice vase with fresh Gerbera daisies. However, in most cases, you’ll need to add an outlet or two into your closet office. The National Electric Code requires closet outlets to have arc fault circuit interrupters to help prevent fires. Pegboards are another fun and creative way to create more space. You can add these boards on walls and doors to create flexible storage space for whatever you need. Running shelves up the back of the closet is an easy and obvious solution.
- If you really need the separation, add curtains or a sliding barn door to separate and define your office space.
- Add desk plants to keep spirits high while working remotely.
- The ability to leave it open to a room or close it off can be great for home office productivity.
- I also criss crossed jute to create a place where I could add a calendar and notes.
- “No matter what set-up you choose, it’s important to have multiple layers of lighting,” Williams adds.
For a 2-second home project, place pillows and a furry rug (like this one from Ikea) on the closet floor. Pull back the curtain and invite kids to read in a space that's the perfect size for them. Cut a foam mattress pad to fit the size of the closet floor. Toss in some pillows, line shelves with books, and create soft lighting.
Stylish Desk Chairs That Also Happen to Be Comfortable
Sometimes finding the right home office requires a little bit of flexibility and creativity. Closets aren’t known for being bright, naturally lit, or sun-drenched. With the power outlets in place, you’ll need to go about lighting it. Get the converting closet to office approximate measurements of your must-have tools and supplies and double check to make sure they’ll fit in the space. Cut out paper templates or mark their outer edges in pencil so you have a solid idea of how everything will and won’t fit.
- A rolling cart can hold office supplies and store files, based on your needs.
- This project was originally published in the January 2001 issue of Popular Mechanics.
- You may be thinking you need a full-on, walk-in closet to do a closet-into-office reno.
- I salvaged these two cabinet units off the side of the road years ago.
- All you need is a little bit of time, some DIY skills, and the right tools.
- We may be talking closet office ideas, but think home office paint colors that make one of these designs sympathetic to other interiors.
- “Requests during the pandemic became really creative,” she tells AD.
A free standing desk is an option or you can also build a desktop to fit the space. Whether you go neutral or match the rest of the walls, this is your opportunity to turn a smaller space into a practical but beautiful home office. If your doors don’t fold, take advantage of vertical real estate by screwing thin sheets of cork to their back sides for posting notes and bills. Install a wine refrigerator in your closet or just stack a few wine racks (like these from Walmart; $65 each) to store your precious vino. Get some inspiration for your office with these inspiring office built in ideas. If there’s not, then hopefully there’s an outlet nearby you can plug your equipment into.
Step 9: Install Shelves
Instead of installing a ceiling light, opt for a task lamp with an adjustable arm. Build a simple bench, add a cushion, and arrange your child's favorite books to create the perfect reading nook. I salvaged these two cabinet https://remotemode.net/ units off the side of the road years ago. But cabinet bases are the perfect heavy duty choice for a desk in your office. For this project you’ll need a 1/2″ sheet of plywood (8’x4′), and several pieces of 1″x2″ select pine.
Maybe you even had a guest room you used – that is, until guests came over and you had to haul everything back out or try to fit it into some corner somewhere. Hassle, constant interruptions, extra packing, and unpacking of needed supplies. Probably because you’ve spent way too much time being constantly interrupted while trying to work at the dining room table, in the living room, or at the kitchen table. This $3 table was chalk painted black for a place to put my laptop, which hooks up to a large monitor for photo editing. The shelves go almost all the way to the ceiling so that I can store empty photo albums and picture boxes at the very top.
Clear out everything from inside the closet.
You can also make a statement with a fashionable stool or accent chair, depending on the size of your closet space. You always want to choose a desk for your closet office based on the tasks you need to do. I’m happy with my workspace in my new cottage home but I also loved this cloffice in my previous home.
This is a cheap and easy way to build sturdy wall shelves and save on material. But that doesn’t t mean that it’s the only component of an office. Beyond the desk, you get to be a little creative and make your converted closet office into your own.