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Design Dilemma home office

Help designing attic office set up - skylights

last year

Hi, we have a 13'x18' room in our second story attic that I'm anticipating will become my home office in a year or two. It has served admirably as a trapeze/gymnastics room and my husband's home office during the pandemic. Access is via a fairly narrow metal spiral staircase so we are somewhat limited in the size/type of furniture that can be brought up. Wondering how I might orient a desk, etc. Pictured is my husband's tiny desk; my current set up (in the attic's second, smaller room) is a large right-hand Ikea desk with two monitors, just for scale. I don't have to continue using it but it has worked very nicely for the last 10 years. Curious what you would do with this space!

All the clutter on the right will go away; the shelves on the left will stay.

Small desk for scale.

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PRO

lisedv

last year

Here are a few ideas for you to consider than can be carried up to attic (Ikea comes in boxes and assembled on site).. I particularly like #1 because the computer screen is under the window so not subject to glare and the layout is inviting The bookcase on the back wall can be done in a way to leave access to your crawl space in the corner. Each set-up gives you storage space such as a bookcase, filing (with is alway useful either for office of home) as well as counter space for a printer.

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Comments (19)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
So a bit more info would be helpfulI. Is this a home office or a working office ? I would think any ikea pieces will be able to be installed as along as the are RTA. Some idea of what you need and also how high is the wall at the desk area. Do you need more desk space or more storage. My hubby has 3 computers, plus a laptop and he is legally blind so also a reader that takes up a lot of space and all of it is needed he still does IT work . We share an office he has the Ikea desk combo that goes around the corner . I have a large desk which was a big dining table most of my work is done at a drafting table aslo in the space . It really depends on what you need .
Paul F.
last year
last modified: last year
I would mirror the short walls of skylight wells to get more line of sight outside and more light. Theoretically you could see sky from anywhere in the room if you mirror all 4 sides including the top unseen side of the skylight well.

Just mirroring the sides would give you this view. An interesting illusion of space... and less claustrophobic. Suddenly a desk between the two skylights would be more appealing.
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Hannah Koenker
Original Author
last year
It’s my permanent full time work from home office. Let’s say I keep my current setup, it’s just the desk, computer, monitors, I don’t need other peripherals. But should desk face the door? The windows? Incorporate a comfy chair?
Barbara Almandarz
last year
I'd try to get a desk under the windows all along that wall. You can assemble it in the room. i'd face the wall in order to have daylight on the desk surface.
ptreckel
last year
Do you need a “background” behind you for remote meetings? Then, having light on your face is important. What about having two desks….one behind you and one in front of you? I don’t know if that is what would be useful. Or something that would wrap around a corner so that you get the best of both worlds? Can you see out the skylights if you are sitting down? If not, then it is more for having light on your face, no? Is glare an issue from the skylights? Which direction do they face?
RedRyder
last year
Skylights will bring direct sun into certain areas at different parts of the day. If your desk area is in the path of the light, your computer screen will be overlit.

Do you do Zoom calls? Where the sun lands during your meeting might matter.

The only place that looks like the computer screen won’t get too lit up by the sun is the back wall. Or, you can get shades that work remotely on those skylights.
Hannah Koenker
Original Author
last year
Yes, I do a lot of Zoom/Teams calls, primarily in the morning; skylights face East. When seated I can only see treetops and sky through them. The skylights do have manual shades so I can definitely manage the glare, but you both are right that desk set up may be largely driven by the glare pattern throughout the day rather than other considerations. I suspect my husband put his little desk between the windows due to the glare. There's also the crawlspace access in the far right corner in my pictures...suppose I shouldn't block that with my desk either. Hm!

I'm not inclined to a two-desk solution (I'm not that good with switching, partly why a standing/sitting desk never worked for me) but the desk I currently have fits nicely in a corner. In my current setup I'm facing into a corner of the attic but there's a wide window on the wall under the peak, which I can glance out of, catching a bit of our street and a nice hemlock. I like it and don't really want to move but my daughter will want her own room soon, and the skylight room won't work for her because it has no emergency egress window.
RedRyder
last year
I use a 4 panel screen every time I do a Zoom meeting. You may need to invest in one of those so you have some flexibility with where the desk goes.

Search Amazon to see a variety of styles. There are some that are full wood paneled and you won't have sun going through it. Mine is more like a shoji screen but it blocks any direct sun pretty well. Having this idea in your planning will allow you to put the desk in a more convenient place despite the skylights.
Hannah Koenker
Original Author
last year
@lisedv, thanks, these are gorgeous! I have definitely been mulling over more built in shelving on the triangular wall. I also have a long desk in my kids room that I could mock up (or steal) in the attic. I don't use a lot of printing or paper/books in my work but we are a reading family and more bookshelves are always useful. :) Right now I have a timelapse video going of the space to capture the sun movement...will see if I can figure out how to post it here once it finishes.
Hannah Koenker
Original Author
last year
Here's the timelapse video (35 seconds, from 8:30am to 5:30 pm): timelapse
PRO
lisedv
last year
With the desk under the skylight, the glare doesn't seem to reach the computer screen.
PRO
LilDesignWorks
last year
last modified: last year
What a great space! It is large enough for a multifunctional room aka office/guest room if needed. I understand you cant get a sofa bed in there but you can for sure get 2 twin mattresses purchased rolled up and set them up one on top of the other as a day bed/guest twin bed/guest king mattress side by side if ever needed for your rest or a girls sleepover:) I would get a bunch of colorful throw pillows and throws to put on top for a comfy feel. Do a long desk under the skylights with the laptop sitting inbetween skylights like your hubbys desk. Add a floating shelf, art(kids framed art for a proud mama is nice:) and a plant on the back wall and done!

From this:

To this:

Magic🍭 your daughter will love to visit
Hannah Koenker thanked LilDesignWorks
PRO
LilDesignWorks
last year
last modified: last year
Here are some inspos for the daybed

I dont know enough about your style but lmk if you need more help. These pics cover a wide range, you can have fun curating your own microcosmos...A nice mirror and a playful footrest can complete the space:) the back wall becomes the focal point. You'll end up with a fun room with a desk instead of an wfh office haha. Enjoy!
Hannah Koenker thanked LilDesignWorks
Paul F.
last year
Wallpaper.
kazzh
last year
I think your time lapse demonstrated the best spot for monitors!
Hannah Koenker
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
@LilDesignWorks thank you so much! My girls absolutely love the ideas and had fun this morning picking our their favorites (#4, #7, and #9 in your list of daybeds) and imagining their sleepovers. :) I think I'm most partial to the #9 and #10 ("branch on the wall" and "Cottage Grove poster"), the rest of our house leans heavily MCM.

@Paul F. I love the wallpaper you found as well, although I spend a lot of time on planes and think I might want a little more 'groundedness' when I'm at home (!). Maybe this long weekend I will have the kids help me move some mattresses and their desk up to the attic to play around with the space and see how things look! Thank you!
PRO
LilDesignWorks
last year
So happy for you! After all, this is what design is all about:) improving and beautifying our lives, getting us excited. Have fun and feel free to mssg anytime for questions. Helping is my kind of fun:) haha
RedRyder
last year
I fly a lot as well and would prefer a mural with grass, trees and birds. I do think some kind of full wall mural would be fantastic up there. Etsy.com has many for you to browse with the kids.

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