8 Ways to Hide Your Home Office
The work stops here. Separate office and home life with curtains, built-ins, doors and other out-of-sight strategies
ALLISON LIND
January 3, 2014
Working from home has its perks. There’s the excellent commute, and an affordable lunch is just a room or two away. But when your work life impedes upon your home life, well, that’s a drag. The solution? Conceal your office! Out of sight, out of mind, right?
You don’t need a spacious abode with a faraway office wing to keep your workspace at bay. Even most small homes have a nook or cranny that can be turned into a comfy work zone. Here are eight ideas to inspire your own private productivity.
You don’t need a spacious abode with a faraway office wing to keep your workspace at bay. Even most small homes have a nook or cranny that can be turned into a comfy work zone. Here are eight ideas to inspire your own private productivity.
Pull open the curtains and let a cheery wallpaper entice you to get to work. When you’ve punched out for the day, close up the curtains to conceal the workspace. The subtle pattern on the curtains helps blend the hidden office into the rest of the room, while the bright stripes are a fun, unexpected surprise.
The space under a staircase often goes to waste. Turn that empty void (or dark storage cave) into a useful workspace by building out the area with a desk and some customized storage.
Behind this set of wooden bifold doors is a beautiful, inviting workspace. The doors make the space look like the other closets in the house, so it blends right in. Matching stained wood panels on the back wall warm up the work zone.
A spare closet is the perfect place to tuck away a work area. But it doesn’t have to feel like a closet. Add a built-in desk and shelving for storage, and keep the color palette light and airy. Add a playful patterned chair for a dose of personality.
If you’re lucky enough to have extra-tall ceilings, consider looking up for your new office space. You’ll need just enough height to stand comfortably. (Be sure to consult local building codes.)
This particular space works beautifully with the floor-to-ceiling windows; there’s plenty of natural light to encourage a productive day at the office.
This particular space works beautifully with the floor-to-ceiling windows; there’s plenty of natural light to encourage a productive day at the office.
Built-in furniture is a great way to make your home exactly as you want it. And this is the case with your home office, too. If you work from home only occasionally, consider a multipurpose space. In this case simply pull up a stool to a counter-height shelf tucked inside a spare pantry.
Need space for work and for guests? This sleek built-in easily conceals the office space behind sliding doors and appears as clean, modern architecture when not in use. The space stays free from work-related clutter, and it can work beautifully as a guest room when the sliders are closed — just add a pullout sofa or a bed.
Here’s the ultimate home office built-in. A section of cabinetry can be pulled out to expose a hidden bench beneath the desk. The beautiful stained wood paneling is wrapped around the wall to add interest and to ensure that hidden areas are perfectly camouflaged.
More: 20 of the Coziest Home Offices on Houzz
More: 20 of the Coziest Home Offices on Houzz
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