Small Home Office Ideas

Creatively Carving Out A Home Office In A Small Living Space

Guest Post By: Alice Robertson

Fitting a home office into a small living space can be a challenge. How do you fit all of the functional elements of an office into a pint-sized space?

Below are some ideas for carving out a home office when you’re short on space.

1. Reclaim the Guest Room

If you have a spare bedroom, don't waste it just on accommodating infrequent out-of-town guests. Add a desk and chair. That way, you kill two birds with one stone. Your guests may even appreciate the added functionality!

Image via Design the Furniture .

Image via My Domaine.

Image via Amazon (Vanity Table Desk, $132.26, Amazon.com).

If the room's too small for a full-sized bed and a desk, consider a daybed, murphy bed, or pullout couch instead:

Image via Break PR.

2. Clear Out A Closet Space

If you can spare the storage space, why not put a desk in your bedroom closet?

Image via Steven & Chris.

Image via Apartment Therapy.

This vanity in neatntiny's makeshift walk-in-closet provides a work space and cosmetic storage.

Image via neatntiny.

3. A Kitchen Desk One of the best and most economical ways to create a workspace in a small home is to make smart, efficient use of your square footage. You can use a portion of your kitchen table or kitchen counter as a 'desk.' Or, if you're embarking on a reno, consider adding a small built-in desk space.

Image via Architectural Digest.

Image via Caro_KMartin.

4. A Hallway Desk Consider adding a narrow console table or wall-mounted, folding table in the hall, just wide enough to accommodate your laptop. You can easily and efficiently create a fully functional workspace in your hallway, by toting a chair over to the table, and returning it when you're done working.

Image via Architectural Digest.

Image via Ikea Hackers.

Shop This Idea

Wall-Mounted Folding Desk ($120, Amazon.com).

Console Table Desk ($79, Amazon.com).

5. A Desk Under the Stairs

An often overlooked area is the space under the stairs. If you have an empty space here, it's the perfect place to stick a desk. And, if you have the budget, a built-in desk and shelves can really maximize this space.

Image via Visual Heart.

Image via Adore Magazine.

Image via IKEA Nederland.

Shop Small Space Desks

Small Desk with Storage ($164.49, Amazon.com).

Vanity Table Desk ($132.26, Amazon.com).

Wall Mounted Desk & Shelves ($109.99).

Creating an office in a small home is a creative challenge. Try using the space you already have in unconventional ways. A perfectly acceptable workspace can be carved out just about anywhere!

Alice Robertson recently created tidyhome.info as a place to share the great cleaning and organizing advice she has developped over the years.

You can now shop our home via my *new* Amazon Storefront: