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Design Dilemma: How to Make a Bedroom Workspace Fit
Whether your bedroom is small or sleep intrusion is a concern, here's how to mix a good day's work with a good night's sleep
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating media and immediately discovered a new passion. An Atlanta native, I spent several years as an editor for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine before making the leap to national publications and websites such as Houzz, Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Accents. I live in Birmingham, Alabama, with my husband and son, who’ve gotten used to coming home and finding the furniture rearranged. When I'm not dragging case goods across the floor, I enjoy good food and wine, college football, music of all kinds, and traveling.
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating... More »
A good friend who owns a custom sewing and baking business mentioned recently that she's trying to figure out how to set up a home office area in her bedroom; she has just a single wall and a slice of closet to work with. Although feng shui followers may disagree, I think few other rooms in the home lend themselves to hosting a workspace as well as bedrooms.
Unlike in a kitchen, a living area or a den, private papers and materials stay private in a bedroom, and distractions tend to be fewer. The trick, of course, is to create an office that doesn't disrupt a bedroom's restful feel or take up more than its share of space. These homeowners and design pros have managed to come up with a happy middle ground. Take a look at how they made it work.
Unlike in a kitchen, a living area or a den, private papers and materials stay private in a bedroom, and distractions tend to be fewer. The trick, of course, is to create an office that doesn't disrupt a bedroom's restful feel or take up more than its share of space. These homeowners and design pros have managed to come up with a happy middle ground. Take a look at how they made it work.
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| A desk takes the place of a nightstand in this bedroom, yet it blends in so smoothly that it doesn't immediately read as a work area. Keeping the finish and style consistent with the bed helps to integrate the two visually, and the large piece of artwork mounted above takes some of the focus off the computer. Tip: If you use a computer in a bedroom workspace, consider a laptop model so you can tuck it away at bedtime — that way, you'll be less tempted to check email in the wee hours. |
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This setup takes a similar tack. Trimming out the bulletin board with molding helps it to feel like a thoughtful part of the design rather than an incidental.
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| Bedrooms are often designed so that windows flank the most natural spot to orient the bed, which can make furniture placement tricky. If yours is the same way, choose a low desk that won't obscure the sunlight and the views. |
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The key to this bedroom office: the glam mirrored desk, which blends into the space because of its reflectivity. Although it's perfectly functional, stylish accents mask its workhorse side.
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| A bay window makes a natural bump-out for slipping in a desk. If it's in the budget, consider a similar remodel to gain a few extra feet of floor space. |
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If wall space is limited, go vertical. Custom or prefab shelves, which you can paint the same color as the walls, maximize every inch.
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| If you don't have a full wall to use, how about a corner? This desk warms up what would have been a dead zone without it. |
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To create a gentle division between working and sleeping areas, consider a curtain that can be pulled between the two. This sheer version allows light from the window to filter through to the bed.
Desk in the Bedroom: Yea or Nay?
Desk in the Bedroom: Yea or Nay?
Ideabook updated on Aug. 23, 2012.
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I also have a beautiful and clean little desk in my sleeping area, but I'm glad we have a seperate office, too.
I wonder when chair designers will get savvy to office chairs on wheels being so nasty looking - I mean look at the chair in the pic by Matarozzi Pelsinger Builders - it takes away from the beauty of the room! Or is it just me?
But office chairs don't have to look like that. I was searching for a real chic one recently and therefore know that some are available (e.g. 'Mantis' by Paolo Zani or 'Arper Catifa 53'). Maybe a full-fledged office chair with more functions than you'll ever need is more comfortable, but I'd always trade a bit of comfort for aesthetics.
While these were pretty vignettes, they looked more conducive to writing postcards, than being an actual "workspace"...
Thanks so much for the great tips. It gave me some great ideas that I really needed to pull off the office space in my bedroom. Thankfully for me, the computer and printer that I use are in my husband's office/guest room space. We recently downsized and I don't have another area for my sewing, crafting, stamping, etc...but was able to fit an old sewing table under a window in the bedroom. I can hide the sewing machine inside the sewing table and thanks to your tips, plan to refinish the table so that it blends in better with the remaining bedroom furniture, add a great lamp and coordinating shelves next to the table for my must haves...and I know it will be a huge improvement. Thanks again!
Thanks for the feature :)
~koolbeanzzzz