6 New Home Offices With Built-In Storage
See how designers added stylish built-ins to create organized, functional and beautiful workspaces
Smart storage solutions are key to creating a home office that functions well. They can also help add welcoming style. In these six inspiring projects, designers carved out efficient workspaces — some in unexpected spots like a breezeway pantry and a light-filled third-floor suite — and packed them with thoughtfully designed built-ins. See how the storage helps conceal equipment and clutter while creating inviting spots to work in.
2. Sunny Corner Workspace
Designer: Faith Baboolal of Faith Victoria Architect
Location: East Hampton, New York
Homeowners’ request. This home office is tucked into a corner of a 200-square-foot living room addition. “They wanted the space to read as an all-white paneled sunroom,” designer Faith Baboolal says. “The addition added so much light into the space. Along the entire front wall is a desk that connects to a coffee and tea bar. We had to install a flush steel beam in the ceiling, probably one of the trickiest parts of the job. But it was worth it in the end for the open flow and additional space.”
Built-in storage. “The desk itself is only 7 feet, 6 inches long,” Baboolal says. “It’s meant to be a clean, stylish place for when the wife works from home. She has many video calls and wanted to have a designated space for small work tasks that was not the dining room table. One side of the desk has built-in filing cabinets. The other side has storage. Outlets within the cabinets hide a lot of wiring for all the support equipment. The quartz desktop with the almond-colored cabinetry makes for a beautiful warm-toned desk area.”
Designer tip. “Incorporate lots of natural light,” Baboolal says. “So great for the mind to see and feel nature while having to sit at a desk and work.”
Baboolal uses Houzz Pro business software.
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
Designer: Faith Baboolal of Faith Victoria Architect
Location: East Hampton, New York
Homeowners’ request. This home office is tucked into a corner of a 200-square-foot living room addition. “They wanted the space to read as an all-white paneled sunroom,” designer Faith Baboolal says. “The addition added so much light into the space. Along the entire front wall is a desk that connects to a coffee and tea bar. We had to install a flush steel beam in the ceiling, probably one of the trickiest parts of the job. But it was worth it in the end for the open flow and additional space.”
Built-in storage. “The desk itself is only 7 feet, 6 inches long,” Baboolal says. “It’s meant to be a clean, stylish place for when the wife works from home. She has many video calls and wanted to have a designated space for small work tasks that was not the dining room table. One side of the desk has built-in filing cabinets. The other side has storage. Outlets within the cabinets hide a lot of wiring for all the support equipment. The quartz desktop with the almond-colored cabinetry makes for a beautiful warm-toned desk area.”
Designer tip. “Incorporate lots of natural light,” Baboolal says. “So great for the mind to see and feel nature while having to sit at a desk and work.”
Baboolal uses Houzz Pro business software.
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
3. Midcentury Mood
Design-build pro: Jonathan Eklund of Ecostruct
Architect: Terri Appel of Appel Architecture
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Size: 220 square feet (20 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The clients work from home often and this office was designed specifically for this purpose,” architect Terri Appel says.
Jonathan Eklund, the design-build pro on the project, uses Houzz Pro software.
Built-in storage. “They wanted lots of built-in storage to hide printers and office supplies, but also a nice backdrop for Zoom meetings. The custom millwork was designed to solve both of those issues.” The cabinets are walnut veneer with open storage painted in Hopper Head by Farrow & Ball.
Other special features. A Gunni Omann midcentury desk is the centerpiece. The walls are painted in Selvedge by Farrow & Ball and have walnut wainscoting. “Everyone loved the original fireplace that was there so we had that fully restored with a new hearth,” Appel says. “It’s a beautiful marble mantel that is quite unique, especially for being on the topmost floor of the house.”
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid of dark paint,” Appel says. “If used correctly, it can actually open up the room and make it feel very special. The ceiling height in the office is actually quite low, but the darker color and wood detailing make it feel very comfortable.”
Project photography: Sean Litchfield
The Top 10 New Home Offices Right Now
Design-build pro: Jonathan Eklund of Ecostruct
Architect: Terri Appel of Appel Architecture
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Size: 220 square feet (20 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The clients work from home often and this office was designed specifically for this purpose,” architect Terri Appel says.
Jonathan Eklund, the design-build pro on the project, uses Houzz Pro software.
Built-in storage. “They wanted lots of built-in storage to hide printers and office supplies, but also a nice backdrop for Zoom meetings. The custom millwork was designed to solve both of those issues.” The cabinets are walnut veneer with open storage painted in Hopper Head by Farrow & Ball.
Other special features. A Gunni Omann midcentury desk is the centerpiece. The walls are painted in Selvedge by Farrow & Ball and have walnut wainscoting. “Everyone loved the original fireplace that was there so we had that fully restored with a new hearth,” Appel says. “It’s a beautiful marble mantel that is quite unique, especially for being on the topmost floor of the house.”
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid of dark paint,” Appel says. “If used correctly, it can actually open up the room and make it feel very special. The ceiling height in the office is actually quite low, but the darker color and wood detailing make it feel very comfortable.”
Project photography: Sean Litchfield
The Top 10 New Home Offices Right Now
4. Pantry-Office Nook
Designer: Jennifer Richards of Tapper Richards Interiors
Contractor: Harding Builders
Size: 99 square feet (9.2 square meters); 9 by 11 feet
Homeowners’ request. “Our clients had one long room between the garage and the main house’s living room and kitchen — a full-depth breezeway of sorts,” designer Jennifer Richards says. “They wanted to get a mudroom, pantry and home office to fit into the area. A pantry-home office combination isn’t too common when it comes to workspaces. For a summer cottage, this space isn’t the primary workspace for the homeowner but rather a spot for a once-in-a-while work-from-home situation, so this corner of the pantry was the perfect spot. With two pocket doors closing the space from both the entryway mudroom nearby and the kitchen, it can serve as a semi-secluded spot with a dual purpose.”
Built-in storage. “The built-in storage is semi-custom with standard base cabinet drawers paired with custom shelving above, a butcher-block-style countertop and some styling touches to help the space feel livable but functional,” Richards says. “Again, it isn’t too common that someone might sit for a while in their pantry, so we had to make it feel like a room, not just a storage space.”
Richards color-washed the walls and built-ins in a unifying saturated navy blue. “We’re in New England, so this is a classic color,” she says.
Other special features. Bird pattern wallpaper on the ceiling. Window seat with custom cushion and pillows. Patterned Roman shade. “The comfortable, less-commercial desk chair says, ‘This is still a home, not just a spot for work,’” Richards says.
Designer tip. “Always design your space for your own purposes,” Richards says. “This is a chance to be a little selfish in a sense.”
How to Set Up Your Home Office on Nearly Any Budget
Designer: Jennifer Richards of Tapper Richards Interiors
Contractor: Harding Builders
Size: 99 square feet (9.2 square meters); 9 by 11 feet
Homeowners’ request. “Our clients had one long room between the garage and the main house’s living room and kitchen — a full-depth breezeway of sorts,” designer Jennifer Richards says. “They wanted to get a mudroom, pantry and home office to fit into the area. A pantry-home office combination isn’t too common when it comes to workspaces. For a summer cottage, this space isn’t the primary workspace for the homeowner but rather a spot for a once-in-a-while work-from-home situation, so this corner of the pantry was the perfect spot. With two pocket doors closing the space from both the entryway mudroom nearby and the kitchen, it can serve as a semi-secluded spot with a dual purpose.”
Built-in storage. “The built-in storage is semi-custom with standard base cabinet drawers paired with custom shelving above, a butcher-block-style countertop and some styling touches to help the space feel livable but functional,” Richards says. “Again, it isn’t too common that someone might sit for a while in their pantry, so we had to make it feel like a room, not just a storage space.”
Richards color-washed the walls and built-ins in a unifying saturated navy blue. “We’re in New England, so this is a classic color,” she says.
Other special features. Bird pattern wallpaper on the ceiling. Window seat with custom cushion and pillows. Patterned Roman shade. “The comfortable, less-commercial desk chair says, ‘This is still a home, not just a spot for work,’” Richards says.
Designer tip. “Always design your space for your own purposes,” Richards says. “This is a chance to be a little selfish in a sense.”
How to Set Up Your Home Office on Nearly Any Budget
5. Serene Oak Study
Designer: Wanda Ely Architect
Location: Toronto
Size: 125 square feet (12 square meters)
Homeowner’s request. “Our client loves the quality of west afternoon light, so we wanted to take advantage of this large west-facing window for her home office,” architect Wanda Ely says. “Right outside the window is a beautiful cherry tree that is covered in white blossoms in the spring. The homeowner wanted a space to work from home that felt serene and quiet and was a private space away from the busier areas of the home.”
Built-in storage. “This room is located at the joint between the existing home and the new addition we added to the rear,” Ely says. “We took advantage of the resulting step-back in the wall to tuck in some angled open bookshelves. A large wraparound desk offers tons of workspace as well as storage for the printer and other home office necessities tucked underneath the shelves on the left side of the desk. Grommets installed in the desktop hide cords and keep clutter to a minimum. All the millwork is custom-made out of white oak.”
Other special features. “This room is a study in simplicity — white walls painted in a 25% lighter version of Benjamin Moore’s White Wisp and beautiful white oak millwork anchor the room,” Ely says. “The pendant light has a built-in planter and adds a special and unexpected touch.”
Designer tip. “Thoughtfully designed millwork is always the best way to maximize storage in a small space and makes a room feel pulled together and intentional,” Ely says. “Don’t be afraid to tweak paint colors by working with your supplier to mix them lighter or darker depending on the effect you’re going for.”
Pendant light: Object Interface
Not sure where to start on your home project? Learn the basics
Designer: Wanda Ely Architect
Location: Toronto
Size: 125 square feet (12 square meters)
Homeowner’s request. “Our client loves the quality of west afternoon light, so we wanted to take advantage of this large west-facing window for her home office,” architect Wanda Ely says. “Right outside the window is a beautiful cherry tree that is covered in white blossoms in the spring. The homeowner wanted a space to work from home that felt serene and quiet and was a private space away from the busier areas of the home.”
Built-in storage. “This room is located at the joint between the existing home and the new addition we added to the rear,” Ely says. “We took advantage of the resulting step-back in the wall to tuck in some angled open bookshelves. A large wraparound desk offers tons of workspace as well as storage for the printer and other home office necessities tucked underneath the shelves on the left side of the desk. Grommets installed in the desktop hide cords and keep clutter to a minimum. All the millwork is custom-made out of white oak.”
Other special features. “This room is a study in simplicity — white walls painted in a 25% lighter version of Benjamin Moore’s White Wisp and beautiful white oak millwork anchor the room,” Ely says. “The pendant light has a built-in planter and adds a special and unexpected touch.”
Designer tip. “Thoughtfully designed millwork is always the best way to maximize storage in a small space and makes a room feel pulled together and intentional,” Ely says. “Don’t be afraid to tweak paint colors by working with your supplier to mix them lighter or darker depending on the effect you’re going for.”
Pendant light: Object Interface
Not sure where to start on your home project? Learn the basics
6. Shared Refreshment
Designer: Jeannine Bogart of Epic Interiors
Location: Northbrook, Illinois
Size: 168 square feet (16 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners, a couple who are both psychologists, envisioned this space as a shared office for telehealth sessions and a home office,” designer Jeannine Bogart says. “The original room was clad in traditional, outdated dark wood paneling and built-in cabinetry.”
Built-in storage. “To preserve and update the original cabinetry, we painted it and the entire room a bright silvery blue (Autonomous, Sherwin-Williams), replaced the hardware and added a new ceiling fixture. We concealed the printer in the lower cabinets, which were slightly deeper, providing a good fit. We added outlets in the lower cabinets to keep the cords out of sight and used cable sleeving to hide the cords around the desks.”
Other special features. “The entire room was painted in Sherwin-Williams Autonomous to create a cohesive feel, and we restained the dull, worn parquet floor to brighten the space,” Bogart says.
Designer tip. “If you are on a tight budget, consider reusing existing cabinetry,” Bogart says. “In this project we decided there was no need to rip out the cabinetry — we could just paint. These built-ins included a lot of open shelving as well as closed cabinetry. We were fortunate that we could hide all of the office materials, allowing us to use the shelving for more decorative purposes and create a clutter-free experience. Once it was painted, it looked completely fresh and new.”
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Designer: Jeannine Bogart of Epic Interiors
Location: Northbrook, Illinois
Size: 168 square feet (16 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners, a couple who are both psychologists, envisioned this space as a shared office for telehealth sessions and a home office,” designer Jeannine Bogart says. “The original room was clad in traditional, outdated dark wood paneling and built-in cabinetry.”
Built-in storage. “To preserve and update the original cabinetry, we painted it and the entire room a bright silvery blue (Autonomous, Sherwin-Williams), replaced the hardware and added a new ceiling fixture. We concealed the printer in the lower cabinets, which were slightly deeper, providing a good fit. We added outlets in the lower cabinets to keep the cords out of sight and used cable sleeving to hide the cords around the desks.”
Other special features. “The entire room was painted in Sherwin-Williams Autonomous to create a cohesive feel, and we restained the dull, worn parquet floor to brighten the space,” Bogart says.
Designer tip. “If you are on a tight budget, consider reusing existing cabinetry,” Bogart says. “In this project we decided there was no need to rip out the cabinetry — we could just paint. These built-ins included a lot of open shelving as well as closed cabinetry. We were fortunate that we could hide all of the office materials, allowing us to use the shelving for more decorative purposes and create a clutter-free experience. Once it was painted, it looked completely fresh and new.”
More on Houzz
Read more home office stories
Browse home office photos
Find a local remodeling professional
Shop for products on Houzz
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Designer: Mark Ciano Home
Location: Westport, Connecticut
Homeowner’s request. “My client approached me with a vision to transform her third-floor storage and kids play space into a stunning but functional home office suite,” designer Mark Ciano says. “Her vision was a multipurpose space that not only represented her style and looked fantastic but also solved many of her home office needs, including a sitting area for informal meetings, a desk area with tons of storage and a window seat she could take calls on and look at the treetops.”
Built-in storage. “I designed a full wall of built-in cabinetry, including closed storage below for supplies and any other typical office items and open shelves above for decorative items and books and panels to hang art,” Ciano says. “The built-in unit was painted just the right tone of blue, Farrow and Ball De Nimes, a muted midtones blue that denotes tranquillity. Printer space is hidden inside the built-ins, and all computer laptop cords run through the top of the desk and are neatly tacked behind the leg of the desk.”
Other special features. The desk is walnut and marble. “The walls are wallpapered in Cowtan & Tout Tabor in a neutral weave to create a layered texture but not close in the space or hit you in the face with color,” Ciano says. “We commissioned two pieces of art that sit in the built-ins behind the desk area off to the sides. My client’s dear friend is an artist on the West Coast and I worked with her on the concept, color and execution of the pieces. The lighting details were quite important. Instead of a desk lamp or recessed spots, I opted for hanging pendants over the desk.
“To separate the space and create a divider between the sitting area and desk area, I designed open custom shelving units that followed the slope of the ceiling. It creates a separation but doesn’t close spaces in. The divider bookcases are in rift-cut oak and stained with a medium-toned walnut finish. A full coffee station with refrigeration was a must because of the time she spends working.”
Designer tip. “People spend so many hours at their desk these days, I wanted my client to have a cozy window seat with treetop views if she’s reviewing contracts or just needs to take a few minutes’ break between Zoom calls,” Ciano says.
Desk: Rove Concepts; commissioned art: Reggie Stone
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