December 16, 2022 | Room Addition
In these current times, a home office is more necessary than ever. Design the best private workspace with these top home office remodel ideas.
Did you know that almost half of remote workers don’t have a dedicated workspace? Survey results show that 58% of people wishing to make changes to their at-home work setups are considering moving to a larger home.
Fortunately, you don’t have to up and sell your house just to have a home office. With a well-planned home office remodel, you can create a functional, attractive workspace, and add value to your home.
Not sure how to fit an office area into your home? In need of some home office design inspiration?
Keep reading for 10 home office remodel ideas plus a few more for good measure.
1. Convert a Spare Room
One of the easiest home office remodel ideas is to convert a spare room into a fully-fledged workspace. Of course, most of us don’t have spare rooms just hanging around. However, with some careful planning, you might be able to free up a room for a home office.
For instance, if you have a spare guest room that rarely gets used, it might make sense to convert it into a home office. If you still want to occasionally house guests in it, you can consider adding something like a Murphy bed or a sleeper couch to your home office design.
This way you can get maximum use out of the area, gain a spacious home office, and still have a place for guests to sleep if need be.
Going this route shouldn’t require any structural changes, leaving you with more budget to devote to things like built-ins or optional upgrades such as new flooring.
2. Plan a Room Addition
If you don’t have a spare room you can convert into a home office, you can also think about doing a room addition. Room additions require a bigger budget, but they will add to the size and value of your home.
Bedroom additional usually have an ROI of around 50%. But, you might find that a room addition for a home office could net you a higher ROI when it comes time to sell your home.
Home office spaces are becoming increasingly important in this age of remote working, and buyers may be more attracted to homes that feature dedicated working areas.
The easiest way to achieve a room addition is by adding a room onto one side of your house.
However, this can rob the adjoining area in your home of window space and light. If this is a concern, you can consider adding a glass wall between your office area and the rest of the home.
Another problem you might run into with a room addition is that it will eat into your outdoor area. According to reports, outdoor space is becoming more important than ever to American homeowners.
If you’re worried about losing valuable yard area to a room addition, or simply don’t have the space to expand sideways, you can also go vertical.
Doing a second-story room addition can be costly, but there may be ways to curb the costs. For instance, if your garage has strong structural support and a low-pitched roof, this might be the perfect place area to build a second-story room for a home office.
3. Grab Space From Your Garage
Speaking of your garage, this is another area you could eye up for a home office remodel. Do you have any unused garage space?
Yes, we know. Silly question, who has large areas of garage space sitting around unused?
Most of us fill up any free area in our garage with stored items. If this is the case, think about what you’re storing in your garage. Do you need it all? Is, it well organized?
You might find that by sorting through the stored items and organizing what you do want to keep you could be left with a sizable area you could use for a home office conversion.
Be aware however that turning a part of your garage into a home office isn’t just a matter of throwing up some drywall. You will invariably need to get it insulated, have new flooring put down, and have electrics run.
4. Layer in a Loft
Does your home have very tall ceilings? If so, it could be the perfect candidate for a mezzanine-style loft office.
Adding a mezzanine loft is a clever way to utilize some of the vertical space, and it can make for an interesting architectural element in your home.
That said, keep in mind that adding a loft is a large project. If it’s going to be happening over a main living area, it can also be messy and disruptive.
5. Convert a Closet
If you don’t need a dedicated room for a home office or don’t have the budget for a full home office remodel, you can also consider converting a closet into a compact workspace.
Most built-in closets are deep enough to accommodate at least a narrow work surface. To maximize storage you can also opt for built-in drawers underneath the desk surface or some shelves overhead.
If you don’t mind your work area being on display you can remove the closet doors entirely. Alternatively, if you want to be able to shut off the area from view when you’re not working, you can opt to keep the doors.
6. Make the Most of a Nook
Depending on the layout of your home, you might have a small nook somewhere that you can effectively convert into a compact home office. The key to making this work is to build out the space with cupboards and a desk.
A free-standing desk is usually far too bulky to squeeze into a nook. By opting for a custom built-in desk you’ll be able to maximize the space and make it into a true home office, rather than a desk shoved into a corner.
7. Transform Your Attic
If your home already has an attic or loft area, this could be the perfect space for a home office remodel. Turning your attic into a home office won’t typically require much structural work.
However, most lofts will require a fair amount of finishing work to turn them into a comfortable space. To prevent yourself from roasting in summer and freezing in winter, you’ll probably need to get your attic insulated.
You’ll also want to get electrical outlets installed.
If your attic area is very cramped, you might also want to think about incorporating dormer windows. Dormer windows aren’t cheap to install, but they can work wonders for opening up attic and loft areas, creating more space, and bringing in more light.
8. Build Out Your Basement
Does your home boast a basement? If yes, this is another area that you can consider for a home office remodel.
Even if you already use your basement as a utility room, there might still be enough space to create both a utility area and a home office.
For this home office renovation, you’ll first need to determine how waterproof your basement area is. If it’s prone to flooding, then situating a home office down there might not be the best idea.
If dampness isn’t an issue, the main things you’ll need to focus on for a basement remodel are finishes and soundproofing. Depending on the type of flooring you have in your home, you might find that every time someone walks around upstairs it sounds like an elephant on the loose.
You might also need to have some electrics run for wall outlets. And if you really want a state-of-the-art feel, we’d also suggest opting to get some beautiful built-ins put in for you.
9. Create a Library Office
If you’re a book lover, this home office remodel idea is for you. If you love being surrounded by books, what could be better than a library office?
A home office space that’s lined with built-in bookshelves oozes sophistication and character. It’s the ultimate remedy to a sterile, uninspiring office space.
The secret to nailing this home office design idea on the head is to invest in high-quality built-in bookcases. After all, the bookcases are the focal points of the design. If you opt for cheap flatpack shelving, this won’t create the same effect.
The most impactful layout for a library office is usually to have the bookshelves hug most of the walls of the room, and have a freestanding desk in the center.
However, if you don’t have space for this, you can also have a built-in desk incorporated into the bookshelf design.
10. Wow With Wallpaper
So far we’ve mostly covered different ideas for incorporating a residential office space into your home.
Once you know where your office will go, it’s time for the fun part. Envisioning different home office design ideas!
If you want your home office to feel designed, high-end, and non-sterile, one of the easiest ways to give it a lux look is with wallpaper.
Wallpaper can instantly elevate an area, taking it from a basic room to something that has a designed feel. What’s more, don’t think that wallpaper always equals loud prints and bold colors.
There are almost as many wallpaper designs as there are paint colors, ranging from bright and bold to subtle, muted, and minimalistic.
If you just want to dip your toes into wallpaper, you can choose one accent wall and designate that for your wallpaper.
This will add interest and dimension to your space, as well as extra texture.
11. Get Cozy With Texture
Speaking of texture, this is a must if you want your home office to feel cozy and inviting. Most people want their home office spaces to feel as far away from a cubicle as possible, and texture is the secret ingredient.
The easiest way to add instant texture is with a rug. You can even layer rugs for an ultra-cozy feel. When picking out a rug, make sure that it’s not too small.
Ideally, the rug you pick should fit under both your desk and your chair, with room to spare. You can also ramp up the texture with animal skin rugs (real or faux), throw blankets, cushions, and curtains.
Wood built-ins and furniture pieces also add a layer of subtle texture and warmth.
12. Don’t Let Art Be an Afterthought
The easiest way to make a space feel complete is by adding art. Any good designer knows that art shouldn’t be an afterthought.
If you want your office to pop, take some time to plan out what art pieces you’d like to incorporate. This can help inform other decisions like your paint color and decor choices.
13. Incorporate a Coffee Bar
Is your work primarily fueled by caffeine? If so, incorporating a coffee bar into your home office could be the perfect touch.
If you want a little coffee bar at hand, make sure to specify this before any remodeling work. This way the contractor can plan for an outlet where you want your coffee machine to plug in.
14. Add Extra Seating
If space allows you might also want to include some extra seating in your home office design. This can be especially useful if you’re planning on using your office area to meet with people.
Even if you’re not planning to hold any meetings in your home office, a small sofa or accent chair can help make the space feel more furnished, designed, and comfortable.
Reports show that 6 in 10 Americans now work from home, and are likely to continue to do so. If you’re spending a good portion of your time in your home office, you might as well make it comfortable and inviting.
Do You Need Help With Your Home Office Remodel?
If you work from home or need a space to achieve deep focus, a home office remodel is often a must.
Tired of working at the kitchen island or fed up with your existing office space?
Here at Michael James Remodeling, we offer a full-service solution to homeowners looking to remodel or carry out a room addition. We handle everything from start to finish. In addition to offering a design service, we also work with a network of trusted contractors to ensure your project goes off without a hitch.
Get the ball rolling on your home office renovation and contact us for a consultation.
