No space for a home office? Think again

Whether working from home is your new normal or you just need a place to pay your bills, it’s increasingly likely these days that you’ve considered adding some office space to your home.

However, what’s less likely is that you have a whole room available, ready to be reassigned to this purpose.

Welcome to the dual-purpose room.

When carefully created, this can offer the ideal solution. Unlike open plan living, where the space performs various duties all at once, a dual-purpose room has two unique uses but is only ever used for one of them at a time. The trick to designing a really workable room of this nature is to ensure it can be quickly and easily transitioned between uses, while looking suitably stylish in both.

Which room in your house could double up as an office?

Do you have a dining room that’s only used for high days and holidays? A stylish yet practical table is key here, one which can be dressed up or down. Choose a table that works whether it’s a desk, set ‘naked’ for a family meal or fully ‘dressed’ for Christmas dinner.

Add closed cupboards for office supplies but consider ones in a ‘sideboard’ style. That way, there’s a surface suitable for either a printer or bar and buffet items. Consider chairs which are light and stackable when not in use. This makes switching a couple out for an ‘office’ chair much easier.

How about a spare bedroom/office combo? Stick to bedroom style decor for office pieces and it’ll be a much easier transition when guests come to stay. A pretty table can double as a desk. Add some classy shelves and a stylish chair and you’re done. Designate closed storage elsewhere in the room to keep either your office supplies or your decor accessories. That way you can easily switch out what’s not in use.

A gateleg table with integrated storage, along with a folding chair, might be another solution. Folded down it’s a shelf for a plant or vase. In use, it’s a stand alone office that works in any room.

Bedroom Office

Dining Room Office

Gateleg table

Success for any of these options depends on • Easily moveable electronics - consider a laptop or wireless desktop system • A switch between uses that takes minimum time and effort • Adequate, out of sight storage and ruthless control of paper clutter Now, where did I put that shredder?

The Seasonal Touch column is contributed by Lynn McMurray, Balerno resident and enthusiast of all things ‘home,’ serving the local community and beyond with her home & gift business The Seasonal Touch. www.theseasonaltouch.co.uk