Converting an Extra Room into a Home Office? What You Need to Know

From choosing the right space and finding your design style to our expert tips and tricks, discover what you need to know when renovating your home office.
We live in an increasingly digital world, and more and more Americans are choosing to work from home as opposed to the traditional 9-to-5 office setting. Whether you’re starting your own business, work as a freelancer, or have the opportunity to work from home with your company, it’s important you have a dedicated workspace at home.

Your Dallas home office should be a space where you feel comfortable, that taps into your sensibilities, and increases your productivity. It’s an area of your home where kids, pets and spouses know to leave you alone. An area that is entirely dedicated to work so that as soon as you call it a day, you can still have that feeling of “heading home from the office” instead of lacking distinction between work-life and home-life.

Our Dallas handymen know how important it is for you to have a home office—and that you can make a home office work for you no matter how much or how little space you have in your home. Continue reading to discover our pro-tips for creating your dream home office.

Find a Space for Your Home Office

The first challenge when it comes to creating a home office is finding the right space. Perhaps you live in a two-story home with plenty of bedrooms to convert into an office space. Or, maybe all your rooms are filled with children and you need an alternative location. The key is to find a space that can be completely dedicated to being your home office. Your productivity and work/life separation will benefit significantly from having a home office separate from the distractions of your home.

1. Spare Bedroom

Perhaps the most obvious choice for a home office, a spare bedroom offers plenty of room and opportunity to convert to an office space. Bedrooms typically have a lot of space, natural light, plenty of artificial light, and outlets to plug-in your technology. Additionally, most bedrooms also have a built-in closet that is ideal for storage space.

2. Walk-In Closet

Perhaps all your bedrooms are being used, but you have a large walk-in closet. You can use this space to create your home office. While you might not have access to natural light, artificial lighting will be a key consideration. Walk-in closets can be an ideal office space if you work in fashion or sell home-made gifts and crafts. Not only will your closet be the perfect place to act as an inventory, but you’ll be constantly surrounded by colors, patterns, and shapes that might inspire you.

3. Basement

Developed or undeveloped, your basement can be the perfect space for a home office. Not only is your basement separate from the rest of your household and provides much needed peace-and-quiet, but there are generally many amenities in a basement that can make a comfortable work space. For instance, if you have clients your basement could operate as a waiting room. You’ll also likely have a bathroom and maybe even a kitchenette.

If your basement is unfinished and you need assistance putting in the final touches, the pros at Mr. Handyman of Dallas can help. We can assist with:

Installing drywall
Painting
Laying down flooring
Installing light fixtures
And more!

4. Attic

Just like how your basement offers respite from the rest of your home, so does your attic. Additionally, your attic is more likely to have access to natural light than your basement, which can be refreshing and make the space feel brighter and more comfortable. You’ll also be able to enjoy the benefit of feeling like you come and go from your home office. The separation of work and home-life can be very beneficial for decreasing stress and improving mental health.

5. Library

A library is an ideal space for a home office. As it is, this room is already dedicated to quiet reading and contemplation. Not to mention, if you work as a writer or designer, being surrounded by books can have practical uses for completing research and benefit your work by getting your inspirational juices flowing.

6. Den

While a den or a games room may not sound like the ideal office space, it could be converted to one depending on how often the space is used and your specific needs. For example, if you have a games room that was used by your children, but they have since flown the nest, perhaps it’s time for the den’s second act as an office. Or, maybe you thought you’d use your games room all the time and it hasn’t worked out that way. There’s no sense in keeping a space no one is using around when you could transform it into an office space you would use.

The key here is in “transforming” the space. A games room is not built for focus or quiet, so rather than using the room as an office without making it an office, we suggest taking time to truly convert the space.

Find a Style that Suits Your Needs

Perhaps you already have a keen sense of style incorporated throughout your home and want to use that as a launching point for your home office’s decor. Or, maybe you need a little inspiration. Either way, remember your office needs to serve its function first. It should be a space that keeps you organized, inspires productivity, and is comfortable.

1. Minimalist Home Office

Clean and tidy, the minimalist home office is ideal if you’re someone who struggles with focusing at home. Since a minimalist design focuses on clean lines, white and bright walls, and little to no decor, your mind will feel calmed and you’ll have an easier time focusing. The fewer distractions, the better.

2. Cozy Home Office

Do you work long hours? If so, it’s very important that you invest in making your home office as cozy and relaxing as possible. Invest in an ergonomic chair that is perfectly set for your body’s needs. Also, perhaps the option for a standing desk conversion might be beneficial so you can switch-up positions now and then.

Other considerations like neutral, earthy tones, and access to pillows and blankets (your body tends to feel the cold more as you get tired working those long hours!) will help your office feel like a cozy oasis.

3. Creative Home Office

If you work in a creative industry such as writing, photography, design, architecture, or another creative industry, you’ll likely be very influenced by your surroundings. If this is the case, then ensuring your home office surrounds you with inspiration is key. Consider bright walls or a feature wall, furniture that is comfortable and appeals to your design sensibilities, wall art that inspires you, and speakers to play music. You may also want to consider having a desk and also an armchair—ideally placed by a window. Sometimes changing your surroundings can break through creativity blocks!

4. Shared Workspace: Adults

If you and your better half both work from home and use the office, you’ll want to be sure the space works for both of you. If you like similar aesthetics or even are in business together, fantastic! You can take this opportunity to design a space that works for you both as a team.

However, if you have different design tastes or are sharing a desk, then it’s best to keep your space as neutral and comfortable as possible. For instance, allocate separate areas that you can both use for storage and work documents. Keep decorations to a minimum and choose neutral colors you both like.

5. Shared Workspace: Kids

Likewise, if your children are to use your office space, then it’s a good idea to blend styles that create an inviting workspace for you and your kids. For example, instead of a traditional desk, consider a communal table where each member of your family can sit and work.

Keep colors calm and soothing, especially if you have energetic children. Consider having speakers that play relaxing music and make use of wall-space by having shelves dedicated to each family member; some shelves for your work storage, other shelves to showcase your kid’s school projects.

Home Office Design Tips and Tricks

When converting your spare room into a home office, consider the following tips and tricks to make the most out of your space:

Start from scratch. Whatever room you decide to use for your home office, be sure to completely clean it out first. This will give you a clean canvas to design the space.

Sketch the room. Even if you aren’t an artist, a basic sketch of where you want everything in your office to go will help you visualize the final renovation.

Measure your space. Measure where you want key aspects of your home office to go, such as the desk, shelving, and storage.

Utilize the bedroom closet. If you’re putting a home office in your spare bedroom, make sure to use the closet! Install shelving to make the most of this storage space.

Choose custom shelving. Depending on the size and shape of your home office, consider having custom shelves installed to truly make the most of your space.

Make use of corners. Corners can often become a waste of space in your home office. Especially if you don’t have a lot of room, consider putting in a corner desk or corner shelving to make the most of your space.

Consider lighting. Ideally, your home office will be filled with natural light. However, if this is not the case or if you work late into the night, ensuring you have lots of artificial light—that is comfortable as opposed to stark—is very important in your home office.

Get a supportive chair. Sitting for long periods of time can be uncomfortable, so it’s very important to choose an ergonomic office chair that is set to your body’s requirements.

Choose the right desk. In addition to choosing a desk that fits your space and suits your taste, make sure you choose a desk that suits your needs. This might mean you have a standing desk conversion, a hutch for storage, or space for filing cabinets.

Respect your electronics. Ensure you turn-off your computer, printer, and lights at the end of your workday. Also, be sure to keep technology out of direct sunlight.

Protect your floors. Rolling chairs can cause damage to your carpets over time. Likewise, chairs may scratch hardwood flooring. Be sure to use protective mats and protective chair covers.

Design an attractive backdrop. In today’s world, video conferences are becoming increasingly common. Rather than having your backdrop be a wall of post-its or your less-than-organized shelves, consider building a feature wall that acts as an aesthetically pleasing backdrop. If possible, have your feature wall opposite to a window. The natural light will be most flattering for your video conferences.

Use your walls. Whether for hanging inspirational quotes and paintings or for floating shelves, your walls can really make or break your home office’s design and organization.

Book a Dallas Handyman Today!

Are you ready to make the office of your dreams come to life with the help of a professional technician at Mr. Handyman of Dallas? Our experienced technicians possess an average of 10 years in the trades; we are the handyman experts for the job whether you need help with: