A Multipurpose Space

Tips to Create a Home Office That Pulls Double Duty.

- Liz Toombs

Combining living and working spaces is becoming more common. The U.S. Census shows 5.2 percent of workers in America, or 8 million people, worked from home in 2017. My experience with working from home has evolved over time. I started with a dedicated desk in an open concept living area. As my space needs grew, my office was shared with a guest room. Then came a new house and a dedicated room. I now have a large office in my basement that accommodates, on some days, a full team of three.

In each arrangement, I learned ways of making the space work for my needs. You may be in a similar situation and looking for advice. Here are two questions to ask yourself first:

1. How is this space currently used? What do you like about the space that you want to keep intact? Are there things about this room that have always bothered you? These are things to make note of so that you can make this a place you love.

2. How do you plan to use it in the future? Do you hope to add to or improve the functionality of the room? The most common goal is to improve the practicality of a space. Maybe that’s turning your rarely-used guest bedroom into the home office you’ve desperately needed.