With more and more Americans working from home for the foreseeable future, home offices are a necessity no matter how small your home may be. If your home office must share space with the living room, how can you create a spot that facilitates work? Here are five ideas anyone can try.
1. Use Room Dividers.
One of the easiest ways to create a separate space with some level of privacy is to add one- or two-room dividers. Dividers often come in tri-fold designs but they can consist of two, four, or more panels.
2. Get Furniture Away From Walls.
Many living rooms are structured so that the sofas, tables, chairs, or entertainment areas are lined up along walls. But if you move some of these away from a wall and place them in groupings more centered in a space, you often have leftover room along the wall and behind furnishings to create an office nook.
3. Create a Zone.
Zones are a structuring technique particularly used in open floor plans. Different spaces within the open area are arranged as though they had four walls and a door around them. Create a simple office zone by laying down a rug to create a visual square or oval on which to place a desk, computer, chairs, and other office equipment. Repeat this process to create living room zones, conversation zones, and television viewing zones.
4. Remove Built-Ins.
Built-in shelves, benches, and entertainment centers often hold unused space you could put to use as an office. If you can remove a set of decorative shelves beside a fireplace, for instance, it may be enough space to place a slim desk and chair or add dedicated document or equipment storage. Some homeowners might also be able to use certain shelves as part of their office workspace.
5. Add Furniture Barriers.
Don't want to use dividers? Just about any piece of furniture can serve to create a boundary that separates the home office from relaxation and play areas. It could be the back of a long sofa, a set of bookshelves, a sideboard or sofa table, or an armoire or buffet. Face the living room furniture outward and the office furniture inward.
Want more ideas to use living room furniture to define and add privacy to your home office? Start by touring a furniture store near you today. No matter what your decorative style, budget, and available space are, you can find great options that will make the shared room attractive and practical.
Contact a furniture store near you.
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