From Closet to Office Transformation

This is my office. It’s where the majority of my writing gets done. I don’t know if you can tell from this picture, but this cozy nook is located in our master bedroom closet.

You see, when it came time to find office space for me, we didn’t have the luxury of an extra bedroom or a finished basement. What we did have was an unusually large closest in our bedroom. So we decided to divide it in half. Half for typical closet fare like long-sleeved shirts and dresses. Half for me to work.

And just so you’ve been warned, this post may read like an ad for IKEA because that’s where I got just about everything except the chair and computer.

Here’s what we did:

#1. My very handy husband took down all the ugly white-wired shelves, patched the holes in the walls, and touched up the paint.

[This is where a “before” picture would be if I’d had the foresight to take one.]

#2. Next we grabbed very affordable basics like this desk from IKEA for about $30.

#3. I had to cozy it all up. So I added this chair — a garage sale find for $15. To me it adds an element of charm that a run-of-the-mill office chair wouldn’t. Now I just need to see if it’ll also offer the back support necessary for writing. Somehow I’m doubting that. I may have to rethink my seating.

I also grabbed some indirect lighting, a spice rack that I converted to a book shelf (thanks for the idea, Pinterest), some greenery, photo frames (which are still waiting for some family pictures), and a magnetic board for my budding artists’ drawings. All from IKEA.

#4. But the office wouldn’t be cozy if I had to look at all of this ….

So we hung curtains to divide the space and hid the clothes. The ceiling rail and curtains are also from … yep, you guessed it IKEA.

There’s one thing I think my office is lacking though, aside from those family pictures I keep meaning to have printed. One of these:

I’ve been eyeing it for half a year at IKEA, but couldn’t figure out any good use for it. My kitchen doesn’t need one. I finally decided it would make a great “book cart” in my office. And, since I have a birthday coming up, I might just have an excuse to buy one.

What about you? Have you converted any unusual spaces in your house into an office or playroom? I’d love to hear about your creative use of space.