When it comes to figuring out where to put a desk for an office space in a small apartment, deciding on a spot can be tricky. But if you can find at least one small corner of your bedroom, den or even kitchen, then that’s all you really need!
While it won’t exactly measure up to a huge and roomy home office, you can still create a perfectly functional and cozy workspace by sticking to just a few tips. Here’s how.
1. If you can, pick a corner that’s by a window.
Not everybody will be able to create their office space near a window, especially if you live in a basement or anywhere else with lots of walls and limited light, but it’s worth taking a look around your place to see if any particular corner stands out. Here’s an example of the corner I chose.
The natural light from the window will help make the space feel less dark and cramped when you need to get down to work. Of course, if that’s simply not possible, you can still make up for that lost natural light by instead making use of good indoor lighting and perhaps hanging some nature-inspired artwork on the surrounding walls.
2. Select a desk that’s small but includes storage and versatility.
I decided to repurpose this antique sewing table as a desk, which used to be my grandmother’s. It’s the perfect size, has drawers for storage and even comes with extra table/desk space that folds out!
You might want to do the same by hunting around antique stores, yard sales or your local online classified ads for a similar piece of furniture.
While there certainly are all sorts of different styles of desks you can get, you’ll want to choose one that doesn’t look too big in your small corner. A big desk will take away some of the functionality you want in your office space, preventing you from being able to move around or get inspired to do some work.
3. Stick to just the most essential accessories and avoid cluttering up what limited desk space you have.
I don’t know about you, but I absolutely can’t work around piles of papers and tons of clutter. Here’s a bit of visual inspiration for styling your desk with just a few accessories you really need.
I decided to include a small desk lamp, a nice orchid, a few books and a jar with some pens. They’re all small enough that they fit quite nicely alongside my laptop.
4. Get creative with maximizing your workspace when you need it the most.
A small space doesn’t have to stop you from transforming it into an even more functional area when the time calls for it. I wanted to show you how this particular sewing table-turned-desk folds out to create even more space that I can use to expand my work area.
As you can see, a small section folds out on the right side while a larger part folds out on the left. I’m sure there are lots of other ways you can figure out how to temporarily expand some extra work space, but this example in particular is why I highly recommend the old sewing table idea!
Here’s what the whole corner looks like when it’s in full, expanded work mode.
And here’s how it looks when it’s all tucked away.
So, there you have it! A very cozy and highly functional office space that can fit in a small corner.
If you want more ideas for styling up your desk with accessories, check out my previous article on the ForRent blog: 7 Items You Need on Your Office Desk.