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Over the last several months, we’ve all experienced big changes in our personal and professional lives. People are incredibly adaptable. We are able to adjust to new situations quickly and thrive. Panoramic Properties is here to help our residents adapt to their new reality. Here’s how to make working from home work for you. 

How To Create A Home Office In Your Apartment

You might live in a small apartment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create the perfect office zone. 

Office in the Den

If you’re really tight on space, you have to get creative with what you have. Can you create multiple uses out of a room? One way to pull it off is to add a small desk and chair to a corner in your den, then install a few floating storage shelves above the desk. Check out this amazing wall storage unit by Crate and Barrel — it’s a desk and storage unit in one! Now your den has a mini office and a place to hang out.

Office in the Bedroom

You have to use all the space you’ve got. If your bedroom is the only place to do so, then go for it! Just make sure to create some separation between where you work and sleep. You can do so by creating a small nook on the opposite side of your bed where you can place your desk, preferably something that comes with storage space, and a sleek chair. 

Office in the Living Room

Want an office with a view and good lighting? Think about moving your desk right by a window. The natural light might help you concentrate better or even inspire you. Not only is a window office space functional, but you can make it look great with the rest of your decor. Choose a desk or chair with similar colours and textures. Add a cute decor piece or two to make it fit in with your living room.

Movable Office

If the options above don’t suit you, a portable office might be the way to go. A desk on wheels is the perfect solution and it allows you to work in any room you want. You can designate one area as your office, but it could have a dual purpose depending on your needs. A portable desk just gives you the option of being able to move it anywhere, anytime.

Ways to carve out a home office in a small apartment

Rethink the Living Room Layout

Simply switching around the arrangement of your living room furniture can free up some unseen space. By moving your sofa, you may be able to open up a small space under a window. All you really need is a wooden shelf wide enough to hold a laptop. A small stool will feel less imposing than trying to insert an office chair where it doesn’t belong. You can find almost anything you want at the Home Depot (1900 Baseline Road), just down the street from Baseline Apartments (1785-1815 Baseline Road).

Closet into a Home Office

By moving your clothes into a wardrobe, you can create a cozy and concealed home office space in your spare closet. All you need is a narrow, low-profile desk and some simple shelving. Ikea Ottawa (2685 Iris Street) is less than 10 minutes from Baseline Apartments. A small table top and $5 screw-on table legs will do the trick. Best of all, when your work is done simply close the door on it and move on with your day!

 Small Space Furniture

When choosing furniture for your home office space, you’ll want to go with a light and airy feeling, rather than heavy and imposing. The simplest way to do this is to opt for exposed legs on your desk. It will give it a floating feeling, rather than hefty and heavy all the way to the floor. If you’re really short on free floor space, a folding wall-mount table can serve double-duty as an office and breakfast nook, with a folding stool or two. 

Put a Desk Behind the Sofa

There is no rule that states sofas need to be up against the wall. By pushing the couch out towards the centre of the room, you can free up enough space to park a small desk behind the couch for an instant home office.

How to furnish a guest room/home office

Desk

A home office can also double as a guest room with some key furniture pieces and a little consideration. First, will there be a printer or a computer in the office, and will it be a desktop or laptop? In this case, the size of the desk should be proportionate to whichever type of computer you’ll be using. The Furniture Gallery (175 Dieppe Rd) is less than four kilometres away from our Linwell Road apartments (473 Linwell Road) and sells computer desks of all sizes.

Bed

The second item needed to complete a home office/guest room is a bed for guests. It is a good idea to think about how often people might be staying over and make your decision accordingly. If your guests stay for longer periods of time, a double or queen-sized bed would be nice. If you have sporadic visitors who do not stay for more than a couple nights, a futon or daybed might work better. This way, you might be able to add other pieces to the room in the extra space, perhaps end tables with lamps on either side of the bed.

Chair

The third item could be a comfortable accent chair with a small side table next to it where guests can relax and read or just watch TV. If you have a spare television set, consider including it in the guest room for their convenience. Less than three kilometres from our Queenston Apartments (349 Queenston) is Critelli’s Fine Furniture (126 King St) where thousands of furniture pieces can be found.

A desk with its own chair, a bed and some nightstands, and an accent chair are really the main items that are needed to make a home office/guest room. If you would like to go the extra mile, add some extras to make your guests feel welcome. Prepare some towels in the closet as well as some extra bed linens, pillows and a comforter. Including travel-size toiletries would also be a great gesture.

By making a few adjustments to your living space, it’s simple to transform your apartment into a live/work space that works for you. 

Panoramic Properties provides beautiful, comfortable and affordable rental homes across Ontario. To find your new home, please visit our website.