Creating a Home Office Is Easier than You Think

My new home office has evolved in the last year.

The atelier space came together inspired by a big need: room to work from home. While the need was clear, the design process was easier than you might imagine.

To be frank, the room started as a cold, dismal, and lost attic. The sloping ceiling and dark corners had seemed useful only for stashing junk. However, as the last year has taught us—challenges present opportunity.

I started with a simple goal: design a creative office-studio. I had an image of a large wooden desk, a stucco column, a big wall for ideas, and whimsical lighting. 

Great idea, right? 

The reality was quite different. My attic was filled with ancient cardboard boxes, old records, and lots of dusty molds. Here’s what I did to go from start to finish.

Begin With The End In Mind

The end in mind was a fresh creative work zone. Since I’ve been working remotely, I knew that this was my new zone for coming up with awesome projects. The attic had always been on my back burner as a room to makeover. 

But with virtual work as my new normal, transforming the space just moved to the top of the list.

If you’re a fan of vision boards, gather images and pictures to explore the mood you’d like to design.

Know My Why

My why is simply: I need my private space to work creatively. If you have been working at home with a partner, spouse, children, roommates, or extended family—you know exactly what I’m talking about. Working remotely requires the right space—if you’re serious about staying productive.

Sharing a kitchen table is a drag. Scheduling work time with others just doesn’t work in the long run. Studio space is really in my must-have zone.

Clear Out The Clutter

First things, first. Clearing out the clutter. 

I’d avoided getting down and dirty to make the attic clean. Just between you and me, there were a lot of things I’d wanted to avoid. Old receipts. Old letters. Old journals.

You know what…it was all old. By the time I went through all the boxes, shredded all the important documents, and taken one more glance at all the papers…I knew what I’d known from the beginning. 

You have to let go of the old to make room for the new.

This meant lots of trips to the dump. Was it a lot of work? You bet. Was it worth it? Without a doubt.

Paint It White

Next step? Paint it white.

And I mean, all of it. Every single surface got a coat of paint. 

I was in a real mood for a fresh slate.

Be A Minimalist

After ditching all that old stuff, I was on fire. I didn’t want to have a single bit of old leftovers to start anew. This helped me to select items that made me giggle, sing, dance, and delight.

If you’ve ever had the opportunity to start fresh, you know exactly how great this feels. It’s a Zen approach to creating the space. Less is more. 

It didn’t take much to fill the space. A wooden desk. A stucco column. A big sheet of paper on the wall. I was ready to go. 

Add Color

Almost…With that white palette, I had room to play with color. My favorite way to do this is with living plants. I got a few different orchids in magenta and pink hues. 

One on the desk. One on the column. One on the window ledge.

Voila!

Enhance With Lights

I got the idea to add a string of lights from seeing these beautiful lights popping up in gardens and patios

Because of the minimalist approach and white backdrop, I had a lot of room to play. A string of lights instantly lit up the room and completed the space. 

Sum Up

One of the best things about creating a new atelier, office, or studio is you have room to play. Your attic is just waiting to be transformed into an entirely fresh studio, filled with your unique creativity and style.

Leave a Comment