A home office and a guest room: How to create a multifunctional space

City living may mean limited space, but you don’t have to sacrifice functionality. I was recently challenged to find a clever way to maximize a space. All of the bedrooms were occupied, but the home lacked a guest room, plus a more efficient workspace and storage in their walkout basement. This is how I created a dual-purpose room.

 An efficient and functional layout.

A multifunctional room needs a practical layout. What is the room being used for? In this case, we knew the home business needed stations for three workers, a sitting meeting area, closed storage, plus it would be a bonus if the room could double as a spare room for out of town guests.

 

 

I maximized the space by creating a layout, which utilized the perimeter of the room. This freed up the middle of the room for easy movement and created the feeling of a larger space.

Let’s work it out.

I wanted a clean, streamlined design for the office space, with plenty of counter space. I wanted to use every inch of the room, so store bought pieces were out of the question. I went to Harkel Office Furniture www.harkeloffice.com

for customizable desks with a simple, solid line leg, to maximize the wall space. This office uses laptops, great for maximizing space because you can get away with a smaller desk depth. It also allowed us to run a desk down the middle of the room, dividing the room into two distinct work areas and creating more countertop space.

 Storage is always key.

Offices usually come with a ton of paperwork and clutter, so closed storage is key to an organized office. I turned to Cutler Modern Living http://www.cutlermodernliving.com/ for a unique office solution storage systems. I designated an entire wall of cabinets that would house office storage. Accessing paperwork or office supplies is a breeze. Instead of awkward, in-the-way cabinet doors, this storage system has flip-up upper storage cabinets.

 Colourless.

The basement office had low ceilings and a lot of furniture being added, so I had a few tricks up my sleeve to make this room look larger and airier. I added a light and fresh coat of JoJo Whitewash PF17 from Para Paint on the walls to open up the room. I continued using this colour in all the wall perimeter furniture. The furniture blends into the walls, creating a calming effect in a tight space.

 

The overnight guest.

Who doesn’t need more space for those overnight guests? A sofa was needed for the meeting area, but we decided a standard sofa wouldn’t be ideal for an overnight guest.  We selected a multifunctional pull-out sofa for the space so it can double as a private retreat for out of town guests.

 

The finishing touches.

The room was pulled together with a few finishing touches. At EQ3 https://www.eq3.com/ca/en we found a much-needed floor lamp, plus the perfect little round table to drink a coffee, take notes or use as a bedside table for overnight guests.  I also added a round metal mirror, great for reflecting the light and making the room look larger. I finished the room with stainless crystal wall sconces from the Jo Alcorn collection by Artcraft Lighting.

 

And there you have it!  A bright, organized multifunctional space you don’t want to leave!

 

The before . . . .

 

Until next time,

w&c designer girl!