Ideas on Decorating a Home Office on a Budget
If you do not have a lot of money to spare, but still need to create a home office space, never fear, there is hope.
Careful planning, creative use of furniture and other found items and a little bit of organization is all it really takes to create a fun but functional home office that will not break the budget.
Carving Out your Space
When decorating a home office on a budget, the first step in building a cost efficient but functional home office is finding a spot for it. Ideally, you will be able to find a location that can be dedicated to your office.
Look around the house for 'dead' space like a large landing, unused alcove or even a big closet. If you cannot find a spot that can be dedicated solely to your office, then carve the space out of an existing room such as a formal sitting room or guest room.
If you are going to be carving office space out of an existing room, remember that you will need to make an extra effort to define the office space as unique.
Having a space that is distinctly the 'office' will contribute to your ability to work more efficiently and effectively. This means that placing the home office in a nursery or master bedroom is a patently bad idea.
These spaces will simply have too many distractions. Keep in mind as well that work space is just that - work space, so avoid putting the home office in a room that you sleep in or a room, like the family room, that you use for relaxation.
Found Furniture for the Office
When decorating a home office on a budget, one of the biggest expenses you will have for your home office is the furniture, so a great way to save money when designing your office is to use found furniture or build some of it yourself. That sounds a lot more complicated than it really is.
- Do it yourself Desk - One great idea for decorating a home office on a budget is creating a unique desk. It can be a simple and fun way to start your home office. Use two drawer filing cabinets and wood for a traditional desk or update this desk with a sheet of Lucite. Both of these options are inexpensive and can be made to look very nice. Alternatively, an old table can be refurbished to create a perfect desk.
- Bookshelves - Another great idea for decorating a home office on a budget is bookshelves. bookshelves can be created easily out of wood and bricks. These bookshelves can look very nice if you take the time to treat the wood as well as choose interesting looking bricks
- Storage units - You can also create interesting storage units using wire, wood or metal boxes on a home made shelf. These can be used to store office supplies, paper and other office essentials. If you find large enough boxes, you can even use this as a filing solution
Another wonderful idea for decorating a home office on a budget is to look carefully around your home and see if there is anything you can use in your office. You may be surprised what you discover.
An unused bed side table may make a perfect printer stand. There may be an extra chair with your dinning room set or a piece of artwork that just doesn't really fit any place else.
Hampers, storage containers, shoe racks and more can all be recycled for use in your home office. Look carefully, you may find just the thing you are looking for right in your own home.
Defining the Space
This is another, often overlooked, step in decorating a home office on a budget. Take the time to put the entire office space down on paper and carefully measure all furniture pieces.
Lay the office out several different ways to determine the most efficient use of the space. Once you have done this, it is time to define the space using design elements.
Paint or otherwise treat the walls - remember you want this space to be conducive to working so be sure to pick a wall treatment that will help put you in the mood to work. You can choose a bright and vibrant color designed to energize you or a soft color designed to relax you.
Try to avoid dark or drab colors that may make working in the space difficult. If you have carved the space out of an existing room, this step is especially important as it will serve to further define 'work space' from 'living space'
If the home office is part of another room, you may want to consider hanging curtains to define the space. These can be made inexpensively from simple fabric. In fact, you `can often find remnants that are inexpensive, making this a very cheap way to define your space when decorating a home office on a budget.
If You Have to Buy It
If you absolutely must buy a piece of furniture for your home office, it is still possible to do so in an inexpensive manner. Consider purchasing used furniture.
Many offices will sell their furniture when they redesign their space or you can sometimes find inexpensive office furniture at garage sales. Another great idea to consider, when decorating a home office on a budget, is swapping furniture with friends or family. You may have an unused piece of furniture in your home that you can trade of a desk or a pair of bookshelves.
Check out local furniture stores and see if they will sell floor models. This can be a great way to get an inexpensive piece of furniture at rock bottom prices.
Creating a home office does not have to be an expensive proposition. Take some time to plan out your space and really look at what you already have.
Think about how you can create the office furniture you need from items around the house. Look for bargains or sales on items you absolutely must have. Work hard to define the space as separate from the rest of your living space and keep in mind that the home office is work space, not living space.
These ideas will get you off to a great start in decorating a home office on a budget.
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