Products for Dual-Purpose Spaces

Pandemic lockdowns have been difficult in a variety of ways, including the scramble to figure out work-from-home options when there isn’t a dedicated space for a home office.

There are many ways to get creative when making a home office space, without sacrificing style or giving up a large area of another room; for example, consumers can convert an underutilized closet into a compact office that can be closed at the end of the day, or can add shelving to a corner to store supplies in decorative containers, as in these examples from TheSpruce. 

Some products consumers might look for when setting up home office spaces can range from larger items such as Murphy beds to convert a guest room into a more established office while retaining its ability to be used as a bedroom, to items as simple as a shelf with brackets that is big enough to hold a laptop. Other ideas include:

• Drop-down desks: Whether it’s wood, hinges and a latch for a DIYer to build or a premade unit (like Sauder’s Anda Norr^® Wall Desk), drop- or fold-down desks provide ample workspace when in use, and an out-of-the-way product when closed.
• Bracket Shelving:  A blank wall in a bedroom, or the interior of an unused closet can be easily converted into an office space with the addition of bracket-style shelving (such as the Configurations^® Closet System by Rubbermaid). With a few adjustments, shelves can be customized to the user’s needs to hold printers and other supplies and equipment. And if ever a home office was no longer needed, the system can be easily reconfigured to suit other needs.
• Pegboard: A classic standby for wall storage, pegboard is a versatile product for practically any space, and there are a wide variety of accessories available to suit user needs.
• Built-in options: For consumers who want a more permanent solution to their home office needs, installing a custom or semi-custom built-in desk area in a room is definitely an option. Whether it’s a credenza-style worksurface flanked by bookcases to span a wall, or cabinets (like those by Kraftmaid^®) topped with a solid surface material of choice tucked into a corner of the kitchen or dining room, built-in options have few limits. 

For additional ideas on what consumers might be looking for, check out the home office galleries on Pinterest.com.