Working from home became the new normal in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. This not only brought some ups and downs, but also required a few adjustments to the setup. One of the biggest problems was finding a suitable place for a PC, office documents, etc. So that the family would not disturb you, experts recommended a separate room for working. We have already shown you how creative professionals can do thisGuest roomor thatDressing room to home officehave converted. But not everyone has space for a separate combination room in their apartment and so the workplace was usually set up in the living room or bedroom. Isn't that ideal for you? Do you always have the feeling that the desk in your living room or kitchen, which is full of paper and folders, constantly reminds you of work? The solution to optimally separate work and leisure time and to be able to switch off after work is: hide the office in the closet. At the end of the working day, just close the doors and relax!
Cloffice: This emerging trend will transform the way you work from home
If you do personal business during working hours, you can easily become distracted. The result: You have to work longer hours than in the office and it becomes more difficult to separate your work life from your private life. The new trend that comes to us from America is called Cloffice (Closet + Office) and offers a solution to this problem. The workplace is placed in a niche or wardrobe and disappears behind closed doors at the end of the day. This way the room always looks tidy.
It is possible to design a workplace in the smallest of spaces
Nowadays we generally use a lot less paper in our everyday work and do almost everything digitally. This means working from home requires much less space. This makes it possible to create a perfectly equipped workplace even in a cupboard. You usually only need a desk with enough storage space for a PC or laptop and a few shelves for documents and office supplies. There is usually also space for a small rolling container at the bottom.
If you have a closet in your apartment that you don't use properly, you can turn it into a mini office. Here we have collected some tips and suggestions for every budget and every taste.
Hide your office in the closet – this is what you should pay attention to
Firstly, it is important that you need a power connection in the cabinet for a PC, printer, desk lamp, etc. Ideally, two multiple sockets would be ideal here - one above and one below the desk.
It's best if your mini office is located next to a window or patio door so you can benefit from natural light. In the evening, a desk lamp provides the right light and prevents your eyes from getting tired quickly. Some interior designers also opt for recessed spotlights or LED strips on the shelves above the desk.
Which doors are best?
It is best for the cabinet doors to open 180 degrees or slide along the side walls so as not to interfere with the work process. Here are some of the best variants:
- Folding doors – they are particularly space-saving and can be pushed together easily and conveniently.
- Pocket Doors - these are rotating sliding doors that, when open, disappear completely into pockets on the side of the cupboard and thus offer maximum freedom of movement.
- Sliding doors – they are ideal for elegant built-in solutions, but they have one disadvantage. Since the guide is attached to the top of the ceiling, the space on the side of the wall must remain free.
Hide the office in the closet, but don't neglect ergonomics
In order to feel comfortable at work in the home office, you shouldpay attention to ergonomics. The correct table height when sitting depends on your height and varies between 65 and 80 cm. The top edge of the monitor should be positioned at eye level at a distance of 40 to 75 cm.
In order to maintain the recommended minimum distance from the screen, you should pay attention to the desk and cabinet depth. A depth of around 60 – 70 cm is usually sufficient for laptops. If you want to work on a flat screen, it's best to use a pull-out panel for the keyboard. There should also be enough space for the legs under the desk - at least 70 cm deep.
A suitable chair is essential for the correct sitting posture at the PC. If there is enough space under the desk in the closet, you can also slide a small stool underneath and hide it behind doors. But that wouldn't be ideal for an 8-hour working day. Alternatively, you can leave a few centimeters between the edge of the desk and the cupboard door so that the thin back of a chair can fit behind it.
Here is a great example of how to hide an office even in a small closet. The rotating sliding doors are simply moved out of the way and do not interfere with work. Desk, chair, keyboard and screen are ideally adjusted to one another. There is even a small printer on a shelf below. By the way, we'll show you more ideas on how to hide a small workstation and a large printer in the living roomin this article.
Does the shape of the chair seem strange to you? But this office stool supports active sitting and prevents back pain by promoting a healthy sitting posture. Active sitting means changing your sitting position regularly. This promotes metabolism and relieves strain on the muscles. By the way, sitting balls are the classic for dynamic sitting. If you have back pain after sitting for too long, try an alternative seat.
Dark colors create visual depth
There are hardly any limits to your imagination when it comes to colors. Design the interior of the wardrobe according to your wishes and ideas. An interesting idea would be to paint the back wall in a striking color or highlight it with wallpaper. Office accessories, such as folders and storage boxes, can also be easily adapted to the color scheme.
The color green represents creativity and the emergence of new ideas
The IKEA proposal from the 2021 catalog
IKEA also presented a few ideas in the 2021 catalog on how to set up a workplace in a small space. The solution from IKEA: the small MICKE desk and the equally small NILSERIK stand were stored in a wardrobe. On the wall behind it, the SKÅDIS perforated board serves as a mood board and storage for office supplies.
White writing board for notes
And here's another brilliant idea for decorating the back wall of the closet: a whiteboard to write notes on. It is also magnetic so you can attach notes with magnets.
Workplace in the Pax wardrobe
If you have a PAX wardrobe with sliding doors, you can also try out the following idea: place the PC on a shelf and install a KOMPLEMENT pull-out shelf for the keyboard.
Converting an old wardrobe
If you like the vintage style and like mixing flea market finds with modern elements, you can also convert an old wardrobe into a mini office. It is important that you cut out the floor so that legroom is guaranteed.
The interior designers have found an elegant built-in solution for this modern apartment
The workplace was hidden in the built-in cupboard in the hallway
If necessary, the rotating sliding doors disappear completely into the body
This workplace has sufficient natural light from the patio door
The mini office is located in a large kitchen
It is also possible to hide the office in a wall cupboard
The closet is deep enough and has recessed lights
Indirect light also creates interesting lighting accents
With its warm wood tone, the cabinet forms a warm contrast to the white tones of the interior
This PC workstation has a minimalist elegance
Sliding doors can be used well as room dividers
When the work is done, the stool disappears behind closed doors
The built-in cupboard is deep enough to accommodate the office chair
The wallpaper on the back wall creates the perfect backdrop for the light wood desk and shelves
