Turning the upstairs loft into my office

Is there a space in your home that’s labeled the “it’s complicated” room? You know the room.. the one that is sometimes the office, sometimes the play room, and other times the “throw everything in there, guests are coming” room. Yeah, you know the room 😉 Well, this tiny space upstairs we call our loft has been all of the above. And recently we decided since we turned my little office downstairs into a tv room, it made sense to turn our loft into my office space.

As much as it was fun having a couch up here, and letting the kids play their video games here, we realized they were gaming way more downstairs and it wasn’t a need, so in comes Jason convincing me I really needed this space which I know sounds so sweet.. and while it is, I know the driving force was cause he was probably tired of seeing all my random stuff all around the house which was valid. And I was too! So here’s my office today.

**This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own.**

Here’s a few before and afters of the space:

Before with the old carpet and orange railing.

We put in new flooring, a fresh coat of Polar Bear paint by Behr, and a DIY built-in desk with some storage space using Ikea pieces. Then we added in lots of plants because, well, I can’t have a home office without my plants. The goal was to keep it neutral, light and bright and just a happy space to work.

Before: The window wasn’t centered so we had to figure out how to work with it.

After: Adding this DIY built-in desk and storage space did the trick. I get asked so many questions on what we used for this DIY which needs a post of it’s own so I will share all the details on that soon.

And here’s a quick tour of the space:

In this little walkway to the office, first thing you see is my little essential oils rack which has been really convenient to have, and it’s pretty too!

I went back and forth with what to put against this wall and debated on having a little more hidden storage. But decided to stick with an open shelf to house some plants, a couple baskets for toys, and more office things.

While I don’t need a tv in here, it is nice to have when the kids come hang and want to watch a show occasionally while doing crafts together or coloring.

Having this desk space and the storage has been a game changer. Just having everything all in one space and easily accessible has made things so much easier lately!

With a tiny space like this, I was happy I could fit a couple chairs in here because some days, it’s just nice having the fam come and hang in here while I work. Even as I write this, Jason is hanging with me, playing video games to keep me company.

Here’s a pic of the office from the stairs. It’s small but mighty! And it just makes me smile seeing all the happy plants just hanging out in the office!

You may see changes along the way, but for today, I am really happy with where this space is at. It gets so much light in here and just feels like a happy space to be in!

It’s in the details

We worked with Serena and Lily to add a few pieces to this space giving it a very casual, practical and inviting design that really gives this room some life.

The Balboa armchair: I have wanted this armchair forever, and while it is a dining chair, I thought it would be perfect to use here at my desk space. I just added a pillow to the back for support and it has been a great addition.

The Venice rattan chairs: We went back and forth on whether to keep the sofa in here but it really came down to what I really wanted out of this space. I love a good sofa to lounge on, but if I was going to have a couch, there wouldn’t have been any room for this shelf, so it made more sense to add these Venice rattan chairs which visually adds interest to the space while not taking up visual space making it still feel light in here, and still allows for extra seating when my people want to come hang with me. And they are just so unique and fun, aren’t they?!

Dip Dye stools: I have had these stools forever and I just love how multifunctional they are. If my router has to sit in a corner visible, I knew it had to sit there in style. These are great for small spaces and I also love using these stools as plant stands.

Teak step stool: How cute is this step stool. In a tiny space like my office, it really pays to choose functional pieces that doubles as decor. So when Jason suggested I add a step stool in here so I can reach for the things I store at the top of the cabinet, I knew exactly what step stool I wanted. This one really is eye catching and is also perfect to tuck under my desk for when I want to kick my feet up.

Dip dyed cake stand: Okay, I know what you’re thinking.. we all need a cake stand in our office, right?! Haha. Yes, I love using cake stands to add height when decorating. Just like my balboa dining chair, you can totally think outside the box when looking for items for the home and not limit it to just one purpose. I also love using cake stands for my diffusers, for plants, etc.

One thing I have learned over the years is when working with small spaces, functionality and design has to be really thought out. With limited space, you can only fit so much in a space, so it’s great when those functional pieces doubles as decor. So when you choose pieces, choose well! Today I look at this room and I smile, cause those little details I brought in here from Serena and Lily really made this room a space I enjoy to be in!

So to my friends with the “it’s complicated” space, let’s make better use of that space, whatever it is you and your people need, and let’s make it a space you guys enjoy dwelling while you’re at it! 😉

Shop my home office