There can be few households that won’t benefit from a quiet and organised work space, which accounts for the popularity of the loft conversion office.
Loft conversions come in all shapes and sizes, from those that utilise existing roof space, to structures that raise the roofline – but whatever style you are working with, do consider using it for a home office.
It isn’t as simple as just placing a desk and chair in the space though – careful thought is needed here, from the layout to the lighting and furniture. Our tips explain how to get your home working set-up spot on.
Is a loft conversion office a good idea?
A loft conversion makes the perfect location for all kinds of home office design ideas – for many reasons.
Its location, right at the top of the house and away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, means less disturbances and distraction. But many people also like the idea of being able to leave work behind at the end of the day too.
“We are finding people are looking to create a work place away from the family environment, so working from home within the loft can be the answer,” says Ian Garner, project coordinator of Absolute Lofts. “Also, you can just shut the door when finished and forget about work.”
1. Design your layout with natural light in mind
Loft conversions tend to be very well lit spaces thanks to the use of skylights, vertical windows in the case of some types of loft conversions, and even full height doors. In any home office, the placement of furniture needs to be decided with any natural light sources in mind.
“For your desk, if possible, position this near to a window to take advantage of the natural light,” advises interior designer Claire Garner of Claire Garner Design Studio. “This will help to enhance your mood and reduce eye strain.”
While a desk close to a window is a good idea, do be careful with where the light will fall in relation to your computer screen positioning. You don’t want to sit with a window behind you as this will cause glare on the screen – similarly, placing your monitor or laptop directly beneath a roof light could cause the same problem. Ideally, you want to sit with a window to the side of you.
Take care with the positioning of any screens in your home office to avoid issues with screen glare(Image credit: Claire Garner Design Studio. Photography: Lyndsey Abercromby)
Claire Garner
Claire has over 15 years’ experience in the interior design industry, and over a decade running her own interior design studio. She believes in designing spaces which are tailored just for you, by getting a full understanding of how you live your life, and how you want your home to feel.
2. Plan storage in early on
Too often storage gets left as an afterthought, but in a loft conversion in particular there are so many reasons to get in early when planning this aspect of the space. This is because many loft storage ideas are built-in, meaning they should be discussed from the outset of the project with your designer.
Of course, in when it comes to home office design, there are also other ways to ensure there is a place for everything.
“Storage is hugely important in a home office so try to incorporate solutions such as built-in shelving, filing cabinets, and multi-functional furniture like desks with drawers,” advises Claire Garner. “This will help to keep your workspace organised and clutter-free, which all prevents distractions from your work. For smaller items, there are many beautiful stylish storage boxes and baskets available which will help to maintain a tidy working area.”
“Beautifully designed media units, clever cupboards and a well-placed filing system will keep everything organised, ensuring your workspace stays calm and inspiring rather than chaotic,” adds Kate Palmer, creative director at The Painted Furniture Company.
Kate Palmer
Kate Palmer is the creative director at The Painted Furniture Company. With a background in fashion design and passion for colour and interiors, Kate has helped many customers to achieve the exact look they desired for their home.
Shop home office storage
Booxihome Wooden Desk Organiser
Keep desk clutter under control with this easy-to-assemble wooden organiser, which features four shelves for all your work essentials.
Dillow 10 Piece Floating Shelf
Free up desk space by incorporating some wall-mounted shelving. This handy shelf is sturdy enough to hold all manner of office items.
Perfect for holding everything from folders and files to paper and books, this stylish storage box will also add a nice decorative touch.
3. Design the space to cater for daily needs
If you plan on using your loft conversion as a space that you will be spending a lot of time in, or even as a bedroom or guest suite, you are going to want to look into the ins and outs of loft conversion bathrooms. Without providing facilities, you are going to find yourself traipsing up and down the stairs each time nature calls.
Likewise, in a home office loft conversion, you need lots of electrical sockets and to think through their positioning really carefully – and it isn’t just computers, printers and so on that you will need to provide for.
It really does make life easier if you plan in a little area to act as a kitchen, with sockets for a kettle and/or coffee maker and even for a mini fridge.
If you have the space, including a bathroom or at the very least a shower room or toilet in your home office loft conversion will make life easier(Image credit: Veldeau)
4. Take steps to ensure a comfortable environment
Providing you have had your loft professionally converted, the insulation in your loft should be up to scratch, meaning it shouldn’t feel icy cold up there in winter. However, it still pays to ensure you have adequate heating in a space that you will be sitting still in for long periods.
Along with ensuring you are choosing radiators with the correct heat output for the space, you will also need to plan out their proportions to ensure they will fit under any sloping areas of the ceiling.
In addition to heating, you also want to think cooling – while fitting roof windows with blinds to avoid overheating is a great idea, there are other methods to consider too.
“We would advise installing air conditioning due to the heat from computers and so on,” says Ian Garner. “We also sometimes suggest fitting windows with heat resistant glass.”
This home office loft conversion, by Absolute Lofts, features both a stylish column radiator as well as an air conditioning unit meaning it is comfortable all year round(Image credit: Absolute Lofts)
5. Consider built-in furniture options
It can be hard to find just the right pieces of furniture for loft conversions due to their often sloping ceilings – meaning built-in options, or custom-made items, can make better use of the space. This tends to be all the more important for those after small loft conversion ideas.
“If your loft has sloping ceilings, bespoke furniture can be a game-changer, making the most of every inch while keeping the space feeling open and uncluttered,” agrees Kate Palmer.
Alongside built-in storage and furniture, don’t forget other home office essentials to make your work life more enjoyable.
“Take some time to research chairs and opt for a comfortable, ergonomically designed chair to support long working hours,” advises Claire Garner.
Built-in home office storage can be the best way to make the most of the space in a loft conversion(Image credit: Sharps)
6. Design it as a multipurpose space
While having a dedicated home office area in your loft conversion is a nice idea, for many people, it will be necessary to design the space in way that makes it possible to use it for other things – thankfully there are plenty of office spare room ideas out there.
“If you’d like your loft office to double as a guest bedroom, it’s all about flexibility,” explains Kate Palmer. “Opt for furniture that works hard, perhaps a clever hideaway desk, bespoke storage that keeps both office essentials and guest bedding neatly tucked away, or a desk that can also serve as a dressing table.”
Claire Garner has more advice on how to design a loft conversion home office that doubles as a guest bedroom.
“Start by selecting a specific corner or wall to dedicate to the office, using multifunctional or compact furniture like a wall-mounted or foldable desk and a slim chair, to maximise the space available,” says Claire. “Try to make the most of vertical space with shelves or wall organisers which will help to keep the area tidy and free up desk space.
“To visually separate the work area, it’s a good idea to incorporate room dividers or curtains, as this will help to mentally distinguish between work and leisure,” adds Claire.
7. Plan your loft conversion lighting scheme carefully
A well-planned lighting scheme, tailored to the role of a room, is always important, but in the case of loft conversion home offices it is even more crucial if you want to avoid dark corners that make it hard to get work done.
“Lighting is important in any work setting so take time to ensure you have adequate lighting with a focused desk lamp to avoid eye strain,” says Claire Garner.
As with most rooms in the house, taking a layered approach to the lighting design in this space is best, combining background, task and accent lighting. However, task lighting needs to be your main priority in a home office.
For background lighting, recessed downlighters tend to work well as they are easy to install into sloping ceilings and take up no headroom. Task lighting in the form of floor and adjustable table lamps on desks are ideal. For a decorative flourish, consider concealed LED lighting to highlight any areas of interest.
8. Be sure to personalise the space
Just because you are creating a space for working in, don’t forget that you can really increase productivity and your enjoyment of your daily tasks through some thoughtful design touches.
“Have fun personalising your space with decorative elements like artwork, plants, or a statement rug,” suggests Claire Garner. “Balancing style with practicality will ensure you end up with a home office which is both practical and an enjoyable place to work.
“Adding in personal and inspiring decor, such as a motivating vision board will make the office space inviting and stimulating without overwhelming the room’s primary function.”
Explore some modern home office ideas that bring a little joy to the space too – in terms of colours, warming, cheerful yellows and energising blues work really well.
Hanging artwork and including some favourite decorative objects will help to personalise the space(Image credit: The Painted Furniture Company)
FAQs
Will a loft conversion office add value to my home?
Any well-designed loft conversion has the potential to add value to a house, but a space that will provide somewhere to work quietly from home is a very attractive prospect for most buyers.
According to Absolute Lofts, if you bring in some ensuite bathroom ideas into your home office space, you could add up to 20% to your home’s value.
While loft conversions can make brilliant work-from-home spots, don’t forget to look into garden office ideas too – they are a brilliant idea for creating separation between home and work life.
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