In the age of remote and hybrid working, home offices have become an essential. But for some families buying a new home, cordoning off an entire room for a home office just isn’t feasible.
About 52% of Americans say they’re hybrid workers and 27% are exclusively remote. And don’t forget about kids who need study pods and focus areas, too. It’s safe to say, parents and children alike do not want to stare at their workspace across the living room after 5 p.m., eat at the dinner table next to a mountain of paperwork, or doze off in their bedrooms with their desktop in view. Even if you have a dedicated office in your home, the need for a secondary desk space comes up more often than you’d think.
Homeowners have unlocked creative ways to sneak a workspace into new home design – without sacrificing style or square footage. If you’re building a home from scratch, you can work with your builder to make these unique, inconspicuous office designs come to life as your home is being built.
Here’s a look at some of the options you have for building a discreet, dedicated workspace that will work in even the coziest homes, and a few inspo links to get you started.
1. Closet Office or the “Cloffice”
This viral TikTok home office idea has serious merit: Scroll through the app and you’ll discover dozens of examples of homeowners who converted a spare closet into a mini office.
How to achieve it: In the closet proper, install a desk with enough room for two monitors, shelves, lighting, and power sockets. Your chair fits in the doorway of the closet; a chair that fits or folds under the desk (like this one) is a great alternative for storage at the end of the day. After the workday, simply shut the doors and your home office is out of sight and out of mind. If you coordinate it to match the rest of the room (like this one), it’ll blend seamlessly.
These “cloffices” can work with just about any kind of closet in the home, as long as you have enough space to get your workstation (like this home business) set up.
New home tip: Ask your builder to wire an extra closet or two with electrical outlets and lighting to future-proof it as a cloffice.
2. Built-In Murphy Bed with Desk
How often do you have guests staying over? If it isn’t a regular occurrence, your guest bedroom can do double duty as a dedicated home office by including a Murphy bed into the room’s floorplans.
By day, the room is a fully-kitted home office. By night, pull down the Murphy bed and the room’s ready for overnighters.
You can even have your builder design a Murphy bed with a built-in desk on the other side.
New home tip: Choose a floorplan with a flex room and make a Murphy bed/desk combo part of your built-in package. The room can be a chameleon of sorts, shapeshifting to your needs between office, guest room, and beyond.
3. Armoire Office
Another TikTok favorite, homeowners on the app are showcasing armoire offices – home offices that are housed within vintage cabinets or modern built-in armoires and wardrobes, like this one.
Open the wardrobe doors and you’ll find a computer, keyboard tray, home office supplies, and even bookshelves or other electronics. Close the wardrobe doors and voila – it looks like a regular cabinet.
It’s another clever way to hide one – or more – home office spaces in plain sight.
New home tip: Ask your builder for a custom cabinet solution that blends in with your room for a seamless look, and request extra outlets in those spaces for your monitor, laptop, lamps, and more.
4. Under the Stairs
Often overlooked or used as a catchall space for storage, the space under your staircase is prime real estate for a small workstation. You can make it an enclosed study space for your kids, or a quiet nook for Zoom calls and work, depending on the size.
It’s a matter of adding in a built-in desk, floating shelves, and good lighting. If it’s next to the kitchen or living room, add some soundproofing.
New home tip: If your floorplan includes a staircase, ask your builder if they can finish the under-stair area as a compact office nook by including cabinetry in the upper part, an outlet or two, a vent to keep it climate controlled, and a dedicated light.
5. Fold-Out Desk in a Window Seat
Everyone loves a home office with a view and natural lighting. Why not make use of your big bay windows in the living room or in your primary suite and install a fold-out desk?
It’s a matter of installing a desk that’s hidden either flush against the wall or enclosed within in. Simply pull out the table, secure it, and you’ve got a workspace for the day.
It’s perfect for working with a view – and tucking everything away when guests come over.
New home tip: Custom woodwork during the build is the easiest way to integrate this feature seamlessly without buying after-market items you’ll have to build yourself. If you’re curious about this idea, talk to your builder about options to work this into your home’s floorplan.
6. Bookcase Wall with a Secret Office
Another quirky but cool option is to design a wall of bookshelves that swing open or part ways to reveal a hidden office. It’s a high-impact feature that’s also incredibly functional.
When not in use, the bookshelves are sleek, discreet, and compact. Swivel them around or expand them and suddenly you’ve got a home office ready for the workday.
New home tip: Work with your builder to create a “secret” study behind a pivoting bookcase wall. It’s a cool, conversation-starting upgrade.
The bottom line: Ultimately, a dedicated home office doesn’t have to be a full room – it just has to fit seamlessly into the parameters of your home.
Hidden offices make it easier to maintain boundaries between work and home, while maximizing every inch of space even with limited space.
Carmen Chai
Carmen Chai is an award-winning Canadian journalist who has lived and reported from major cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, London and Paris. For NewHomeSource, Carmen covers a variety of topics, including insurance, mortgages, and more.