The latest trend in home offices is the “cloffice,” a petite office that neatly tucks away in underutilized closet space. If you are like most of us, space is always an issue. Some people are fortunate enough to have a designated room where they can just close the door behind them to work. Aside from space issues, we all have areas of our homes that aren’t being used to their fullest potential too.
With strategic use of space and the right furnishings, these mini offices can be pretty valuable real estate. Not to mention totally functional! So find another place for all of that unused junk collecting dust in your closet and upgrade it to a usable space.
Creating a Cloffice
Measure twice
Measuring is probably the most important tip when working in small spaces. Really understanding the dimensions you are working with can help you plan out the best way to maximize the area. For setting up a cloffice, the prerequisites are a computer and desk, a door, storage, a chair, and lighting.
Computer and desk
You might be able to fit a full-size desk without any worry. For others, you might have to be more strategic by using reinforced shelving to serve as a desktop. If you are a DIY type, this might mean creating custom shelving and nooks. For the rest of us, perhaps a trip to a retailer to find the perfect fit. Make sure that your shelf can bear the weight of your computer and other items you plan of putting there. For larger desktop computers, make sure to reinforce the center of the shelf to prevent bowing.
Doors or curtains
To keep your cloffice completely incognito, keep your current closet doors to hide the mess when you are not in the mood to tidy up. Another option can be to replace your closet doors with some fun curtains. Curtains help to create a feeling of warmth, but keep in mind that they also draw attention to the area. So make sure you have an attractive design concept in place for this one. For those who are always neat and clean, removing the doors altogether can really open up not only your cloffice, but the room as a whole.
A chair
Make sure to choose a chair that is fit to scale. Also, take into consideration whether you’d like your chair to neatly tuck away in your cloffice after the doors have been shut. Depth is key in this decision. The deeper the closet space, the larger the chair you will be able to accommodate inside behind closed doors. If you have decided against doors altogether, size is less of an issue. For a no-door cloffice, choose an office chair that is both functional and makes stylistic sense with your chosen decor. Remember, open spaces are also a design feature and attract attention.
Lighting
Lighting is something you cannot be casual about! The cloffice needs to be laden with the right type of lighting. There are plenty of LED lamps that can be set up inside the closet. You can also opt for external lamps like table lamps. Ensure the light is neither too dim nor too bright for your eyes. If the light seems harsh after fitting in the closet, consider using wall lamps. It would be a nice idea to use a dimmed light to illuminate the cloffice when you are not working.
Customize it
The cloffice should not look drab. You can be creative to make your cloffice setup look aesthetic and enticing. There is no fixed formula here. However, it is possible to use contrasting colors to make the inside of the closet look attractive. If painting is not something you like, consider using decals and stickers. As an alternative, consider adorning the inside of the cloffice with pictures of your loved ones.
