Places: Organized Workstations at Home

Image via My Growing Home

For many of us, having a room dedicated to working at home is just not an option. And the thought of workstations generally bring to mind images of a somewhat messy corner in a home with a small office desk piled with computers, papers and surrounded by a tangle of cords – or worse.

When Elizabeth from My Growing Home was confronted with the need for a workspace that would provide additional wall storage, she and her husband, Jim, devised a plan to build a custom workstation and shelving unit from scratch. With plywood, paint and a few yards of eye-catching ikat print fabric, they constructed this impressive bookcase with a built-in workstation.

We did some homework and discovered quite a few more innovative and stylish solutions crafty homeowners have come up with to create productive workspaces in places you may not have considered.

Image via Better Homes and Garden

Inexpensive, adjustable shelving systems make it possible for you to seamlessly incorporate workstations into almost any room in your home. Whether it’s in a dining room, a closet, a space under the stairs or even a small corner of the kitchen, don’t let the absence of a spare room be your reason for not having a functional workspace.

Image via a Little Learning For Two

Kids too need a space of their own to hone their creativity and work out ideas. Caz from A Little Learning For Two came up with the brilliant idea of repurposing an old crib into a kid’s workstation. Using MDF board covered with chalkboard paint for the table top and simple hooks and suction cups to provide storage, she gave her little ones the perfect little home office.

Image from Herman Miller via Houzz

Let’s face it: Work will always be a four-letter word. Creating an inspiring space to work with sawhorses, however, might make it a lot easier for you to sit down and get to it. And one of the best things about sawhorse desks (besides being rather chic and industrial) is they have plenty of room underneath to add more functionality to your workstation with custom storage and organization options.

Image via Rusu Ruslan

This colorful maze of shelving and cubbie holes with cubes and bins for storage shows how much you can achieve with a little planning and lots of imagination. You don’t need to be a professional architect and interior designer like Rusa Ruslan to carve out a space where you will feel inspired to do your best work.

See more inspiration and ideas in our Places series here on the Apron Blog.