7 Steps to Creating a WFH Office in Your Garage or Shed
/We’ve all heard people talking about carving out space in their homes for quality Home Offices. With the pandemic, the little nook under the stairs that held a laptop, a week’s worth of mail, the kid’s coats and a couple amazon packages, no longer sufficed. We all looked to create a more intentional, sustainable space to Work in , while Working from Home.
If you are fortunate enough to have the funds, you can really double down on this new Lifestyle, and create a more robust Office Space in either the Garage or the Shed. This trend is definitely picking up steam, as people look for ultra quiet spaces that are “essentially home”, but distinct from home at the same time.
Here are the Steps you can take to Transform your Garage or Shed into an Inspriing, Creative, Productive space ( with the help of the Pros, of course ! )
Figure Out who is going to work in the space and whether they need a collaborative desk setup, or a singular desk-setup.
Determining who is working there, and HOW they work, is crucial. If you anticipate having colleagues through, you might need to create satellite workspace or a communal desk/table for a causal meeting.
If you plan to work in there while your partner is also working, that might determine how you want to configure the space ( who gets the window view ?!). Considering Layout can help you determine where to place outlets.
2. Run electrical, Insulate, & Consider the flooring.
The garage might be a suitable size,, but the comfort of working in the garage or shed will be determined by proper insulation, which will then require drywalling.
Before you do, have your electrician in to wire for proper lighting and outlets. Likely your garage doesn’t have sufficient overhead lighting and new wiring will need to be done. Prepare your space for a mix of overhead light and cozier task lighting.
Have your drywaller create a finished ceiling, or paint-out an exiting wood ceiling.
Same goes for Flooring. Simply sealing the concrete might be the Modern-Industrial look you love. Conversely, some comfy carpet tile or Laminate Flooring might go a long way to making it feel like a cozier space.
3. Consider Replacing the Garage Doors with Glass Sliders.
Glass Sliding Doors will let in a flood of light ( floor-to-ceiling, in fact !) You can modify with blinds for privacy. Same goes for your Wood Shed Door —- Replace it with a beautiful French door.
You can also substitute Traditional Garage Doors for Ones with Glass or Frosted Glass.
5. Consider Your organizational Needs.
Likely, the garage or shed has nothing more interesting than 4 walls and possibly some makeshift-shelving. You will need to look past that and envision how to organize your storage needs. Will you do built-ins? Floating Shelves? Bookcases? What do you need to store there and how much room will be taken up with “stuff” as opposed to workable space. Working with a custom cabinet-maker can help you make the most efficient use of your space.
6. Think about “Next-Level” Liveability.
Could the space benefit from a little kitchenette? A pull-out bed? ( will it double down the line as an Airbnb or a crash-pad for a returning University student ).
7. Have fun with some Stylish Design Elements
If you are truly going to be spending a large amount of time in there, you will want your new Home Office to feel inspiring and beautiful. Maybe installing some decorative ship-lap makes your desk wall extra special. Maybe a floor-to-ceiling Chalkboard wall brings some fun into the space.
Maybe it’s a little reading chair /nook with a fun print and cozy rug.
Whatever you do, make the space “yours” and not sterile.
