As part of her new series, Make My Space Work, Alexandra took on the challenge of transforming this bleak, makeshift workspace into a bright, organized home office for less than $800. Watch the entire process (you won’t want to miss Kyle’s reaction!). Then, keep reading for Alexandra’s wallet-friendly recommendations to update your home office.
Before
Before the budget reno, Kyle’s office had textured red walls and ancient carpeting. There also was a lot of unnecessary office clutter taking up floor space.
After
Alexandra’s brilliant plan? Lighten the space with white paint, install an affordable fix for the floor, and add personalized decor that fits Kyle’s industrial-inspired aesthetic. Despite the tight budget, Alexandra got creative and was able to completely make over the room from top to bottom, including ripping up the old carpeting and replacing the outdated light fixtures.
Tips to Update a Home Office
No matter if your own home decor style is modern farmhouse, urban, or bohemian, here are five low-cost, high-impact ways to create your dream home office.
Use Paint to Open up the Space
Before the transformation, the home office felt dark and cramped, despite having a relatively large window with an amazing view. Alexandra’s solution: Grab some white paint to lighten up the room and make it feel larger. Her go-to white paint color? Simply White, by Benjamin Moore. “It’s a crisp white without feeling too stark.” For $50 or less, a gallon of paint will give the impression that your office gained square footage (and an extra window).
Personalize the Office
It’s your home office, so let it reflect your work, style, and interests. To match Kyle’s company, Alexandra introduced brewery-inspired details, like DIY industry shelving and on-theme artwork. In your own office, try pulling in decorative accents that will remind you of your mission to help keep you motivated.
Rethink the Flooring
Perhaps the biggest eyesore in Kyle’s old office (besides the mountain of clutter) was the outdated carpet. Alexandra knew that ripping up the old carpet had to be on the top of her to-do list. “Sounds like a major reno is involved, right? Wrong! I used renter-friendly ‘hardwood’ flooring to replace the old, beat-up carpet in Kyle’s home office,” she explains. She used a faux-wood vinyl sheet from Home Depot, which can be trimmed to size and is heavy enough to stay in place, even without adhesive. If you’re willing to invest a little more time in the DIY process, opt for vinyl click flooring. It looks a little more realistic than the sheet version but will require laying down individual planks and cutting them to size.
Add Houseplants
While we often think of adding plants to our living room or kitchen, many of us forget to add greenery to the spaces only we see (and don’t typically show off to guests), like the home office. But adding plants to this space gives it life and energy, making it feel like a more creative space. In Kyle’s office, Alexandra added one big standing plant and a clever wall-hanging succulent garden. Depending on where you have room in your own home office, you can suspend a hanging plant from the ceiling, set one on an elevated plant stand, or place smaller plants along the windowsill. Try some low-maintenance houseplants if your home office lacks daylight.
Upgrade the Standard Office Essentials
“This is where it gets fun! Now it’s time to add in all those finishing touches that will keep your space looking stylish and you productive,” Alexandra says. The key: Skip the standard desk chairs and filing cabinets and look for more elevated alternatives, like a stylish and comfortable desk chair or a sleek filing cabinet made of wood. In Kyle’s office, Alexandra opted for a forest green velvet chair, rather than a black desk chair. This furniture change-up is also an easy way to introduce splashes of color into the room, especially if you go with white walls.
