Looking for Bedroom Office Ideas? How I Made One Room Do Two Jobs

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If you’ve read my other posts, you probably already know how much I love working from home.

But it hasn’t always been easy, especially during the height of the pandemic. In fact, when COVID first began, my sister quarantined with my spouse and me, which meant we were all working remotely from our townhouse rental. It was cramped, but luckily, it was also the catalyst for beginning a business with my sister.

Once quarantine began, every bedroom had to do double duty as both a bedroom and an office (or triple duty, since there were only two bedrooms). So, I started dreaming of what I might do in a house one day. I scoured the internet for bedroom office ideas, and I started to come up with some plans of my own.

Fast forward to now. I’ve since moved out of that rental, we’re obviously no longer quarantining, and I finally have that bedroom/office/place for all my creative supplies.

Today we’ll discuss how I got here and the steps you can take to generate your own bedroom office ideas.

A quick look at my spare bedroom/office.

Step 1. Think of it as a creative space

In the past, a spare room was essentially a dumping ground for all my stuff without a purpose. That was fine then, because I didn’t need that space to be anything other than a guest room. Of course, we’re living in a more remote world now, and rooms have multiple jobs. And if you’re a maximalist like me, it can get overwhelming fast.

So, clear your mind and think less about what function your space has to have, and think about how you want it to feel. Generate bedroom office ideas by thinking creatively: What colors do you like? Do you have a desk? What’s the style or color of the desk? Do you have any furniture that might complement your vision?

From these questions, you can start brainstorming palettes that might work with the room and what miscellaneous items you can use to complete the look.

Here’s the before picture of my bedroom/office:

And here’s the after:

Here’s a view from the other side.

Despite the appeal of an all-netural office, I came in with a palette already in mind: pink, green, mustard, and white. Similar to branding, I have a set of colors I try to stick to when decorating my house. But for specific rooms, I focus on a few individual colors from the broader palette.

Instead of painting the entire room pink, green, or mustard, however, I decided to paint the walls white and pull the colors in using other methods. I knew I wanted to use a specific wallpaper on one wall to create an accent and pull in my chosen colors. I picked the wall you first see when you walk in (I knew this would also serve as a background for the bed). From the wallpaper, I chose a light pink to use on the trim and doors.

A quick note on wallpaper—it can be expensive. Like, really expensive. Doing an accent wall and hanging the wallpaper myself (with the help of my spouse) were a couple ways I cut costs, but a painted accent wall could be just as effective and much more budget-friendly!

Final thoughts on the brainstorming step

As you brainstorm, you might notice this process has less to do with bedroom or office details, and more to do with “vibes.” That’s because you’ll spend a lot of time in this room, and it’s important that you like it!

Step 2. Pull in functional furniture

Obviously, if you have a room that’s working as both a bedroom and an office, you’ll need some basics, like a bed and a desk. But it’s important to think more broadly when you’re coming up with your bedroom office ideas. There are other pieces of furniture that can pull a room together and serve multiple purposes.

When I sleep somewhere, it’s so convenient to have a nightstand for my phone, glasses, etc., but in my office, I don’t really have room for a nightstand. However, I do have a filing cabinet, which works like a nightstand any time I have guests. By placing this furniture next to the bed and plugging in a power strip behind the bed, guests are able to plug in their phones at night, and they have a little side table. (And I still have my functional filing cabinet.)

Another piece of furniture that can make a bedroom feel more cozy is a dresser. In another post, I talked about how I painted my desk to match this chest of drawers, so it was already cohesive with the rest of the office. This is a project I did with paint and a secondhand dresser, which made the project fun and low-cost.

While the dresser contributes to the completeness of the room, it definitely has another job. Each drawer is filled with all the miscellaneous craft supplies I’ve collected over the years—items previously stuffed in closets. Now, I can locate creative supplies in my office, all in one place.

Step 3. Add homey touches

My office was one of the first rooms I decorated, because I spend hours and hours in it each week. I wanted to have a place that felt relaxing and homey. Because even though this is the place where I complete tasks and read emails, it’s also a room where I need to feel zen.

Here are a few homey touches that really added to my spare bedroom/office:

Window treatments

When you’re thinking of bedroom office ideas, don’t forget the window treatments! One of the first things I bought were shades for the window, since I knew the room would be doubling as a spare bedroom, and guests need privacy. Since shades and blinds are expensive, I bought temporary paper shades.

I actually really like these because they’re budget-friendly, require no power tools (they stick on with adhesive backing), and they let in filtered light. This is great for my plants, which need a healthy dose of indirect sun.

I also added a brass curtain rod and a curtain from Etsy to give the room a larger, more finished look. Because I have the shade, I don’t really need privacy curtains, so I bought something that further filters the light. Hanging a long curtain high made the ceilings look taller and helped to add some visual variation.

Plants

Plants are surprisingly controversial. Some people have green thumbs; others are plant killers. Some people just plain hate plants because of the pests and maintenance. (Kinda gross, but these sticky traps have been helping me with my plant gnats lately.)

For plant killers and/or haters, artificial plants can be a great alternative. While I have a few real plants in my office, I also have a hanging plant that is completely fake. It will never need to be pruned or watered, and it adds some visual variety to the space.

For people who like plants, I have low-maintenance ones: two different types of pothos and a succulent. The succulent needs a lot of light, so I keep it in the window, and the pothos are content with some indirect light and infrequent watering.

Finishing touches

For finishing touches to my spare bedroom/office, I included items I use each week. I keep pens and a pair of scissors in a vase on my desk for easy access; I keep tape, measuring tape, stamps, envelopes, and cards in my desk drawer. I have a trash can nearby, as well as a physical calendar, so I can stay organized and tidy(ish). And of course, I keep coasters around for my many beverages throughout the day.

I also picked up a rug from Etsy for the space. I went with something smaller and round, which is a budget-friendly way to purchase a rug for a room.

This is also helpful because it comes in handy for my stationary bike, which I keep in my office. If I do have guests, I simply fold it up and put it away. Otherwise, it stays in my office and reminds me to get up and move every once in a while.

Conclusion

Sometimes rooms have to serve multiple purposes, and that’s okay! That doesn’t mean you can’t get creative and add personality to your space. If you’re feeling lost on your own bedroom office ideas, I hope this post helps you get inspired.

And if you’re looking for creative inspiration for your brand, our company can help you build color palettes, create logos, and outline a visual plan for your business. Best of all, your first consultation is always free. Interested in learning more? Contact us here.