Sian Victoria © - Scandi home office inspiration

How to convert a spare room into a Scandi office space

If you have a spare bedroom that isn’t getting any use and you need a space to get work done – especially with working from home becoming the new norm for a lot of us. Here’s how you can transform an unused space into a functional home office, perfect for designating a specific area for your work.

Finding a space to focus on your work or whatever it is you need to do can be difficult. Working from home can be filled with distractions and you may lack the motivation or inspiration to change your current work environment in your home to one that’s more beneficial to you. But it can be done.

I’ve managed to create a totally functional yet aesthetically pleasing and comforting home office space by making use out of a spare room, that we often called the box room because it’s small and has a box cupboard due to where the stairs are below. Making it a difficult spaciously challenging place to fit a bed in for guests.

So, by following the steps listed below, you’ll be able to do the same too and create the perfect scandi boho room that you’ll be happy to spend your days in.

1. Empty a spare room and take measurements

Before you can even start the transformation process, the space that will be converted into the office needs to be emptied and restored to basics to allow you to take measurements and prepare for the transformation.

By doing this, you can start getting ideas about how much room you’ll have to work with and how to accommodate certain furnishings, for example, how much space you have for a desk and if you can fit a filing cabinet or any storage space in too.

That way you won’t make the wrong purchases like I did, waiting for furniture to arrive, putting it up and then discovering it’s not going to fit into the space you need.

Plus, an empty room makes it much easier to clean, move things around and strip the floors if that’s what you plan to do to refresh your new work environment.

2. Paint the room white to make it appear bigger and more spacious

Now you can start decorating. Strip the walls or paint over any old colour with a simple white shade to create a blank canvas for your soon to be home office. White will give your room the illusion of it being bigger and more open, while also brightening the space.

This will be incredibly beneficial when it comes to working in your home office as it creates a cleaner, more enjoyable environment, which is a necessity when you’ll be working there for long periods of time.

Plus, white paint is a perfect choice as it means you can choose to accessorise and furnish your home office with accents of colour to make the space as inviting as possible.

According to studies, white rooms promote productivity and employee happiness, and white is perfect for emphasising natural light from outside helping to improve mood and relieve stress.

3. Choose the best corner to create a feature wall to add personality and colour

To break up the white paint, a feature wall is a perfect way to create an interesting contrast in a room, with a striking visual impact that makes the overall space even more uplifting.

Experiment with colours and textures and paint and wallpaper to see what suits your space and start getting inspired for what else is to come in the decoration process.

For my feature wall, I used a cork board and filled it with my most precious memories and experiences as well as motivational quotes and little trinkets I’ve collected from my travels. I hung it above my desk so that whenever I was starting to feel unmotivated, I’d look at my mood board and instantly feel much happier.

On the left wall, I also created a gallery wall by hanging picture frames containing photos of nature-inspired images such as ocean waves and lush green forests. By bringing the best of the outdoors indoors it helps to create a zen-like environment.

While on the right side I added narrow vertical shelving to feature plants and other ornaments. As well as a wide mirror that was in the perfect position to transport natural light from the window. Helping the space to feel bigger and brighter.

4. Find the right desk that works best for your needs and available space

A desk is, of course, a staple in any functional office space, so you must choose the right one for the space you’re working with that will also work well when completing work on it.

Depending on the space you have available from the measurements you will have taken earlier on in the design process, you’ll be able to choose the best desk for you. Perhaps a wall-mounted floating desk is best for your home office, allowing you to make the most out of your space by being easily tucked away at the end of the day. Pairing it with a slim iPad wall mount can also enhance your setup, keeping your tablet easily accessible for video calls, note-taking, or task management without cluttering your desk.

Or maybe you need a desk that will provide you with storage space or an L-shaped desk that will easily fit into a corner of your room and not take up any excess space, while also being in easy reach of necessary plug sockets or equipment. Ultimately, there will be a desk that’s design is specifically suited to the space you’re in and the needs you have.

It’s also important to remember that you’ll be working in this space for any number of hours almost every day, and therefore you’ll need a comfortable office chair that encourages a healthy posture while sitting and working for a long period and preventing the risk of RSI or stiffness often caused by hunching over or by using a poor chair.

Make sure you do your research and find what’s best for you. My how to be productive and work from home post may be helpful for this.

5. Utilise space by using savvy storage solutions

As this is a space specifically designed to complete work, storage space is crucial. And there are countless storage options, from cabinets to storage boxes and shelving. If you’re benefitting from a larger space, cupboard space can be utilised, with storage trays, files and boxes being organised within and clearly labelled with name tags to ensure your space is kept as neatly arranged as possible.

I was fortunate that I could turn the box cupboard into the perfect storage solution, especially since it’s the box cupboard that made this an unused room for so long. So, it ended up being the most beneficial aspect when converting this spare room into a home office. To hide my storage cupboard, I hung a white blind over the door for easy access to my thing’s while also allowing it to blend in with the wall.

However, if you’re dealing with a smaller office room, you can maximise the space you’re in by fitting vertical shelving that sits out of the way and holds all your office needs at a height. Maybe you have angled walls in your space? Consider doing some bespoke DIY and adding fixed shelving that’s suited to the design of your room that won’t clutter your room while remaining functional and beneficial to organise your belongings.

You may even encounter an issue with the entrance to your room, such as the door blocking access to your office space, in which case changing the door to open from the other side may be a solution. This is what I had to do, and it made such a difference to make the most out of the space I have. If you’re really limited, then a sliding door may be an option too.

6. Make the space an enjoyable environment with interiors and soft furnishings

Now, here comes the fun part. After the crucial elements of your home office and once your desk space and storage have been implemented, you can let your imagination run free and furnish your office with accessories sure to make your office an enjoyable environment to work in.

Like me, you may fancy creating a board with collages of memorable moments and inspirational quotes to drive your motivation, while simultaneously giving the space its own unique, individualistic touch. Liven up your walls with posters with pops of colour and comforting photographs.

If you’re fortunate to have a somewhat larger space for your home office, you may even fancy including a couch that folds down into a small single bed as I did. Adorned with some cosy soft furnishings such as blankets, throws and cushions, giving you a break from working at your desk to have a moment of relaxation – a necessity when completing work.

The functional couch doubled up as a great way of hiding under-bed storage too and was a nice place for friends, family and work colleagues to sit while popping in to see me as I worked.

Soft furnishings are the perfect way to liven up your office space and to make sure it’s going to be as inviting and comforting as possible.

7. Add green plant life to your working environment

Green plant life is so important when working in a closed environment, for several reasons. Not only will they make your space look even more inviting and aesthetic, but they are scientifically proven to help cleanse the air of carbon dioxide while reducing the likelihood of sickness by improving your wellbeing.

Plus, they’ll help reduce your stress levels by calming your anxiety, which is important as this will become your workspace.

However, choosing what house plants are the best for you is crucial, especially when dealing with a small amount of space. If you’re limited with how much light your room will get, perhaps choose a low light plant like a spider plant or a slow-growing vine that will still give you all the benefits of a plant while thriving in darker conditions.

For inspiration, check out my easy to care for fast-growing houseplants post.

8. Consider lighting and heating solutions

As this is a space where you’ll be completing a variety of work, it’s incredibly important to ensure your lighting levels in the office space are beneficial. With poor light being a cause of eye strain and headaches, you must choose the right lighting.

Perhaps you’ll be fortunate enough to capture natural light during the day in your office space, which will not only help complete work but will also lift the mood and ambience of your workspace. However, this may not be the case for you.

So, to combat this, choose a ceiling light that provides a good level of light, or a desk lamp that will work well in the evenings and ensure you can complete work without strain.

In terms of heating, likely, the room may not have central heating if it is a smaller space. If this is something you encounter, utilise some warm and cosy blankets or consider investing in a portable heater. There are many available on the market and can be purchased for reasonable prices, too.

If working from home is challenging, then you may find my self-care tips for mental wellbeing post helpful too.

To conclude

There we go! Following these steps, you should be able to create a fully functional workspace that’s enjoyable to work in and makes the most out of the space you’re dealing with.

Let me know how you got on in the design process as I’d love to know how you found it and what office spaces you were able to create.

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