Office-in-a-cupboard

I have a cupboard in my living room.

It is just about big enough for a small office which is becoming increasingly important - my back and eyes are not enjoying sitting at the kitchen table much.

Here's the dimensions and proposed layout

The box shape is a filing cabinet that needs to live in there.

At the moment I have an ikea desk crammed in there but it isn't pretty. The walls are also very rough from where the old wardrobe type thing was in there.

Stage one of prep is to get some power and lighting sorted - I've been running an unsightly power and ethernet cable in there from a socket in the living room and relying on ambient light from my monitor which is also not great.

I'll be getting a sparky to install some power sockets (luckily we have a sub floor) and I have an IKEA float light panel which I'm hoping can provide some adjustable lighting depending on the time of day. Ceiling is probably best place for this - anyone used one?

After that I'll be putting some wallpaper up - something darkish to hide the imperfections as I really can't be fucked sanding and filling the whole thing

After that I want a nice slab of wood (maybe oak) for the desk, and some peg board for the wall above the desk (inspo below)

I'm keen to make it a floating desk style with no legs given space constraints. Anyone done something like that before?

floating work top should be easy enough as it’s in an alcove and you can brace from the sides as well. think of it more like a big shelf.

Sounds like a great office project, not worried you’d be claustrophobic in the cupboard?

Dark wallpaper might make it a bit gloomy?
Probably wouldn’t bother me as I did a computer science degree...

What's the wall like between the cupboard and adjoining room? I'd be tempted to look at making the cupboard more of an alcove with a desk along the long wall.

I looked into that and apparently it is a supporting wall otherwise I'd totally agree.

Here's what it looks like (blue was proposed area to knock through, orange being the total size) the other side

It definitely has the potential for gloominess @Acliff im hoping the light panel plus maybe a SAD lamp will be combat that sufficiently

great wanking potential

Interior design porn thread >>>>>

Bonus points if it is a hidden bookcase door

Just ordered a 4k monitor - think of all those thicc excel sheets I could be displaying

Would make sense to flip the door so it hinges the other way? Can do a pocket door as it’s a solid wall.

Glazed/frosted door would let in more light, but might look odd from the living room.

Pros have at least three, for multitasking different genres of spreadsheets.
While watching the Giro.

Def want to get lighting right and back gound if on a lot of conference calls

Green screen so that you can put on some funky backgrounds?

Tbf most people at my work just use voice calls but video calls can happen. Good point though, I hadn't thought about that

Lolololol. Would #Rep, Hard.

I recommend a SAD lamp - Completely changes the feel of my, admittedly larger, home office.. also looks well pro for zoom calls..

I would defo have the wall behind you green screen.. so much opportunity for epic lols.

Could you live with a stool of some sort .. ergo office stool rather than a proper office chair. Could make the space a bit easier for entry/exit.

good tips, both. What lamp are you using?

This might not fit with floating desk dreams but I would recommend an electric standing desk. I moved recently and bought a frame (Flexispot E5) and found some wood on the street for the top. It's my first time having one—it's been absolutely brilliant so far and I can change the top when I fancy.

:win: wankbunker

what 4K monitor did you go for?

Samsung LU28E570 28" UHD 4K Monitor - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01LZ882YU/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

except the price has gone back up, i got it at £180

Good project this. I can't offer any useful advice other than echoing the standing desk suggestion, but my property whizz other half just worked out you were in Glasgow by looking at your cornicing.

Which is a bit scary.

I would recommend a stool as well, you can even go pretty uptown for not much money (compared to an ergo office chair of repute). Emeco, Wegner, Jacobsen, Vitra, Saarinen, Knoll all the usual suspects.

Woah, that's quite impressive tbh - they are right obviously! Blonde sandstone tenement, built approx 1898.

Will check those out @withered_preacher thanks

thanks ! I need to buy one for work but not sure whether to go for 4K (can my work PC even drive it); ultrawide (do I even need that much real estate); or just a bog standard monitor (is this a wasted opportunity)... mmmmm