Meet the ‘Cloffice’: The Compact WFH Space
Desktop in need of a reboot? If you’re tired of eyeing your laptop, scattered pens and used coffee mug on your dining table once you’ve logged off, here’s a solution. Meet the ‘cloffice’: the perfect home set-up if you’re short on space or just want to separate business from leisure.
What Is a ‘Cloffice’?
In its simplest form, a cloffice is the combination of a closet and an office that packs in the hard-working elements of a home office into an underused space. They can be anything from a custom-fit desk and shelving unit inside your old linen closet to a grand walk-in or subtle nook behind a stylish screen. A clever solution for those who are tired (and physically sore) from working on a sofa or unsupportive dining chair for the best part of a year.
The beauty of a cloffice is that just about any home, whether it’s a sprawling detached, city apartment or cosy cottage, can get in on the trend. Before you go raiding and ripping out the coat closet, there’s a few things to consider, such as traffic (you don’t want to be distracted by the rest of the household moving behind you all day) and space. Try searching ‘cloffice’ on Pinterest for thousands of design ideas, you’ll quickly see just how easy it is to set up your own.
No closet space? Not a problem. Room dividers such as well-placed chairs, screens or bookcases can instantly create a compact space for you to toil away on your main hustle away from the rest of the household. If your home is open plan, creating a nook using something like a divider or bookcase will ensure your work is hidden once you’re off the clock.
Want to make your own? Here’s our top tips for building a cloffice:
- Take advantage of the space - the whole point of a cloffice is how compact it is, so you’ll only need to fit the essentials - a desktop surface, smart storage and a chair or stool that can slot inside
- A practical working space starts with a surface so you should give as much space as possible to this
- To ensure your cloffice door can be closed once the 9-5 is over choose a chair that can be folded down or can slide inside comfortably
- Floating shelves lining the wall to the ceiling will provide plenty of storage space for your office essentials, consider boxes and baskets to keep everything in order too
- You should enjoy being in your cloffice so decorate it in patterns and colours you love. Add framed prints or inspirational quotes to give yourself a little motivation too
- Good lighting is essential for a productive workspace so lamps are a must for brightening up dark closets