My bedroom and home office need to break-up as I can’t sleep
Due to a current lack of space, my home office and bedroom are cohabiting in the same space and they’re fast falling out of love with each other. It may make the commute pretty quick, but therein lies the problem.
While the room is large enough for desk to live on one side of the room, and my bed on the other, it’s a 24/7 relationship and one that’s beginning to jar.
As breaking-up isn’t an option, I’ve been eyeing up ideas to help zone the room, or screen off one space from another. As I’m selling my flat, I also don’t want to build a wall. So, if you find yourself in a similar love-hate relationship as me, here’s what I’m considering to turn my domestic disaster into domestic bliss.
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1. An easy fast-fix with a moveable screen
If you’re looking for a less permanent bedroom divider idea that doesn’t involve any construction or decoration, the easiest solution has to be a room divider screen.
Readily available from a variety of online and in-person stores, such as IKEA and Wayfair, finding one is relatively easy. All you need to do is know how big it needs to be, and the style or design you want.
Think about whether you want it to block out the view of your home office set-up entirely, or if it’s more a disguise than a total block. But, do take into account light and ventilation. It might be that the screen is better placed by your bed than the desk for example if you’re close to a window, so that you don’t diminish natural daylight when working.
As my bedroom has cream distressed wooden furniture in it, I’ve bookmarked this Vidaxl Hand Carved 3-panel Room Divider from B&Q as a potential purchase for my room, but there are plenty of other options available to suit your own bedroom decor.
2. This permanent-looking solution is still temporary
Another idea on my wish list which might work if you’re searching for a solution that looks permanent, but can still be moved if you change your room layout, are these divider posts from Amazon.
Although they give the appearance of being a constructed room divider, they are temporary and have adjustable aluminium feet on the bottom to ensure the posts can be lodged tightly between floor and ceiling.
Available starting in packs of four, you can choose a larger pack size, or multiple quantities of to suit your bedroom. They’d also be a great way of zoning a dining room from the kitchen if you’re weighing up a broken plan vs open plan kitchen extension scheme. Or, if your front door opened straight into a living room, you could use them to create a small hallway idea that causes minimal light disruption.
3. A curtained room within a room
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One option that’s sitting towards the top of my list is the idea of finding a way to disguise my bed, rather than my desk. While seeing the desk at night isn’t overly conducive to sleep, neither is having my bed blurred out in the background ideal for video calls.
There also isn’t enough room to build a new stud wall with a door, so whatever idea I choose needs to be less permanent, and one that doesn’t include construction.
Instead, I’ve seen a number of curtain ideas that seem more suitable, and appealing. Perhaps it’s because they make me think of a bedroom in a warm and sunny climate, as opposed to wet and windy Wales.
Either way, with options such as mounting these ceiling curtain tracks from IKEA and curving them around the bed, as shown in the second image, to the Umbra Anywhere Curtain Rod & Divider shown first, it’s certainly a solution that I think could work well in any bedroom that needs clever zoning.
4. Replace my office furniture for hidden alternatives
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Although I work from home on a full-time basis, my job doesn’t really require many tools. Just a desk, chair, laptop, notebook, pen and desk lamp when you break it down to the basics. Some home office storage is helpful to store copies of the Homebuilding & Renovating magazine and spare stationery, but that’s as much as I need.
So, while I have a large desk, the reality is I could do my job in less space if I needed to. This has led me to research some hideaway desk alternatives, and while this may prove to be a more expensive option, it’s again not permanent so could also move with me when I next relocate. If you buy well, it could also end up being suitable for an alcove idea, or even find a new life as a homework station in a kitchen.
While I’ve included this Darla hideway desk from La Redoute, to illustrate the look, I also have the two desks below from Dunelm saved to my favourites as well.
Find yourself needing to relocate your home office rather than screen it? Take a look at these home office on landing ideas if you have wasted space that could be put to better use. Or, if you’re keen to move out completely, then these garden office ideas are well worth considering.