An office in a hall cupboard

When Sofia started working from home, there was no room for a desk. So she turned a hall cupboard, 90 centimetres wide and 60 deep, into a small office that closes at the end of the day. People call it a "cloffice", and it changed how she works.

Why a cupboard

A small flat often has no spare room, but it usually has a cupboard full of things nobody uses. Sofia emptied hers, gave away half of what was in it and found the other half a home elsewhere. The cupboard became the only place in the flat that was just for work.

The best part is the doors. "At six o'clock I close them, and the office disappears," she says. "It is the commute I do not have."

The build

1. Empty and paint. The inside of the cupboard was painted a warm white, so it reflects as much light as possible.
2. Desk. An oak board, 75 centimetres from the floor, resting on battens screwed to the side walls.
3. Shelves. Two narrow shelves above the desk, for files, a few books and a plant.
4. Power. An electrician added a socket inside the cupboard, so no cables run across the hall.
5. Light. A small LED strip under the top shelf, and a clamp lamp for evenings.

I did not need a big office. I needed a place where work could stay when I stopped.

Sofia

The details

The chair is a simple wooden one that slides under the desk when the doors are closed. A pinboard on the inside of one door holds notes and a calendar. Cables are clipped under the desk, out of sight.

The budget

Is it comfortable?

For a full working day, a cupboard office is smaller than ideal. Sofia uses it for focused work and takes calls on the sofa. The key is good posture: the desk is at the right height, the screen sits on a small riser, and she stands up every hour.