Plenty of London homes don’t have a spare room to give over to an office. The desk ends up on the dining table, in a bedroom or on the landing. A built-in home office makes the most of whatever space you do have, whether that’s a full room, an alcove, the area under the eaves in a loft conversion or a deep landing.
The aim is a desk that’s comfortable to sit at, storage that keeps paperwork and equipment off the work surface, and cables that don’t trail across the floor. Here’s how to plan it.
Choosing where it goes
Start with light and noise. A desk near a window is pleasant to work at, but a screen facing straight into bright light can be hard to read. A desk side-on to the window often works better. Think about where you’ll take calls and whether people walking past will be a distraction.
Common spots in London homes include:
- An alcove beside a chimney breast, with a desk at the bottom and shelves above. See alcove units.
- A spare bedroom, sometimes shared with a wall bed so the room still works for guests.
- Under the eaves in a converted loft, with low storage in the knee wall. See storage in a loft conversion.
- Under the stairs or on a landing, where a small desk can fit if access to meters and fuse boards is kept clear.
The desk itself
A comfortable desk is deep enough for your screen and keyboard with room to rest your arms, and wide enough for the way you work. If you use two screens, spread out paperwork, allow more width. The height should suit the chair you’ll use, so bring that chair into the conversation at the design visit.
Long desk tops need support. Birch plywood is strong and suits long spans, and a stiffening lip, a leg or a cupboard underneath stops a long desk from bouncing or sagging over time.
Storage that earns its place
Most home offices need a mix of storage types. Shelves above the desk keep reference books and files in reach. Drawers hold stationery and small items. Deeper cupboards take a printer, a shredder, spare paper or a router. Doors on the lower cupboards let you shut away clutter when the working day ends, which matters if the office is part of a living room or bedroom.
Shelf spans and depths matter here too. Books and files are heavy. Our guide to shelf depths, spans and sag explains how to avoid bowed shelves.
Thinking about fitted furniture? We design, make and fit it across London: we visit, measure and talk through the design, then send a written quote. Arrange a design visit.
Cables, power and equipment
Plan where each cable goes before the furniture is made. Cable openings in the desk top, a channel at the back and space for a power strip under the desk keep things tidy. A printer or router in a cupboard needs some airflow, so leave vents or gaps.
We build the cable routes into the furniture but don’t do electrical work. If you want extra sockets at desk height, ask your electrician to fit them before the furniture goes in, so the openings line up.
Period rooms and awkward spaces
In Victorian and Edwardian houses, walls are rarely flat or square and floors are often out of level. A built-in desk is scribed to the wall and set level, so the work surface is true even when the room isn’t. Picture rails, skirting boards and coving are worked around rather than removed. Our guide to uneven walls and floors explains how.
From design to fitting
We visit, measure the space and talk through how you work. We then send a written quote. The furniture is made in our workshop from moisture-resistant MDF and birch plywood, finished by spray painting or hand painting, and then fitted in your home. You can read more on our home offices page.
Quick answers
Can a home office share a room with a guest bed?
Yes. A wall bed with a desk or shelves around it is a common way to keep a spare room useful for both. See our guide to wall beds.
Can you build a desk under a sloping ceiling?
Often, yes. The desk usually goes where there’s enough head height to sit comfortably, with lower storage tucked into the eaves.
Do you fit sockets or data points?
No. We build openings and routes for cables. New sockets or wiring are for your electrician.
Can the office be closed away when not in use?
Doors on the lower cupboards hide most clutter. Some designs put the whole desk behind doors, which suits a desk in a living room.
Related services
More advice
- Built-in Bookshelves: Depths, Spans and Sag
- Wall Beds Explained: Are They Right for You?
- Storage in a Loft Conversion: Eaves and Slopes
- Alcove Units: A Guide for London Homes
- All advice
This guide is general information about fitted furniture. It isn’t legal, planning or building advice; for those, speak to the council, your landlord or managing agent, or a suitably qualified professional.