His & Hers Home Office + Guest Bedroom Plan

With more people working from home these days, there has never been a better time to rethink your home office decor. Since I’ve been working from home for years both while I was in graduate school and as an influencer, our recent apartments have all had a dedicated office space.

Both Jonathan and I use the home office in our new place, and we’ve been managing with most of our old furniture, but it’s time to convert our makeshift home office into a functional and stylish his and hers home office that can also function as a guest bedroom! Here’s our his and hers home office plan and inspiration.

Home Office Inspo

Image Sources: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

Our Current Home Office

Problem 1 – Finding Space for Two Desks & a Pull Out Couch

Whereas our previous office only had one desk, we now have to fit two desks into the room since Jonathan also works from home. We have a pull out sofa to use when we have visitors, which also has to fit. Whenever I’m trying to move furniture from one room to another, I like to draw things out graphically to make sure everything will fit. Here are some layouts I considered for the his and hers office design plus the sleeper sofa:

After thinking about the potential layouts, I decided that a long conjoined desk would work best, on the wall with the windows. The couch can then go perpendicularly against the other long wall (Layout 1). This way if a guest comes, they can access the couch/bed immediately when entering, but not have the bed be right next to the bathroom (as in Layouts 3 & 4). I’m also considering putting the couch in front of the closets facing the desks (Layout 2) – it feels more loungy that way. Then if someone is staying with us, we can easily move the couch against the wall. Layouts 5 & 6 don’t allow enough room for the couch to open up into a sleeper sofa.

To make the tandem desk situation more cohesive, I got the same tabletop desk that Jonathan has, and we’ll be holding the two desks together using a filing cabinet similar to the popular IKEA Alex, but locally made. This means my current desk has to go somewhere, so I’ll be moving it into our bedroom to use as a vanity.

One worry I do have is that our chairs won’t match. I love having a rolling desk chair, but Jonathan prefers a stationary one. They’re not even the same color! I won’t really know if it’s a deal breaker until everything is setup, but I think if I can add in more masculine/dark brown elements into the room, I might be able to balance everything out.

Problem 2 – Wires Everywhere!

Jonathan’s desk setup is way more involved than mine is, with a desktop computer, two monitors, two keyboards, and a million different cables. Plus he has a bunch of small software parts that can easily get lost. We already purchased this organizer for those small bits and bobs, but for the cables, I’m hoping a shelf below his desk helps to visually declutter, but knowing him, it’ll probably be messy anyway.

Problem 3 – Maximizing Storage While Leaving Space for Guest’s Belongings

This room has two closets as well as a deep alcove with two shelves. These closets have been functioning as our “junk closets” from the move, holding miscellaneous items like extra coats, furniture blankets, sporting equipment, and a humidifier. The alcove also is used for storage, holding our suitcases, all my camera, video, and lighting equipment, surplus artwork, and tools.

I want to reserve one closet for guests, complete with empty hangers and a shoe rack, and better organize the other closet to contain our misc items. I’m planning on fitting the alcove with some storage boxes so we can keep everything there, but just have it more aesthetically pleasing.

I sourced most of the things we don’t already have for the office from IKEA, but I also bought some pieces locally in Kenya. Once the space is done, I’ll be sure to share all the links! I’m hoping to finish everything towards the end of April (fingers crossed our shipment isn’t delayed). I’m considering doing a YouTube timelapse video sharing the transformation, let me know if you would find that interesting!