Moving my home office into my backyard was just the first step in a long journey. Sure I had more privacy, but what about space issues?
Let’s face it — a shed converted into a home office isn’t very big. Not compared to most rooms inside your home.
So just how do you make your small backyard office feel bigger and how do you maximize the space available to you?
The key to making your small backyard office feel bigger is choosing the right furniture, clearing away the clutter, choosing the right decor and using natural light to expand your space.
Here are 15 ideas to help you transform your workspace.
15 Ideas to Help You Make the Most of Your Limited Remote Work Space
1| Use Lighter Colors to Make Your Small Backyard Office Feel Bigger
Lighter colors are more vibrant and they make your space feel bigger. There’s also a bit of science behind why they make a room look bigger.
These types of colors reflect light better making your small space feel brighter. That doesn’t mean you have to paint your walls a boring basic white. There are some great neutral colors that have the same effect while still injecting a bit of personality.
2| Choose No more than 1 or 2 colors to Make Your Small Backyard Office Feel Bigger
If you love lots of colors when decorating your home you might be tempted to apply the same principles in your small shed office. Staying with just 1 or 2 colors is probably the better approach in this case.
The uniformity you achieve when you avoid too many color changes can help you achieve that open and airy feel you’re going for. For the best results, keep your color scheme simple and light.
3| Add Flowers and Plants to Your Garden Office for Contrast
Instead of adding more color to your decor, try adding a plant or flowers for a bit of contrast and to make your space feel more natural. A couple of small plants can add character and life to your space without overwhelming it.
You might even want to consider hanging plants in corners so they’re not taking up any desk or counter space. It’s best to keep it to one or two though, as too many plants can overwhelm your space and make it feel smaller, not bigger.
4| Floating Shelves and Storage Cabinets Free Up Floor Space and Make Your Small Backyard Office Feel Bigger
I found my office furniture was swallowing up all of my floor space and making my space close in on me. The challenge was figuring out what to do about that without losing the storage space I needed in my office.
After a bit of research I settled on floating shelves and storage cabinets. By lifting my storage off the floor it made the room look much bigger.
If your office is in a prefab resin shed this may be a bit more of a challenge. There isn’t anything to attach floating shelves to with this kind of set up.
In this case you may want to build shelving with thin supports that blend into the walls. You’ll still have tons of open space underneath to help create the appearance of a bigger office.
5| Mirrors Can Also Help to Make Your Small Backyard Office Feel Bigger
While I’m not suggesting you create a hall of mirrors, having at least one strategically placed in your office can go a long way.
By placing a mirror in a spot that reflects more of the natural light from your windows into your home office you can make it look a lot bigger than it is. Mirrors are a great way to capture light, spread it around a room and brighten your mood.
Working at home by yourself can be lonely so any thing you can do to bring some positivity to your deay is a good thing.
6| Choose Blinds Instead of Curtains to Make Your Small Backyard Office Feel Bigger
Curtains can be beautiful, but they also take up room and block more light. Blinds are the better option.
With a blind you can roll it up out of the way and let in a ton of natural light through your windows. They’re usually made of more reflective materials as well. Curtains tend to absorb more light which will make your space feel gloomy.
7| Keep Clutter Away from Windows to Make Your Small Backyard Office Feel Bigger
Curtains aren’t the only thing that can block light from your windows. If you want your small office space to feel bigger it’s best to make sure nothing is blocking the light from your windows brightening up the space.
8| Keep Your Office floor space open to Make Your Small Backyard Office Feel Bigger
While it might be tempting to add an extra work table or other type of furniture in the middle of your office floor, it’s not a good idea if you don’t want it to appear cluttered.
Keeping the middle of your office open will help to make your small working area feel bigger. You’ll also find it easier to move around.
9| Opt for a Smaller Desk to Make Your Small Backyard Office Feel Bigger
My favorite desk was a large L-shaped behemoth with large cabinets and lots of workspace. I loved that desk, but it wasn’t practical.
It took up a ton of space and if I’m being honest I never used more than a third of it for my daily work. One of the best decisions I ever made for my work from home setup was replacing it with a smaller more practical piece of furniture.
If you want to make your small backyard office feel bigger don’t pick a desk that’s more than you need for daily tasks. This will leave you with a lot more open area in your room and you won’t feel like the walls are closing in on you.
10| Consider a Standing Desk to Make Your Small Backyard Office Feel Bigger
As an alternative you might also want to consider a standing desk. They tend to take up less floor space and they’re usually wide open at the back giving your office the appearance of being much larger.
11| Keep Your Desk free from Clutter to Make Your Small Backyard Office Feel Bigger
There’s nothing that will make a space feel smaller than it is than clutter. Keep your space free of anything that isn’t needed for your work and store anything you can out of sight for when you really need it.
12| Choose a Chair With No Arms or Folding Arms
It might seem like a small thing, but the chair you choose for your work from home space can also make a difference.
Replacing your bulky office chair with a chair with no arms or arms that can fold up when not in use allows you to slide the chair under the desk when not in use. This leaves your floor space open and can help to make your space feel bigger.
13| Simple Furniture Choices Will Make Your Small Backyard Office Feel Bigger
Simple modern furniture that matches in style makes your room look more uniform and it helps furniture to blend into the background.
If you don’t need extra storage beyond the floating shelves on your walls don’t add it. If it’s something you need for your work add it sparingly and choose light colored pieces that blend well into your space.
14| Choose Wall Lights and Ceiling Lights
If you can, avoid floor lamps or desk lamps. Even the smallest pieces add clutter and take up space.
When you choose ceiling or wall lights to illuminate your space it’s one less thing taking up room and making your backyard office feel smaller.
15| Keep Cables Out of Site
Before we finish up, we should also consider all of the cables you need for your laptop, printer and any other gadgets you may need in your office space. A nest of wires can quickly make a space look cramped and crowded.
The best approach is to only use the cables you really need and clear out the rest. Anything you can’t work without should be neatly organized, kept off the floor and out of sight.
