Corner Bedroom Office Nook Refresh

I am always looking for ways to make our cozy little 1930’s bungalow more functional. And, trust me, there are many spaces that could be better optimized! When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I like to focus on one small area (such as this mini closet makeover) instead of an entire room or remodel. When tackling a space, I usually myself a few key questions to drive the process (Check out all my Small Home Office Space tips. So, faced with an awkward corner and a home begging for more functionality, I set out to transform this area into a cozy bedroom office nook!

corner office nook

Corner Office Nook

office before
Corner Before

1. What do we need to function better in our home?

This question drives a lot of my design and styling ideas around the house. As we move through the day and the seasons, I think of what functions well and what can be improved.

Whether it’s transitioning to and from school, working from home, spending time with guests, or enjoying both together time and individual space, I consider what our little family needs to better function.

As I reconsider the spaces in our cozy home, I realize I need a more inspiring and defined space to work and journal. This little corner seemed like a possible candidate!

corner office before
Corner before with a dark green wall and LOTS of outlets & hardware

2. How can this space best be used?

When I look at a space, I like to think of ways it could be used. This is the fun part – so many ideas come to mind! Typically, I try re-imagine from how it was built or previously used and think of possible ways it could be reconfigured.

This kind of re-imagining is how I work with difficult areas and I share more tips in my Small Bedroom Decor post.

For this space, I thought it could work well as vanity area, an office, or even with more remodeling an added closet. Given the size and my personal needs, I thought an office would be the best use of space.

bedroom corner before makeover
corner before was just a landing spot for random decor and stuff!

3. What does this space need?

Instead of thinking what I want out of a space, I try to determine what an area needs as far proportion, contrast, color, and solutions.

black bedroom wall
Black Boudoir paint by Behr

This corner was painted green by the previous owners -a pretty color but just not me, plus you know I love a good black wall! The black (Boudoir by Behr) adds more contrast and a neutral pairing for the exposed beams. In addition to addressing multiple outlets, the space also needed something vertical to keep things from feeling low and cluttered.

bedroom office nook corner

For styling this bedroom office nook, I stuck with my usual angle which focuses on contrast in colors and shapes and including lots of texture.

office nook styling

Bedroom Office Nook Styling:

home office styling
bedroom office nook
  1. Midnight Blossoms – one of my new favorite prints from Juniper Print Shop (the blush pink softens up the dark wall)
  2. Pasture – I love a good landscape print and this one, also from Juniper, is a pretty neutral art print to layer (both frames from Frame It Easy, shop from here for 10% off)
  3. Floating White Oak Shelf – the hardware was already in place here and I decided to keep the shelf since I love the versatility of shelving
  4. Nesting Tray Desk Organizer – these are a cute catchall for all those little bits
  5. Woven Basket – we all need a few good baskets and I love the texture and natural vibes a woven basket offers to a space
  6. White Ceramic Vase – I love the contrast against the black wall! (this is not the exact vase, but super close!)
  7. Target Loring Desk – This light wood desk has made the rounds and for good reason, it’s super minimal and not too fussy!
  8. Oasis: Modern Desert Homes – One of my very favorite house design books for continued inspiration
  9. Black Wishbone Chair – These served as my dining room chairs but now I love using them as accent chairs around the house