Fifteen of the best ideas for home offices: how to make small spaces work as a study room or a flexible office

As moving, travel and living costs soar, Londoners are ditching the commute and setting up flexible work spaces in the comfort of their own homes. Take a tour of our pick of the the best ideas for home offices...
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Creating stylish, functional work spaces in homes is becoming more appealing than ever, thanks to long commutes and travel delays.

Add rising fares and transport strikes to the picture and it's easy to see why so many of us are more than willing to ditch the dreaded daily commute in favour of working from home.

Four million Brits are now classed as 'home workers’, according to the latest ONS report, and, while a spare room - or study - has long been regarded as a luxury beyond the reaches of most Londoners, even the smallest parts of the home can house flexible work stations if you know how.

The biggest challenge, as always, is creating space. Whether you're on the lookout for clever ideas for awkward corners or wondering what to do with a tiny box room no bigger than a storage cupboard, there are plenty of design tricks you can take inspiration from.

As ‘home office' is now one of the most searched-for keywords on interiors and renovations platforms such as Houzz.co.uk, we have editor Victoria Harrison’s top tips for creating the perfect home office space.

1. Standing desks
Embrace the trend for standing desks. The health benefits of standing rather than sitting for long stretches of time have been widely debated. The good news about a standing desk is that it takes up a lot less space than a regular desk arrangement. All you need is a high console unit or breakfast bar to set up your laptop and you're away.

On your feet: embrace the trend for standing while you work, with a shelf for your laptop and a bar stool for when you need a break. Both take up far less room than a typical office desk
Nanette Wong

2. Make space under the stairs
Savvy homeowners on Houzz have found several ways to turn this space into a compact home office thanks to slim desks, neat shelving and foldaway seating.

Under the stairs: you don't need a huge amount of space to turn awkward corners into useful work areas. (Mark Bolton)
Mark Bolton Photography

3. Transform a hallway or landing
You don't need heaps of space, just enough for a slim desk, a laptop and a task light.

Brightening a landing: work spaces can be stylish and practical - even in narrow hallways or on landings
Ian Pierce

4. Turn a box room into an office
A pull down desk could be a good option if floor space is tight, or to clear space for a sit down desk, consider replacing a large bed with a smaller single bed and tuck a second truckle bed underneath to pull out for extra sleeping space if required.

Box rooms: small bedrooms or box rooms can double as home offices - try a pull down desk or a narrow shelf with enough room for a laptop and lamp
Ian Pierce

Take a tour of our top ideas for home office spaces in our gallery above...

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