Cosy Wooden Home Office With No Built-Ins 🍂

Minimalist
HDB (BTO)
~1,000 sqft
3 br
Couple Living

Welcome to my open concept home office. In this post, I'll share a little bit of some DIYs I did and changes I have made in this room.
I hacked the walls in our extra common bedroom to create the illusion of a bigger space. I guess the downside is that my office has to be relative neat as it's the first few spaces people see when they enter the home. One of our prized pieces in our room was our 2m solid wood table which we got off Carousell for free. I only paid for Lalamove to have it delivered to my home. I loved it so much, but eventually, I had to give it away to make more space into my office.
- #Studyroomdecor
- #Studyroomdesign
This was how the table looked like originally. When I first saw the listing, I could see the potential in this table. I had been manifesting for a huge table to make cutting and sewing clothes easier. Because the wood varnish was too dark for my liking, I had it sanded off, peeled off the old varnish with a varnish stripper, sealed the top, and painted the legs the same shade as my home/walls.
- #homerefresh
And this is how it looked like after. The DIY is not perfect by any means, but I actually loved how it turned out. It felt very rustic, cottage vibes. Although, after a year or so, I had to sadly give this table away to make way for a more compact table which I'll show shortly. I was surprised that my table was not exactly wanted by people when I first listed it. I was sad that I eventually had to give it away with the price of a carton of ginger ale. I did not get that ginger ale from the 'buyer' which I was really bummed about but I didn't want to hound them with my trivial request. So, I let it go.
- #homerefresh
I know that I initially planned for an open concept office, but overtime, I got rather frustrated with damages/mess to my office space created by my cats (torn insect mesh - I cried for awhile because of this, scratches on my wooden shelves). Lessons I've learnt from this - opt for cat proof meshes, no open storage. While I don't have the means to have all these replaced now, I'll have my office space closed off from the cats. I do still like the flexibility this brings me which allows me to open up the space if I do need extra seating when guests come over or keep it closed to keep the look seamlessly clean with no visual clutter.
- #Studyroomdecor
Ever since I gave away my 2m table, I swapped my main office setup onto the opposite wall. My main computer setup is on this IVAR shelf which I got off Carousell for only $80, inclusive of the LED lights. The original cost would have set me back over $500. So, I consider this one my best Carousell finds!
I have enjoyed this layout a lot more for some reason. It feels right now.
In replacement of my 2m table, I have this foldable table where I can do my crafting hobbies.
And when not in use, I could fold it down to create more space for me to move around. While not as sturdy as my last table, especially for sewing, I love the flexibility it brings me. If I need an extra large table for guests to dine in, I could merge them together to create a long table for them to sit around. It also makes it easier for me to clean under the tables as it's not as wide/too far for me to reach under. With this journey alone, I have learnt to let go of things, even if I still love them because it's the only way I could make way for change and better days coming. This room is still a work in progress and I hope to be able to start styling this room with more colours. And since the cats can't enter my office anymore, we're bringing plants back into the home which I think is what we've been missing for awhile now. Eventually when our cats have calmed down, we'll reopen the doors back for them to enter. Follow me on my IG @dynalivv to join me on my journey as embrace slow renovation.