Family converts dining room into office space
Family converts dining room into office space with custom storage and workstations for about 108 square feet.
A young family in Fresno, California, transformed their unused dining room into a home office and movie room. The 108-square-foot area was redesigned by interior design studio Sift Collection to include two workstations, custom storage, and a comfortable space for family movie nights.
The family’s original dining area, measuring 9 feet by 12 feet, was open to the rest of the house, but its design no longer suited their evolving lifestyle. To address this, the designers sealed off the space with new walls, turning it into a fully enclosed work area instead of an open dining zone.
The renovation allowed them to incorporate extra storage along one wall near the kitchen. Given the tight 108-square-foot footprint, the team had to carefully plan where furniture would fit. They needed two distinct work zones, but traditional desks would have consumed too much floor area.
To solve this, they installed built-in cabinetry with narrow, floating wooden surfaces tailored to each user’s workflow. The design included integrated shelves, drawers, and open storage, eliminating the need for extra furniture. Among the clever details were concealed compartments for printers and electronics.
Budget constraints of $30,000 influenced the final cabinetry choices. Some proposed shelving and extra storage units were cut, while desk dimensions were modified. Despite these adjustments, the design kept the two workstations and necessary storage as top priorities, leaving room for future upgrades.
A striking visual shift involved painting the walls, ceiling, and cabinets in a unified deep blue-green hue. This shade mirrors the home’s existing exterior shutters and architectural elements, blending the furniture seamlessly into the space.
Beyond its function as a workspace, the room was meant to serve as a family gathering spot. A built-in seating area fits a sofa, with the TV mounted across the room. This layout lets the space double as a cozy lounge when the desks aren’t in use.
The room’s warmth comes from vintage-style seating, antique furnishings, and a patterned rug. By hunting for secondhand pieces and refurbishing them, the designers kept costs down while preserving the home’s original Colonial-inspired charm.
