DIY "Home Office" Makeover

Mackenzie Oakley
by Mackenzie Oakley
In February 2015, I transitioned to working from home on a full-time basis. Without a dedicated office, I needed a small and functional workspace to serve as my "home office" but also allowed me to keep an eye on and care for my two little girls.
My budget was nonexistent so I scoured Craigslist looking for a cabinet of some sort. We found this wooden unit for $45! It was in really good shape without any scratches and as an added bonus, the hardware was totally acceptable.
We ended up having some white paint leftover from another project so I used that to paint this bad boy. Looking back, I should have taken the time to use a separate primer or sand the cabinet a bit. It's peeling a bit near the bottom where the cabinet door opens and shuts but other than that, it's holding up.
I covered the backboard and shelves with contact paper and ended up removing the drawers so my computer equipment could sit inside the cabinet. It was super important to me to have everything hidden away once work was done for the day. We also didn't need any little fingers sending random emails or playing with the phone! ;)


We used chalkboard paint on the inside of the doors, which has proven to be a huge hit! To this day, my 3 year old will come over and draw and color while I work.
That's it! It's definitely a small space but it serves its purpose well. It was a super easy makeover and very inexpensive, too. That's a win-win in my book!
Mackenzie Oakley
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • LittleSallyJo LittleSallyJo on Feb 11, 2016
    I had my computer & desk inside one of these things. I found that I kept bumping my head on the upper shelf whenever I needed to reach inside for something. So I stuck on a couple of holographic metallic "Border Stickers" onto the horizontal shelf edge (from the Scrapbooking section of the crafts store--you know which one...). My peripheral vision would pick up the sparkle from the stickers & I would instinctively duck my head to avoid bumps. I didn't even mind the look of the very thin shiny strip when the door was closed.
  • Teresa Teresa on Feb 17, 2016
    Awesome job! Was the cabinet you purchased already set up for an office or what was it's original use for? It seems as though you didn't need to do a lot to the inside for it to be office ready? Thank you for sharing! Teresa
    • Mackenzie Oakley Mackenzie Oakley on Feb 17, 2016
      I'm not sure what the original owners used it for but it did already have cutouts for cords and wires and things like that. The backboard is very flimsy so it'd be easy to make another cut or hole if need be. It was pretty much ready to use though after a little paint!
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