Before & After: How One Couple Designed a Shared Office Space (While Keeping the Peace)

“Since we both work from home most of the time, a dedicated office was a must—but even after upsizing, we didn’t want to devote space to two separate offices,” says Mike. Instead, the couple shares one office that needs to support their different work styles: Mike’s packed schedule of virtual meetings and Talia’s work as a freelance writer. Beyond work, the room pulls double duty as a place where Mike can unwind with video games and the cats can lounge by the sunny bay window.

The couple enjoys working side-by-side, as they’re often able to get input from one another and work together on projects, but the furniture they brought from their old apartment didn’t match in scale, storage needs or the style of their new space.

Enter: IKEA. We partnered with the home furnishing company to help Mike and Talia reimagine their close quarters. On their wish list: 1) two standing desks arranged with Talia’s by the window, in a way where she can enter and exit without crossing into Mike’s background, 2) backgrounds suitable for video meetings, 3) plenty of storage and 4) space for a TV. With the help of an IKEA designer and a little TLC, here’s what Mike and Talia did to take their shared office from a cord-cluttered white space to a bold design they can’t wait to show off on Zoom.

With ergonomic comfort and clever features to boot, the MITTZON sit/stand desk was a no-brainer for aesthetics and well-being. It features a memory setting, so Mike and Talia can easily switch between custom sit/stand levels throughout the day. (According to the IKEA website it’s “quality tested and guaranteed to outlast years of ups and downs.” Pun very much intended.)

But the best part about these desks? Cord storage. Because the desks must be placed in the center of the room, cables were always an issue with Mike and Talia’s previous set-up. Thankfully, the MITTZON features a cable management tray to help maintain a clutter-free workspace—cables can be tucked inside the desk compartment with a lid and led under the table into the tray to be kept out of sight. “The built-in cord management system gives the whole office a sleeker look. And we love how the rich walnut color adds to the sophisticated vibe,” says Mike.

The BILLY bookcase is a beloved IKEA icon that, thanks to its versatility, can be used in many ways at home. In this case, Mike and Talia paired theirs with the OXBERG panel/glass doors that can display items yet hide clutter. Their upper bookcase shows off their favorite books and collectibles with integrated lighting to add a dramatic feel, while the lower bookcases are where they keep office supplies, tech equipment and files.

In the middle of the BILLY bookcase storage is a gorgeous gallery wall—complete with a picture light over the BLODFLÄDER canvas—that gives a sophisticated look to the space. The couple opted to color-drench the room, which pairs nicely with their existing oak floors. “We love that the bold wall color is so different from the rest of our home,” says Talia. “We love that our cats are thoughtfully incorporated, and we love that it gave us a fun way to display all of our safari photos from our honeymoon. Also, we now have the coolest video call background for work meetings!” she says.

While Mike and Talia are putting in hours at their new desks, their cats also enjoy the new space. “They’re obsessed with the faux sheepskin rug on the rattan bench by the window. It quickly became their favorite spot to sunbathe and lounge while we’re working,” says Mike. Because it’s a shared space for both parties, a discreet air purifier keeps the room fresh well beyond the late-night shifts. The IKEA FÖRNUFTIG air purifier provides clean air with a low setting that can remain on to keep the office fresh at all hours. It even has more cable management on the backside to help avoid that cord clutter. P.S. Did you know that you can purchase plants at IKEA? They bring a biophilic design to the office and naturally purify the air (don’t worry—the ones in this room are pet-safe).

The last solution that Mike and Talia included was a LOMMARP cabinet to hold the printer and gaming gear, as well as anchor the mounted television. Inside the cabinet, the couple used KUGGIS storage boxes to keep everything organized. The cabinet’s gold hardware and traditional molding makes the piece easy to place, as it matches nicely with the other room furnishings.