I’ve been teasing for several weeks that my home office reveal was coming, and now it’s finally here! I can only seem to share a project if it’s completely finished. Like every little detail in place.

I wish I made the decision to invest in a functional home office space months ago. But who would have thought we’d still be working from home 6 months later? When I got word that the earliest we will go back to the office is January, I decided it was time to create an at-home office. And, I did it for less than $250!

From Dining Room to Home Office

I live in a a one-bedroom, 800-square-foot apartment, so I didn’t have extra space to add an office. Other options included a corner desk or even a fold-up table somewhere, but ultimately, I decided I needed space to spread out and space to put my laptop away at the end of the day or weekend.

So, that meant my dining room had to go. We rarely used our table anyway (we’re creatures of habit and eat on the couch most nights). And, my parents graciously agreed to store my table and chairs until we move to a bigger space.

Home Office Design On a Budget

As much as I needed this space, I didn’t have a large budget to make it happen. I looked around my home to see what items I had that could be repurposed for use in an office. Luckily, I already had the perfect rug (this one comes in various sizes and shapes) and I moved this cube storage shelf out from my bedroom, which already held the majority of my “office” type supplies and files. So, that really just left a desk, a chair and a lamp to buy.

Since this isn’t a forever office, I wasn’t on-board to invest in an expensive desk. I knew from my college years that Big Lots has really great furniture deals and is surprisingly good quality! This one was right at $100 and fit in perfectly with my home decor vibe. Already sold! Then, a follower told me she owned it and vouched for the quality. After I picked it up from the store, my boyfriend assembled it — that’s my kind of teamwork!

For the chair, I wanted something fun. But, it also needed to be comfortable and practical. Enter this cutie! I did lots of research and read reviews so I knew I was getting a good one, and this did not disappoint. I would have loved to find one closer to $100 or less, but the quality, ease of assembly, cool vibe and level of comfort make this a good purchase at this price point!

It’s In the Details

Lastly, I put the finishing touches on. I made two smaller purchases from Amazon for the space (this desktop calendar and a sleek lamp). And when I found this cute desk plate at Home Goods with my favorite motivational quote inscribed on it, I had to have it. I actually have a post-it note with this exact quote on my office computer, so I thought it was fitting to add this to my home office as well. If you want to recreate this decor piece, you can print a sign from Etsy, like this one, and place it in a clear standing frame like this one. For the rest, I culled through my apartment for pieces that could work in this space rather than buying new.

I am incredibly happy with how this project turned out! I’ve been working here for the last few weeks, and I find it so much easier to be productive. I am also INSPIRED! Working in a well-organized, well-lit and pretty space truly makes a difference. Now, I just have to work on hitting the snooze button less.

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You can shop all items from this post below. However, some of the items are old or from stores that can’t be linked. For those, I tried to link similar options.

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