See how a DIY fan transformed a junk cupboard into a stylish grey home office

Keep that desk behind closed doors

A woman has transformed a cupboard formerly filled with ‘junk’ into a stylish home office. Lucy Height has given her cupboard a new lease of life - and the project only took her an afternoon to complete.

The savvy DIY-er shared some photos of the cupboard home office on Facebook group Extreme Budget DIY & Life Hacks. ‘Cupboard that was full of junk turned into a computer room in an afternoon!’ she writes.

Luckily, there were already two shelves in the cupboard that could be used as a desk, so it was simply a case of giving it a lick of paint and adding finishing touches.

Related: Home office storage ideas for any space – to help you keep on top of your work

Cupboard home office transformation

cupboard makeover with paint roller

(Image credit: Lucy Height)

Lucy used a roller to cover the shelves and walls on the inside of the cupboard in grey paint to match her carpet. With a printer resting on the top shelf and an iPad, keypad, and mouse on the shelf below, it’s now the ideal spot for sorting admin and completing short tasks.

We love the idea of closing the door on our home office to create a boundary between work and home. Creating a physical boundary has even been cited by happiness expert Meik Wiking as a way to improve wellbeing when working from home.

Lucy accessorised the computer room with faux flowers and homemade pink and grey tassels. She also covered the bottom shelf in a vinyl sticker in a grey brick pattern and has added a foldable chair. 

cupboard with wooden door laptop and folding chair

(Image credit: Lucy Height)

The Facebook post has received hundreds of ‘likes’ and many comments from impressed DIY fans.

‘Why didn’t I think of this?’ one said.

‘Clever and pretty.’ commented another.

‘Looks great, what a fab idea,’ wrote a third.

Lucy made the tassels by tying yarn around her phone and cutting through the middle of the yarn. Then she takes two pieces of string - one in the middle to hang it, and one 3cm down to create the spherical top.

room with grey wall flower vase and computer desk

(Image credit: Lucy Height)

The cupboard is now being put to much better use, as well as being far more visually pleasing. If you're tempted to try this out at home ensure the height of your computer screen is just below eye level and that you're sitting with your back straight.

No one wants their desk to take centre stage in their home, and using a cupboard is a really space-savvy solution.

Related: Home office lighting ideas to brighten up your work space

Have you got a cupboard waiting for its glow-up?

Millie Hurst
Senior Content Editor

Millie Hurst was Senior Content Editor at Ideal Home from 2020-2022, and is now Section Editor at Homes & Gardens. Before stepping into the world of interiors, she worked as a Senior SEO Editor for News UK in both London and New York. You can usually find her looking up trending terms and finding real-life budget makeovers our readers love. Millie came up with the website's daily dupes article which gives readers ways to curate a stylish home for less.