How to turn an apartment closet into an office

When it comes to living in a small space, double duty is key. No inch can be wasted.

Take a recent office I created inside a client’s 1920s Los Angeles studio apartment. One main room held the bed, lounge chairs, dressers, bookcase and TV cabinet. Fitting in all these pieces of furniture was no small feat, and we were left no space for a desk — and all the things that go along with working from home.

How did we create an office in the studio? The answer was the closet.

The closet was largely vacant because a dressing area stored most of the client’s clothes. But the closet needed a lot of work before it could function as a work alcove. Here’s how we did it:

Step 1: Remove the closet doors. Like most closets, this one came with a long rod and shelf above. I removed the rod and then lowered the shelf and its wooden brackets to standard desk height. Most closets are not that deep, so I like the idea of using the shelf as the main work space. A built-in is more interesting than a standard desk, and the latter could jut out from the closet awkwardly.

Step 2: Paint the interior. I coated the inside of the closet a rich blue to contrast with the green of the room. The darker color defined the work space and gave it depth and moodiness.

Step 3: Add storage. To address the lack of drawers, I enlisted the help of the Helmer metal drawer set from Ikea ($39.99). I lined the closet sides with cheap stacking shoe racks and white document boxes for extra organization.

Step 4: Add lighting. I found a plug-in light while on a trip to Berlin. A hanging light frees up desk space; it functions as a task light but also as ambient light for the whole studio.

Step 5: Decorate. The back wall got cork tiles and crisscross ribbon overlay to display photos, notes and reminders. Curtains were a finishing touch, and an $8 Goodwill chair completed the look.

This once-closet now functions as a productive office. And my client no longer minds going to work. In fact, he looks forward to it.

Kyle Schuneman is a Los Angeles-based interior designer who, in addition to his decorating work for residential clients and show houses, has styled catalogs for stores such as Target and CB2. For past installments of the Apt. Life, go to latimes.com/aptlife.