Turning the smallest bedroom into my dream home office: how I designed a built-in home office with Jolly Kitchens and Second Nature

When we moved into this house, the smallest bedroom quickly became a bit of a dumping ground. Boxes from moving day, random furniture and anything that didn’t yet have a proper home all ended up in here.

Which was a shame, because it’s actually one of the nicest rooms in the house. It faces south, so it gets beautiful natural light all day long.

Meanwhile my actual “office” setup was in another room and consisted of little more than a desk placed in the middle of the space. No storage, nothing built in, and it felt a bit sad and uninspiring to work in.

So we decided it was time to turn this small spare room into a proper home office. And I had always dreamed of having a fully built-in one.

Discovering Second Nature Kitchens

Back in September I visited the Second Nature Kitchens showroom for the first time. I had always associated them mainly with kitchens, but seeing the showroom in person really opened my eyes to the range of cabinetry they offer.

What I hadn’t realised before that visit was that their cabinets can be used for far more than just kitchens. The same designs can be adapted to create media walls, dressing rooms, utility rooms and fully built-in home offices.

Seeing the different cabinetry styles, worktops and handles in person made it much easier to start visualising what could be possible in this room.

After that visit I started speaking to Jolly Kitchens, who are one of the Second Nature retailers, about designing something bespoke for the space. Because everything is made to order, it meant we could create something that was properly designed around the room rather than trying to make freestanding furniture work.

Designing a built-in home office with Jolly Kitchens

Jolly Kitchens are based in the north of England but work on projects all over the UK, designing kitchens as well as spaces like utility rooms, dressing rooms, media walls and home offices, like mine.

From the very beginning their service was excellent. They came to the house to measure the room and talk through exactly what I wanted from the space, and then put together a design based on that conversation.

The room itself is quite small, so storage was a big priority. I wanted something that made the most of the wall space but still felt balanced and not too heavy in the room.

Jolly Kitchens created an initial design which we then refined together. Some cupboards became drawers, shelving was adjusted, and we tweaked the layout until it felt right.

One of the things I really liked about the process was how collaborative it felt. They handled the technical side of the design but were completely open to making changes so the layout worked exactly how I wanted it to.

Choosing the Mornington Beaded range

For the cabinetry I chose the Mornington Beaded range from Second Nature Kitchens. I’ve always loved the classic shaker style and the beaded detail gives it that slightly more traditional feel which works really well with the age of our house. The colour I chose was Stone, which is a soft neutral that feels warm without being too dark. Because the units run across the full wall and around the room, keeping the colour neutral helps the room still feel light and calm.

Inside the cabinets we opted for an oak finish, which adds a really lovely contrast when you open the drawers and cupboards. For the hardware I chose aged bronze handles, which bring a bit of warmth and character to the cabinetry. The worktop is the same colour as the units, which was a deliberate choice to make the whole thing feel like one cohesive piece rather than separate elements.

The prep and installation

Before the units could be installed, we had quite a bit of prep work to do. We stripped the existing wallpaper, repainted the walls, removed the old carpet and installed new flooring. We also updated the electrics so we could add extra plug sockets exactly where they would be needed. One of the great things about the design from Jolly Kitchens is that many of the sockets are now built into the units themselves, which keeps the workspace feeling clean and uncluttered.

Jolly Kitchens arranged for a joiner to install the cabinetry, and the whole installation took just two days. Everything went incredibly smoothly. The joiner worked through the full design plan and the units fitted perfectly into the space. One of the details I really appreciated was that they even supplied additional skirting board to match the cabinetry so we could finish the rest of the room to the same standard. It’s these small details that really make the finished result feel properly built in.

The finished home office

The difference this room has made is huge. What was previously a storage space full of boxes is now a calm, organised place to work.

The built-in storage means we finally have somewhere to keep paperwork, office supplies and all the random things that tend to accumulate when you work from home.

The desk area is large enough to work comfortably, and the south facing light makes it such a lovely room to spend time in during the day.

The built-in units also makes the room feel far more intentional than using freestanding furniture. In smaller rooms especially, built-in home office storage can make a huge difference because it allows you to use the full height and width of the room without wasting space.

And I won’t lie, it also makes the perfect Zoom or Teams background!

5 design lessons from creating this home office

Now that the room is finished, there are a few things I’m really glad we considered during the design process. If you’re planning a home office, especially in a smaller room, these are the things I’d prioritise.

Built-in storage makes a small room work much harder

In smaller rooms, freestanding furniture can quickly make the space feel cluttered. Designing built-in cabinetry means you can use the full height and width of the wall, which maximises storage while still keeping the room feeling calm and organised.

Think about what actually needs to be stored

Before finalising the design, I spent some time thinking about what we actually needed the storage for. Paperwork, office supplies and general household admin all needed a home, which is why we incorporated a mix of cupboards and drawers into the layout.

Plan electrics early

One thing that made a big difference in this project was planning the electrics before the units were installed. Adding additional plug sockets and integrating some into the units means the desk area stays much cleaner and more practical to use.

Neutral cabinetry keeps the room timeless

Because built-in cabinetry is a long-term investment, I chose a neutral colour that will still feel relevant years from now. The Stone colour in the Mornington Beaded range from Second Nature Kitchens felt like the perfect balance of warm and classic.

Good design makes the room feel bigger

Even though this is the smallest bedroom in the house, the built-in cabinetry actually makes the space feel more intentional and less cluttered. Everything has a place, which helps the room feel calm and functional rather than cramped.

Thinking about a new kitchen, office, dressing room, utility room or media wall?

If you’re planning a project like a kitchen renovation, utility room, built-in wardrobes or a home office like this one, it’s definitely worth looking at what Jolly Kitchens can offer. Because they work with the full Second Nature Kitchens range, you can design built-ins for lots of different spaces in your home using the same styles and finishes. Being able to see the cabinetry, colours and handles in person at the showroom also makes choosing everything much easier.

Final thoughts

This room has ended up being one of the most satisfying transformations in the house so far. What used to be a space full of moving boxes is now somewhere I genuinely enjoy spending time working in.

Having everything built in has made such a difference. Not just in how the room looks, but in how practical it is day to day. There’s finally somewhere to keep paperwork, office supplies and all the bits that tend to accumulate when you work from home. And because the built-ins have been designed specifically for the room, it feels like it has always been part of the house rather than something we added later.

It’s also proof that you don’t need a huge space to create a really functional home office. Sometimes the smallest rooms can end up being the most useful ones.