Steal This Look: A Pocket Home Office with Modern, Scandi Influence

In the recent past, many households have prioritized the home office, converting odd spaces into something semi-quiet and functional enough to work in. A great example? The closet-sized office designed by Ellen Hamilton as part of a 1970s beach cottage renovation in Chilmark, Massachusetts. An entry hall gives way to a clean, Scandinavian-style office through a sliding barn door. To adopt and adapt the look to your own space, we’ve listed the key elements of Hamilton’s design from paint to shelving and classic furniture.

Above: The pocket-sized office. Photograph by Max Kim Bee, courtesy of Ellen Hamilton from A Modest Beach Cottage on Martha’s Vineyard Goes from “Bad Seventies” to “Good Seventies.”

Paint & Flooring

Above: The entire house interior, including the home office, is painted in Farrow & Ball’s All White No. 2005. Above: The floors are a whitewashed refinished wood from PID Floors in Brooklyn. For something similar, try the Montgomery White Oak Flooring.

Lighting

Above: For similar track lighting, Ikea’s Nymåne Ceiling Light with Four Spotlights in white are $59.99. Above: The table lamp is the Fritz Hansen Kaiser Idell Table Lamp in white is $919.20 at DWR.

Furniture

Above: A custom shelf is from String Furniture in Sweden. Shown here is the Living Room L set up in white, available at String Furniture. Above: Designed by Jens Risom in 1968, the Risom Desk comes in Ebonized Oak, Oak, and Walnut for $2,236 at Design Within Reach. Shown here in oak, the finish Hamilton chose for the home office space. Above: In the office, Hamilton sourced a vintage version of the Hans Wegner Swivel Chair. It’s available new through PP Møbler at the Danish Design Store. Contact for price and ordering information. Above: Designed by Pete Oyler, the Areaware Plant Pedestals are $60 for a set of two at Design Public. Above: And for a blue ceramic vessel similar to the plant pot seen in this home office, there’s the Organic Ceramic Vase from Terrain, starting at $68.

For more home office spaces see our posts:

• For Your Inspiration: 19 Home Offices We Love, Remote Work Edition
• Steal This Look: A Minimalist Home Office in Manhattan, Gilded Edition
• 3 Ways to Create a Home Office Anywhere (And Put It Away at the End of the Day)
• The Niche Workspace: 15 Favorites from the Remodelista Archives

N.B.: This story originally published on October 12, 2021 and has been updated with new products and links.