Before & After: A Novelist’s Home Office Takes a Step Up

published Oct 8, 2013

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

What happens when you find yourself in need of an area to call an “office”, but the layout and/or space inside your home doesn’t offer delineated work and live boundaries? That’s the issue general contractor Tim Logsdon faced when helping set up a home office in Atlanta, Georgia for a novelist who needed somewhere to write. The answer was found after looking up, not in prayer, but by design…

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Stephanie Bond is a novelist who needed a more defined office space in the lower level of her 2-story loft-style condo in midtown Atlanta, and more storage. She and I determined the best strategy was to go up in the high-ceilinged room and build a platform office loft that would sit on top of large storage drawers. We came up with a drawing and elected not to attach the platform to the floor or walls, so while it’s completely solid, it can also be removed in the future without affecting the existing structure.

My carpenters were able to complete the project in four days. My client is very pleased with the result because it helps to visually separate her work space, allows her to utlize the awkward, high window in the room, and she gained 100 cubic square feet of accessible storage. This clean-lined, functional project demonstrates that lofts aren’t just for children’s rooms!