All Dressed Up: Big Plans for a Small Office

Two years ago, Steve Reilly, a home-based architect and the founder of SLR Architecture, traded his home office for a nursery when his second child was born. He needed a new place to work. Faced with a choice between commuting to an office and paying $1,500 to $2,000 per month, or creating his own place to work, he chose the latter.

While Steve created his new home office — a small building in his backyard — he considered a few factors including how much space he truly needed, how he would build it and what materials he would use. Budget was also an important part of the equation.

Together with his father and father-in-law, Steve built a truly “green” home office using recycled lumber and a soy-based spray foam for insulation. By building green, he knew he would save money on utilities and building materials.

In his town, any structure over 120 square feet requires a permit, so Steve designed a structure that was only 9’x13’ or 117 square feet. Although his home office is small, he has made use of every square foot.

The long counter on one side of his office and the shelves above give him plenty of space to work and to store books, reference materials and supplies. Tucked below the counter are a few file cabinets that are easily accessible. There’s even room for floor-to-ceiling shelves and a drafting table.

The windows and door let in plenty of light and keep the space from feeling closed in. It’s important to have enough windows, but not so many windows that they eat up valuable wall space.

Steve’s innovative and well-designed home office has been featured on Renovation Nation. It’s impressive to see how quickly and efficiently they were able to build his new space.

“I am really proud of the way SLR Architecture’s studio turned out,” says Steve. “I get to be close to my family, save money and the environment.”