Turn a box room into a home office

Plan, then fit shelving, a desk, hidden cables, a blind and a noticeboard in order, adding an electrician only if you need extra power.

Guides in this project

01Using a detector before you drill 02Put up a shelf with brackets 03Fit a fold-down wall desk 04Hide TV cables with surface trunking 05Fit a roller blind inside the window recess 06Put up a noticeboard or whiteboard

AB-01Plan the room and buy everything firstMeasure the room, decide where the desk, shelving, noticeboard and blind will sit, and check the window recess size for the blind. Buy all materials for shelving, the desk kit, trunking, blind and noticeboard before you start, so you're not stopped mid-project waiting for deliveries. Plan on two to three weekends: one for shelving and the desk, a shorter session for cables (plus an electrician visit if you want extra sockets), and a final session for the blind and noticeboard. Total cost is roughly £150–£450, more if an electrician is involved.

1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Notebook and pencil for your plan

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AB-02Check the walls before fixing anythingBefore you drill for shelving, the desk, trunking, the blind or the noticeboard, follow the guide Using a detector before you drill at every single fixing point. Do this even on a plasterboard wall that looks simple — assume there could be a cable or pipe there until the detector tells you otherwise. Mark safe fixing spots in pencil so you're not re-checking later.

RULES

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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1 pack · Detector batteries

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KNOW THE RULES

Always check for hidden cables and pipes with a detector before drilling, cutting or fixing into any wall — expect something to be there even if the wall looks straightforward.

AB-03Put up shelving above the desk areaFollow Put up a shelf with brackets to fit shelving using the safe fixing points marked in the previous phase. Fit shelving before the desk so you're not working over it, and leave enough drop height for a monitor or laptop below. This phase usually takes half a day.

2 each · Shelf board, 18mm, 900mm length

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4 each · Shelf brackets

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1 pack · Wall plugs and screws

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AB-04Fit the fold-down wall deskFollow Fit a fold-down wall desk, using the checked fixing points from step 2. Fit the desk below the shelving with a clear gap so the fold-down top opens fully without catching. Masonry walls need heavier fixings than stud walls, so check which you have before buying screws and plugs.

1 each · Fold-down wall desk kit

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1 pack · Heavy-duty wall fixings

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1 pack · Screws

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AB-05Get an electrician in for extra power, if neededIf you want a new socket near the desk, this is a job for a registered electrician, not DIY. A new socket is wiring work beyond a like-for-like swap, and if it needs a new circuit it is notifiable under Building Regulations. Book this before the trunking phase so the electrician's first fix cabling is in place before you route and hide anything. Skip this phase entirely if your existing sockets are in a good position.

RULES

1 job · Electrician call-out and first fix labour

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1 each · Twin socket faceplate (if fitting new)

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KNOW THE RULES

Adding a new socket is a job for a registered electrician, not DIY. A new circuit is notifiable under Building Regulations.

AB-06Hide cables with surface trunkingFollow Hide TV cables with surface trunking to tidy cables from the desk, monitor and any new socket back to the skirting. If you need to loosen or remove an existing socket faceplate to tuck a cable behind it, switch the circuit off at the consumer unit and prove it's dead with a tester first. Route trunking along the fixing points already checked in step 2.

RULES

1 each · Self-adhesive cable trunking kit

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1 pack · Trunking corners and connectors

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1 pack · Double-sided pads and screws

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KNOW THE RULES

Before loosening or removing any socket or switch faceplate, switch off the circuit at the consumer unit and prove it's dead with a voltage tester.

AB-07Fit the roller blindFollow Fit a roller blind inside the window recess, using the recess measurement you took in step 1. Fit the blind once the desk and cables are sorted, since you'll want a clear view of the whole room to check it sits level. This is usually a one to two hour job.

1 each · Roller blind, made to measure for recess

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1 pack · Recess brackets and screws

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AB-08Put up the noticeboard or whiteboardFollow Put up a noticeboard or whiteboard to finish the room. Fit it last so you can position it against the finished desk and shelving layout, rather than guessing the height beforehand.

1 each · Noticeboard or whiteboard

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1 pack · Wall plugs and screws

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AB-09Settle in and snagAfter a week of use, check the desk fixings, shelf brackets and noticeboard are still tight, since new fixings can work loose slightly once they're under regular load. Tidy any loose cable ends, fill and touch up paint around fixing points, and tuck away the detector and spare screws for next time. This phase takes about an hour.

1 tube · Filler

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1 tester pot · Touch-up paint

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1 pack · Cable ties

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