A new job in financial services calls for privacy and focus, not a corner of a shared bedroom with three kids in the house. While Christie Besse didn’t have an extra bedroom up for grabs, she did have a covered second-story porch with a lake view off of that bedroom. She needed more space, not more mortgage, and Republic Homebuilding and Renovations turned that porch into the office she needed.
Before
After
Project at a glance
Houston, Texas
3 months
$60,000
229 sq. ft. (office & closet)
New brick against old proposed its own matching challenges, and heard Christie’s concerns. So, we built and finished the exterior walls with pattern and color-matched brick to work with the house, not against it.
Working from home didn’t mean closing herself off, and the extensive windows we added along the back wall kept the lake well within Christie’s view.
While we plan for today, we always keep your future needs in mind during the design process. The result in Christie’s home? A small closet added to make converting the space into an extra bedroom simple.
A work-from-home set-up comes with more plugs and cords than you can count. So, we built this porch-turned-office with enough electrical outlets to handle back-to-back meetings and a job that doesn’t pause when the kids come home.
Raised Patio Floor: We removed the existing patio flooring and raised it three inches so the new office sits level with the rest of the second-floor.
Double French Doors: Double French doors resembling those used through the house created cohesion between the old and new.
Matched Door & Window Style: We also matched the closet door and new windows to those used throughout the home for a harmonious look.
Full Insulation, Drywall, and Flooring: We insulated, drywalled, painted, and floored the space to match the comfort and finish level of the rest of the house.
In-House Design, Revised to Your Liking: At Republic, we don’t settle for less than your dreams. Christie revised with our CAD designer and Project Coordinator to ensure her space matched her vision.
This second-story space was a covered porch, with open patio flooring exposed to the weather. Not only was it not the room Christie needed, but it also sat a few inches below the level of the rest of the second floor. While the porch remained, she was relegated to a corner of her primary bedroom, fielding client calls in-between the kid’s playful shouts.
Yet, it had the best view in the house, looking straight out over the lake and the potential to provide a WFH office she wouldn’t want to leave. The footprint didn’t need to grow. The porch already had the structure, view, and privacy working in its favor. It just needed to be enclosed, leveled, and wired like the rest of the house.
We presented Christie with a plan that transformed the outdoor area into a work-from-home retreat. We suggested raising the patio floor 3” to bring it level with the second floor, framing new exterior walls to match the original brick’s pattern and color, new French doors, and a bank of windows to keep the lake within view from her desk.
Christie worked with our in-house CAD designer and Project Coordinators to devise a plan. They collaborated and underwent several rounds of revisions to ensure she landed on a layout she loved.
Where a cramped, corner desk wouldn’t do, this porch-turned-home office delivered on the privacy and quiet Christie’s new job required.
Whether it’s taking client calls or catching up with her kids after school, this work-from-home office conversion created the peaceful space Christie needed to lock-in and focus. The expansive windows and lake view beyond them make those long days at the desk worth it.
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