Little Spaces to Love: Cloffices, Coffee Bars, and Backyard Retreats

By Jennifer Donahue

I just listed the sweetest house, and two of my favorite features were little spaces the owner had put to wonderful use.

A small hall storage room had been turned into an office with custom cabinets and a built-in desk. And a niche just outside the pantry had become a coffee bar and butler’s pantry, complete with cabinets and a countertop. Both were such clever uses of space! They gave everyday activities a home and looked beautiful doing it.

It got me thinking about how often we walk past a little corner, an extra closet, or an empty nook without giving it much thought. Sometimes those spots have the potential to become a favorite part of the house.

An Office Tucked Away

Have you heard the term “cloffice”? It’s a closet turned into an office, and depending on how you work, it can be a great solution.

Maybe you need a quiet spot to answer emails, pay bills, or keep the paperwork from taking over the kitchen table. A built-in desktop, a few cabinets, and good lighting can go a long way.

That’s what I loved about the office in my new listing. The owner saw the possibilities in a hall storage room and created a useful, inviting place to sit down and get things done.

Of course, you have to think about what works for you. If you spend your entire workday at a desk, you’ll want enough room to be comfortable. And if that closet is already holding everything from holiday decorations to the vacuum cleaner, those things will need somewhere else to go!

But if you have a little space to spare, it’s worth taking another look. Houzz has some lovely cloffice examples and ideas to help you picture the possibilities.

A Coffee Bar With a Place for Everything

There’s something so appealing about a coffee bar. Your favorite mugs, the coffee maker ready to go, and everything within reach. It makes a simple morning routine feel a little more special.

The niche outside the pantry in my listing was a perfect example. Adding cabinets and a countertop gave that spot a purpose and created extra room for storage and serving.

If you enjoy having people over, imagine setting out coffee and dessert there while keeping the kitchen counters available. Guests can help themselves, and you have a little more room to finish getting dinner ready.

And it doesn’t have to be about coffee. Mine would certainly need room for unsweetened iced tea! Yours might be a tea station or a hot chocolate spot for when the grandchildren come over.

The best setup is one you’ll actually use. For inspiration, take a look at these creative coffee and beverage stations, from tucked-away arrangements to more elaborate setups.

A Pantry That Works for the Way You Live

A beautiful pantry is fun to look at, but being able to find what you need is what makes it wonderful to live with.

Think about what would make your kitchen work better. Do you need somewhere for serving platters? A place to tuck away the mixer? Shelves where you can actually see what you have before buying another jar of the same thing?

A butler’s pantry can give you extra space to prepare, store, and serve. But even a smaller pantry can become much more useful with a little rearranging.

Before buying baskets or adding shelves, figure out what you want the space to do. Pretty is lovely. Pretty and useful is even better.

If you’re ready for a little organizing inspiration, these ideas from beautifully organized pantries might help you get started. And if you have an unused kitchen wall, explore these ways to give a spare wall a purpose.

A Backyard Spot That Calls You Outside

The same idea carries outdoors.

You don’t need a huge backyard or an elaborate outdoor kitchen to create a place you love. Sometimes two comfortable chairs, a small table, and a pleasant view are plenty.

Maybe it’s a corner of the patio where you catch up at the end of the day. Maybe it’s a screened porch where you read while it rains. Or a shady spot where you can sit and watch the children play.

When I show homes, I love hearing buyers start to picture those moments. “We would eat dinner out here.” “This is where I’d have my morning coffee.” That’s when a space starts to feel personal.

Before furnishing an outdoor spot, spend a little time there. See where the afternoon sun lands and where you naturally want to sit. Then make it comfortable enough that you’ll want to stay awhile.

If you’d like to add plants or rethink the surrounding garden, NC State Extension’s landscape design resources are a helpful starting point. Its plant selection resources can also help you explore options for your space.

A Little Room for What You Enjoy

An unused corner could become a reading spot with a comfortable chair and a good lamp. A small table might finally give you a place to leave a puzzle out. A nook could hold your sewing machine or the family photographs you’ve been meaning to organize.

There’s something nice about having a place for the things you enjoy, especially when you don’t have to pack everything away each time you stop.

Try it with something you already own. Move a chair, pull up a table, and see how it feels. You may discover that a space you barely noticed is somewhere you love spending time.

What Could You Do With That Little Space?

One of the things I enjoy most about real estate is seeing how people make a home their own. The owner of my new listing did that so thoughtfully, turning two small spaces into features that made me stop and say, “What a great idea!”

If you’re looking for a home, pay attention to those little possibilities along with the bedrooms and square footage. Could that nook hold a desk? Would that porch become your favorite place to unwind?

You can also explore my property listings for ideas, or keep the Buyer Consultation Booklet handy as you prepare for your search.

And if you’re happy right where you are, take a fresh look around. There may be a little spot waiting for you to give it a purpose—and a reason to love your home even more.