Study Hall: Creating a Loft-Like Office

Creating a loft-like office

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The study at the top of the stairs in Mark and Mary Beth’s house in suburban Washington, D.C., is part of a dormer addition, which, in turn, is part of a larger master suite remodel designed by architect Shawn Glen Pierson.

The 30-foot-long dormer makes space for both a master bath and the study while filling out the main roof so that visually it balances the master bedroom added above the existing family room. The loft-like study isn’t meant to be a secluded office; it’s more like a perch where Mark or Mary Beth can work quietly while staying connected to the life of the house downstairs.

The study is separated from the stairway by a half-height fat wall that is both bookshelf and railing, yet light from the dormer windows reaches down to the front entry at the foot of the stairs.

Adapted with permission from Not So Big Remodeling by Sarah Susanka, published by The Taunton Press (2009).

More REMODELING articles about home office design and making the most of limited space:

Privacy, Please: Creating a cozy office alcove

Maximizing Stair Storage: Designing for this awkward space to yield great results

About the Author

Sarah Susanka

For 20 years, architect and author Sarah Susanka has been leading a movement that is redefining the American home and lifestyle. Through her “build better, not bigger” approach to residential design, she reveals that the sense of “home” we seek is a quality that has almost nothing to do with square footage. Her “Not So Big” message has become a launch pad for a new dimension of understanding how we inhabit our homes, our planet, and even our day-to-day lives. Susanka is the best-selling author of nine books including The Not So Big House, Home By Design, and The Not So Big Life, which collectively have sold well over a million copies. Her books provide the language and tools for homeowners to bring their own dreams of home to life. As a cultural visionary, Susanka is regularly tapped for her expertise by national media, including “The Today Show,” CNN and The New York Times. Builder Magazine recognized Susanka as one of 30 most notable innovators in the housing industry over the past 30 years, Fast Company named Susanka to their debut list of “Fast 50” innovators whose achievements have helped to change society, and U.S. News and World Report dubbed her an “innovator in American culture.” She is also a recipient of the Anne Morrow Lindbergh Award for outstanding individual achievement toward making positive contributions to our world.

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