Before and After: An Office Becomes A Chic Apartment

Sarah Tolle – Homify Canada Sarah Tolle – Homify Canada
Lisboa Baixa - Before and After, Staging Factory Staging Factory
Loading admin actions …

It's common to see amazing renovation jobs that convert old, outdated homes into sparkling, luxurious ones, but this before and after is a bit different. This space never started as a home – it began as an office! That said, the before picture is suitably office-like: florescent lighting, lots of filing cabinets, plain walls, tiny kitchen that's only used when absolutely necessary.

This homify before and after tour explores this former office space in Lisbon, Portugal, acquired for the purpose of transforming it into an apartment for short-term rentals. The designers at Home Staging Factory were appointed to be the full partners in the renovation – from project design, to material selection, furnishing, and finally, decoration. The main vision for this reno job was to end up with something chic and classy that would appeal to people in the short-term rental market with sophisticated tastes.

Before: A Typical Day at the Office

There's not much of a home to tour during this initial look. Florescent lights are the immediate giveaway, revealing this space's origins as a (somewhat dreary and outdated) office building. This room has potential as a twin bedroom with its symmetrical window arrangement, but the design team will have to re-imagine the space as something a bit more cozy than this stark, harsh office room.

Before: Floors with Potential

While the walls may be water stained, there's no mistaking that the floors of this office building are way above par. These hardwood beauties cover the whole place, and they're here to stay!

Before: Office Kitchenette

For a short term rental, these architects won't have to add a luxurious, stately kitchen, but they will have to do better than this tiny, cramped office kitchenette. It's one of those places that you avoid at all costs, preferring to pay 10 dollars for a sub sandwich during lunch break rather than attempt to use the bare-bones facilities of the office kitchen.

Before: The Foyer

You'd be surprised to see this little foyer in a home (and that's why it's soon going to be taken out). It's a lasting vestige of the office space, and its overall cheap and flimsy look offers no additional value for an apartment that's designed to be chic and sophisticated.

Before: The Wrong Kind of Storage

There's plenty of storage here, but the wrong kind. This apartment won't be in need of a dozen tall filing cabinets.

After: Open Concept Space

The designers have removed several interior walls that once divided the office into its components, replacing it with a fresh, open concept floor plan perfect for a friendly and modern short-term rental. Adhering in many aspects to a Scandinavian design rhetoric, the combined kitchen, living room, and dining room feature lightweight furniture in clean, light tones, a balance of hues from dark to light, and a few playful pops of color.

After: Bedroom

This relaxing, neutral-toned bedroom reveals the true beauty of the hardwood floors from before! It's hard to imagine that this restful space was once an office!

After: Open Dialogue

The office-fashioned closed wall approach has been done away with – here, two bedrooms enjoy an open dialogue through a well-placed cutout in the wall.

After: Black and White Bathroom

Chic and sophisticated, this black and white themed bathroom is as classic as it gets.

After: Second Bedroom

The benefit of working with a whole floor of office space is the obvious large floor plan that comes with it! The architects have been able to include several bedrooms in this reno job, all showcasing neutral greys and blues and instantly create a calming atmosphere.

After: A Touch of Culture

What was bland and stark before now has a touch of culture, as the designers have worked to incorporate the traditional Portuguese ceramic tiles into their design. Often used as a smoking patio when part of an office, this small outdoor space has been transformed into an intimate breakfast or reading nook that extends from one of the home's bedrooms.

Looking for more home reno? Have a look at this sad home that was transformed in to a bright, cheerful space!

What do you think of this office transformation?Comment below!

Need help with your home project?
Get in touch!

Highlights from our magazine