You may want a work space that is separate from the rest of the home: part of the basement, the attic, a separate office room or even a room above the garage. Or maybe you need to be near the family to supervise young children, or so you can quickly move back and forth between work and housekeeping chores. It takes planning and creativity to design the perfect home office that suits your taste and lifestyle. Does this Spark an idea?
A Separate Office or Part of a Larger Room?
If you're lucky to have a separate room for your home office, you have more freedom to choose your decor. You can plan decor without worrying about matching the rest of the house and give it the look of a regular office. But if you have a small home, and the office is in an area that doubles as another type of room, you have to plan carefully. Look for ways to store away the work items and choose those that can do double duty. If your office is in the dining room, maybe you'll use the table as a desk but stow all of your work items in a sideboard that matches the decor of the room but hides your papers and other work items. A cordless phone can have its base in a different room from the office, and a wireless computer printer might hide in a nearby closet where it's out of the way. If you must share the office with an area where a desk just doesn't look right, look for a way to build a fold-down desk into the wall, so it can fold out of place when not in use. A rolling cart for files can glide into a back room or closet when the work day is over. Set up a room divider to section off different parts of the room, or use a bookcase to perform this function.
Straighten Up Your Home Office by Dealing With Cables and Cords
Most home offices have a computer, a phone and often a fax machine and printer. Consider getting an all-in-one printer that doubles as a fax and photocopier, to save space. If the office is in a visible place, see if you can find another place for the cable modem and the wireless router, so that the office has fewer cords. Look for a desk with a special cord management system so the cords can be neatly tucked away. Figure out if you can use wireless capability or run wires through the wall or floor to minimize any tangles.
Express Your Personality With a Home Office That's Uniquely Yours
Your office should have a good mix of comfort and attractiveness. If you have to spend all day in there, it should look nice, right? And if it's part of another room, then you want it to look nice when you're using the room for its other functions. Look for furniture that's comfortable for working and then find items that coordinate with it to round out the decor. You might decorate with items that tie in with your business; a vintage manual typewriter (or a picture of one) is a great decoration for a freelance writer, and a collection of vintage tools can make a unique wall collage for a carpenter or general contractor. Your office should reflect your personality and your interests. Don't be afraid to pick the furnishings and decor that you prefer.
Tags: home office, work items, Home Office, items that, look nice, office have
