How to amp up your chic home office
The end of summer and start of fall is the perfect time to get organized and turn your home office into a space you actually want to spend time in. Whether you work from home or just use the space for computer time or correspondence, a home office can be both pretty and practical.
How? Designer and Style at Home magazine's contributing style editor Karl Lohnes shares tips for creating a home office with both form and function.
Home office design tips from Karl Lohnes
1. Choose furniture colours and wood tones you used in the overall decorating scheme of your home; this will create a visual flow in your house.
Home office design tips from Karl Lohnes
1. Choose furniture colours and wood tones you used in the overall decorating scheme of your home; this will create a visual flow in your house.
2. Use double-duty furniture in a home office.
-A daybed or small pull-out sofa allows the room to double as a guest room
-Use an ottoman -- that offers storage -- as extra seating, a foot stool, or top it with a serving tray. The storage is great to help you keep files or office supplies out of sight.
-A low credenza with solid doors can hide anything from clothing, children's toys or office supplies and the top acts as a great place to display a printer or flat screen TV.
3. Keep the floor clutter-free. Area rugs are no-nos! A smooth, easy-to-clean flooring like laminate works great in a home office.
4. Mount your computer screen on the wall rather than sitting it on your desk. You will free up 30 per cent of your desktop that way.
5. Add a lock to your office door. Office equipment and files are invaluable so prevent theft or loss by keeping the area secure and eliminating potential threats (like a 3-year-old grandchild with a chocolate milkshake in hand).
6. Do you prefer to work late at night in your office or during the day? If at night, decorate your office with rich, deep colours. If you prefer working during the day, choose light, pale hues.
7. Have a separate phone line to avoid interruptions by family members that need to use the phone.
8. Keep pets out of the office. I can't tell you how many times I have had coffee spilled on my desk from a curious cat... not to mention the animal hair that gets on your work clothes!
-A daybed or small pull-out sofa allows the room to double as a guest room
-Use an ottoman -- that offers storage -- as extra seating, a foot stool, or top it with a serving tray. The storage is great to help you keep files or office supplies out of sight.
-A low credenza with solid doors can hide anything from clothing, children's toys or office supplies and the top acts as a great place to display a printer or flat screen TV.
3. Keep the floor clutter-free. Area rugs are no-nos! A smooth, easy-to-clean flooring like laminate works great in a home office.
4. Mount your computer screen on the wall rather than sitting it on your desk. You will free up 30 per cent of your desktop that way.
5. Add a lock to your office door. Office equipment and files are invaluable so prevent theft or loss by keeping the area secure and eliminating potential threats (like a 3-year-old grandchild with a chocolate milkshake in hand).
6. Do you prefer to work late at night in your office or during the day? If at night, decorate your office with rich, deep colours. If you prefer working during the day, choose light, pale hues.
7. Have a separate phone line to avoid interruptions by family members that need to use the phone.
8. Keep pets out of the office. I can't tell you how many times I have had coffee spilled on my desk from a curious cat... not to mention the animal hair that gets on your work clothes!
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Lisa Kanarek wrote:
2009-09-22 10:52 AM