HOME OFFICES
Carlos Beistegui's workspace at Chateau de Groussay, it's small but I still like it...
Carlos Beistegui's workspace at Chateau de Groussay, it's small but I still like it...
A long time ago I adopted a rule for running my home….
“A place for everything and everything in its place”
It keeps clutter down, the house is always tidy, and when I want something I know exactly where to find it!
It sounds anal but it’s not, its just common sense.
It sounds anal but it’s not, its just common sense.
These days, everyone needs a home office! Whether you work at home or just need have a an orderly home life...we all just need a "place" to do it.
When I see clients say that a small Susie Homemaker 30” wide “menu planning” desk in the kitchen is enough to do all their tasks…really? That’ll work?
Home Offices have logically evolved putting an end to keeping junk all over the house; stuffed in kitchen drawers, shoe boxes, grandma’s tiny desk in the hall, or a card table in the basement eventually sorting it out once a month. Computers have definitely not made us paper-free...at all. And, the IRS says we need to retain all paperwork and receipts for five years after we file ..shut the front door, where do we keep five years worth of all that stuff?
With busy lives we all need a “go to” place for the family calendar with the kid’s soccer schedules, Botox appointments, dinner dates, theater, etc. We all need places for our mail, some file drawers for our long-term records and a desk top to work at without the chance of getting peanut butter on it….
DECIDE WHAT YOU NEED IN YOUR OFFICE, THEN PERSONALIZE IT!
1. Make a list of what you want at your fingertips: Pens, post-its, scissors, stationary, checks, laptop, printer, shredder, files, etc.
2. What task do you do most often? That should be your priority #1.
3. Where are all your chargers now? Is it convenient? Is it a rat’s nest of wires and plugs?
4. Will everyone in your home have access to this workplace? Should they have different carrels? Do you like to work at the same time? Are they noisy when they work?
5. Do others in your household need a totally separate workplace? If so, where?
6. Do you have an off-site company do your bills and accounting?
7. Bad back, neck or legs that needs a specific task chair?
8. Online a lot? Facebook, eBay, Huffington Post, etc.
9. Laptop or Desktop?
10. Are you an artist, scrap booker, photographer or crafts person?
Obviously, an office can be made to accommodate any wish, but most people think they're locked into pre-determined set-ups. Don’t think your choices are either those pre-made desk sets at Office Depot or an uber custom made extravaganza.
Depending on what you do, your office can handle your needs and be attractive.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Children ages up to 16-17 are supposed to be in an open part of the house with no privacy for their online time. It's not that your kids are bad, but there's an entire world of freaks and opportunists out there who prey on gullible minds. Pro's say their backs (and monitors) should face the room and it's also good to cluster all the kids computers in a specific computer area; a hallway, office or home computer room. The desktop should be a temperate and tactile material that is comfortable to the forearms; glass, marble, metal are all cold in any climate. Wood, laminate or leather are ideal.
Floors are easy to keep clean in most office conditions, I prefer carpeting. Cold stone or tile floors make your legs cold in the winter. If you have to have a tile floor consider an electric heat matt that goes under the tile before its installed
If your desk is looking out a window, consider the glare when using your computer. Its hard on the eyes to have a large, super-bright background behind a computer screen. These blinds from Hunter Douglas allow you to see out and still diffuse the glare. Silhouette window shadings
Will you need a more secure office? Is this space too exposed to guests, maids, kids, etc.? Consider putting things out of view, that's what whets the appetite for nosey types. Second, have important things in lockable drawers or cabinets.
Do you see work-related people at home occasionally? Their visit doesn't need to be in your home office, it can be in your library, living room or porch. But if you wanna look like the BMOC with an impressive office (think Mr. Potter in "Its a Wonderful Life") for the occasional visitor, think about what you don't want them to see, then create an out of view place for it. Unless you've made your visitor wear blinders they'll naturally look around, its what we all do.
PRETTY PART TIME WORK STATIONS
For those who do most of their personal work at the office, a small home "station" is a good idea
Yves St. Laurent
(YSL's country home)
Yves St. Laurent's homes had these smart looking desks with just the bare essentials he needed at each location.
(YSL Paris Apartment)
(YSL Marrakesh Home)
Oscar de la Renta
He's got this lovely French desk in his Connecticut country home...but really...you think he does any work at that desk?? C'mon, where's the shit? Where's the wastebasket or laptop at least??
For those who do most of their personal work at the office, a small home "station" is a good idea
Yves St. Laurent
(YSL's country home)
Yves St. Laurent's homes had these smart looking desks with just the bare essentials he needed at each location.
(YSL Paris Apartment)
(YSL Marrakesh Home)
Oscar de la Renta
He's got this lovely French desk in his Connecticut country home...but really...you think he does any work at that desk?? C'mon, where's the shit? Where's the wastebasket or laptop at least??
Richard Lambertson & JohnTruex
Their country house office has a fun assemblage of inexpensive components...metal file drawers with a laminate top; old, steel card-catalogue drawers and good lighting. It's orderly and simple.
DESIGNATED WORK STATIONS FOR REAL PEOPLE
Chances are you don't have a home secretary to bring you your files and retrieve what you need when you snap your fingers sitting there in your Marie Antoinette tower-of-power wig...
so this is for the rest of us.
This is my idea of what every home should have! Stations for tasks with drawers, shelves, lighting, etc. I LOVE the palm matting over the bulletin board. The stools are dumb as you MUST have an appropriate chair with proper back and leg support.
This home office has a nice edge; the desk and upper shelves utilize clean-lined pre-fab units.
(I think those Hermes boxes are pretentious, and how do you know which has the stationary, check receipts or backup birthday cards in it?) Get baskets that are open and can be labeled or Lucite boxes which are chic even with all the crap showing. It's an office not a showroom!
OMG how smart is this home office?? It's one end of a family room; she has hers and he has his and it's all hidden behind the louvered doors when they're entertaining! Velly, velly smaaaat!
This home office with the windows and view is inspiring (my own desk ALWAYS needs to face a window). It's clean and simple, utilizes inexpensive cabinetry and is cozied up with the matching wooden tops and floors.
This beautifully appointed home work station has it all: Beautiful cabinetry, a large work-surface, lap drawers and hidden shelving above - which I love. Who needs to see that crap all the time? Yes, closed cabinets cost more, but if you like a less cluttered look, get the upper doors.
This is probably what you have now?
And this is what you want NOW?
This is such a handsome space, clean lined with warm tones and everything hidden
This is a fun casual space for the weekend or summer home, modern, fun & funky
This garret room is clearly the home office of a designer; there's lots of drawers for unsightly junk, flat surfaces for spreading out and a wall of cork board for pinning up stuff. Everything has its place so this tiny office feels orderly.
This lovely office of some Patrician wordsmith is totally elegant. Surrounded by books and reference materials it screams quality. The laptop is on a small, uncluttered built-in desk, the printer is in another part of the room, the woodwork and lighting are sublime....
Another masculine home office with muted beige tones with brown accents is enough to make anyone want to work at home. Notice all the details are the very simplest and architectural, always a nice environment for focusing.
A well used office that has a large closet behind the chair with by-pass doors keeps all the crap (printer, copier, etc.) out of sight. Other unattractive components are kept in handsome leather file folders on display in the bookshelves.
You like things on the wall??
Then do it this way!
This traditionally decorated office is a great multi-user space with custom cabinetry and a wonderful wall of cork board. Create a pattern of the photos or a grid, it will give you a sense of order. Stainless tops are impervious but cold to the touch.
Utilising the corner of a kitchen's breakfast room this computer area works beautifully for daily email, homework and bills. The monitors face the room which is good for keeping an eye on what the kids are doing.
This groovy "niche" office is fun with the use of the black and white photos collaged onto the one wall. The desktop and the laptop are always ready to use.
REALISTIC PART TIME WORK STATIONS
This kitchen nook works well for small tasks like recipes, or letting kids work there while people are in the kitchen. It closes up behind large retracting doors when not in use.
This is a weekend retreat that I did for clients at the Delaware seashore. The large cabinetry opens to reveal the TV and stereo equipment on the right side. The left side conceals a work carrel with retractable doors and a pullout keyboard. Underneath are drawers and above are open shelves for books and binder storage.
so this is for the rest of us.
This is my idea of what every home should have! Stations for tasks with drawers, shelves, lighting, etc. I LOVE the palm matting over the bulletin board. The stools are dumb as you MUST have an appropriate chair with proper back and leg support.
This home office has a nice edge; the desk and upper shelves utilize clean-lined pre-fab units.
(I think those Hermes boxes are pretentious, and how do you know which has the stationary, check receipts or backup birthday cards in it?) Get baskets that are open and can be labeled or Lucite boxes which are chic even with all the crap showing. It's an office not a showroom!
OMG how smart is this home office?? It's one end of a family room; she has hers and he has his and it's all hidden behind the louvered doors when they're entertaining! Velly, velly smaaaat!
This home office with the windows and view is inspiring (my own desk ALWAYS needs to face a window). It's clean and simple, utilizes inexpensive cabinetry and is cozied up with the matching wooden tops and floors.
This beautifully appointed home work station has it all: Beautiful cabinetry, a large work-surface, lap drawers and hidden shelving above - which I love. Who needs to see that crap all the time? Yes, closed cabinets cost more, but if you like a less cluttered look, get the upper doors.
This is probably what you have now?
And this is what you want NOW?
This is such a handsome space, clean lined with warm tones and everything hidden
This is a fun casual space for the weekend or summer home, modern, fun & funky
This garret room is clearly the home office of a designer; there's lots of drawers for unsightly junk, flat surfaces for spreading out and a wall of cork board for pinning up stuff. Everything has its place so this tiny office feels orderly.
This lovely office of some Patrician wordsmith is totally elegant. Surrounded by books and reference materials it screams quality. The laptop is on a small, uncluttered built-in desk, the printer is in another part of the room, the woodwork and lighting are sublime....
Another masculine home office with muted beige tones with brown accents is enough to make anyone want to work at home. Notice all the details are the very simplest and architectural, always a nice environment for focusing.
A well used office that has a large closet behind the chair with by-pass doors keeps all the crap (printer, copier, etc.) out of sight. Other unattractive components are kept in handsome leather file folders on display in the bookshelves.
You like things on the wall??
Then do it this way!
This traditionally decorated office is a great multi-user space with custom cabinetry and a wonderful wall of cork board. Create a pattern of the photos or a grid, it will give you a sense of order. Stainless tops are impervious but cold to the touch.
Utilising the corner of a kitchen's breakfast room this computer area works beautifully for daily email, homework and bills. The monitors face the room which is good for keeping an eye on what the kids are doing.
This groovy "niche" office is fun with the use of the black and white photos collaged onto the one wall. The desktop and the laptop are always ready to use.
REALISTIC PART TIME WORK STATIONS
This kitchen nook works well for small tasks like recipes, or letting kids work there while people are in the kitchen. It closes up behind large retracting doors when not in use.
This is a weekend retreat that I did for clients at the Delaware seashore. The large cabinetry opens to reveal the TV and stereo equipment on the right side. The left side conceals a work carrel with retractable doors and a pullout keyboard. Underneath are drawers and above are open shelves for books and binder storage.
This re-purposed closet makes a great workspace. As you can see there are shelves, drawers, task lighting and it all gets closed out of sight when the bi-fold doors are closed!
This contemporary workspace is hidden behind large sliding doors. It's a smart low-cost work area; the wall shelves are inexpensive and brightened up with the use of the green file boxes. The desk is a laminate top resting on two metal file drawer components.
This contemporary workspace looks custom built but its actually well-coordinated IKEA components.
CHECK OUT THESE RESOURCES FOR OFFICE COMPONENTS
ballard designs
westelm.com
design within reach
office furniture.com
Silhouette window shadings
You can do it, I'm here to help!
