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The Home - Creating A Home Office
08/19/2009 - By Anna Maria Mannarino
Anna Maria Mannarino is an Interior and Event Designer, whose company, Mannarino Designs, Inc. has been transforming spaces from Cape May to Cape Cod.
Question:
I’d like to set up a home office, but don’t want to give up my only spare bedroom. What alternatives can you recommend?
Answer:
Several years ago I participated in a ShowHouse where I had to transform a small spare bedroom into a home office that would also serve as a second guest bedroom. Because of the size of the room, careful consideration had to be taken to insure that the room would be functional as well as comfortable. As a multipurpose room, I did not want it to scream office when it was being occupied by a houseguest; nevertheless it had to be practical if it was to be used as a place to work. While the window treatments; wall covering; area rug; decorative accessories and specialty lighting all worked together to achieve a cohesive design…For this project, choosing the correct furniture would prove imperative to create this versatile space.
I decided to begin with a well-designed work station that would be both visually appealing and work-efficient. To achieve this, a custom built-in corner wall unit was created, complete with a desktop; file drawers and tower cabinet, as well as plenty of illuminated glass front cabinets to showcase books and special objects.
Wanting to keep the design of the room clean and uncluttered, instead of a standard bed, I chose an oversized leather club chair that pulled out into a twin bed, and a coordinating ottoman that open up to reveal hidden storage space. To this, a swivel desk chair was added and a custom dog bed for the family pet to hang out!
For the comfort of a potential house guest the two existing small closets were outfitted with closet systems to maximize the use of the space; and privacy liners were added to the light filtering shades.
At the conclusion of the ShowHouse the homeowners decided to keep the room as I had designedit and to this day are enjoying their home office/guest room.
The possibilities are endless when designing a home office, however proper planning is crucial!
Here are a few tips to consider if you are preparing to set up a home office…
First, decide what your needs are. Will this be a full-time office; part-time “take work home” space; somewhere to manage household paperwork or, perhaps, a study location for the kids? Is a single desk sufficient or do you need multiple workstations. Maybe you require another type of work table, such as drafting or arts and crafts or a small conference table. Do you need to receive clients at this location? These are a just some things to think about to help you determine what kind of space you will need.
How much room can you spare? Home offices can be set up in spare bedrooms; finished basements; converted attics or garages, just to name a few. However, quite often the luxury of an entire dedicated room is not possible. In those cases, consider which room could serve as a multifunctional room. A small space in a dining room, den, bedroom and even kitchen can work nicely if you create a well organized area that can be closed or tidied up when you’re not using it. (A secretary, armoire or built-in, work great in these situations.) Once you’ve determined the location, you will need to calculate how much material will be in there, i.e. office equipment, files, books, etc… This will help you figure out how much and what kind of furniture and storage you will need.
When setting up your home office…Remember, no matter what the size, it is important that the space be functional and comfortable and reflect your needs, taste and style. These components, together with good organization will help generate great productivity!
Anna Maria Mannarino is an Interior and Event Designer, whose company, Mannarino Designs, Inc. has been transforming spaces from Cape May to Cape Cod. Contact ~ 732.741.1444
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