Home Offices that Really Work for You It can be modest or it can be grand. It can be state-of-the art or it can display valuable pieces of art. It can be full of character or full of chaos.The home office. It seems as if most everyone has one, and many people who don't have one say they wish they did. But the common lament among those who do have a home office is that it lacks organization, functionality and character. Combining all three is a challenge, to be sure, but one that when properly tackled can reflect creative design and enhance productivity. "The dramatic trend toward home offices tells me people never seem to be on down time. I think that's a shame. Ideally, when we come home, it should be to a sanctuary, but that's not the case anymore," says Lee Robinson of the Lee W. Robinson Company. "I've seen a tenfold increase in home offices from five or ten years ago. They used to be a random thing. Not anymore. Now they're an important part of most homes and need to be carefully integrated into the design process of the overall home. The home office is all about melding function with aesthetics and comfort. But in reality, that's the goal for all home design, not just for the home office. There are simply different issues involved in home office design," says interior designer Marvin Dyer of Marvin Dyer Designs. Jason Black of Stonecroft Homes agrees with Dyer about the increasing demand for home offices, saying, "Almost every high end home we build has a home office. Sometimes if the space isn't very elaborate we refer to it as a resource room that can double as a home office. That dual purpose philosophy is also embraced by Elite Homes vice president Rocky Pusateri. "We advise our clients to think ahead to the time when they might want to sell the home and to remember that in the future, the room may have a different function. Some buyers may decide to use the room as an extra bedroom or an exercise room. We've started referring to the room as a flex room," he says. As popular as home offices are, most people don't want them to be an overly prominent feature of the house. If the office is to be a separate room, placing it over a garage or at one end of the house will allow that degree of separateness. "I think it's important that you'll be able to walk away from the office. I had a client who said he didn't want the office close enough to the bedroom that he'd be tempted to turn on the computer in the middle of the night," says Dyer. "I purposely designed my office in the basement. There's nothing neat about interior design. I'm constantly digging out notes, fabrics and tons of products. Sometimes I have several projects going on at once so it can become quite a chaotic scene. I like being able to completely leave it at the end of the day," he adds. Although function is a top priority, Dyer believes it's important that the office be as attractive as any other room in the house. "I don't want the room to scream, 'This is an office.' I don't do anything in an office that's of lesser quality than what's found in other parts of the home. For window treatments, I may use silk or beautiful printed linens. Sometimes I have custom furniture made, such as a credenza that can be used to hide a computer. I also like to incorporate a conversational area with a love seat or club chairs to break up what could otherwise be an overly cold office environment," he says. "If a room is wholly dedicated to a home office, I use very spare window treatments. I might use fabrics that are used elsewhere in the home, but wouldn't do drapes that go to the floor unless the office is fairly formal. Formal offices tend to be those that aren't used very often. For an office that does get a lot of use, it would make sense to have plantation shutters or louvered blinds, something that's clutter free," offers Lee Robinson. The majority of offices in homes built by Jason Black's company feature a 12 or 14 foot ceiling. Many are coffered or have some type of elaborate decorative treatment, such as multiple layers of crown molding, often matching the wainscoting on the walls. He says dark wood walls currently are far more popular than lighter woods. And he says wainscoting typically is higher in home offices than in dining rooms, generally being placed about 50 or 60 inches from the floor. "A fireplace, whether one with a rich mantel design or a stone hearth that has additional seating, can add an unexpected touch and create a very warm mood in a home office. I think it's all about creating a mood when designing the home office," says Black. If you want a television in the office but don't want it to be a focal point, you're in luck. Black predicts Vutec's ArtScreen that transforms a television into a piece of artwork is going to be a big hit. When the television is turned off, a motorized screen with a reproduction art canvas is lowered into the hardwood frame, totally obscuring the television screen. When it comes to artwork, Lee Robinson thinks the home office is the perfect place to hang a prized piece. "I have several clients that hang their most treasured piece of art in the office. I think that's great because they're not trying to impress anyone by hanging their best art in their more public spaces. They're rewarding themselves with something wonderful to enjoy while they're working. I'm happy to say that I've been amazed at the treasures I've seen scattered throughout clients' homes, in upstairs hallways and bedrooms, not only in the living and dining rooms. That's how art should be enjoyed," he says. Black is a go-to guy when clients have questions about designing their home offices. Years of experience have given him hundreds of ideas, several of which he incorporated into his own home office where architectural elements such as large windows and 12 foot ceilings are paired with a 5 inch white oak floor with a dark walnut stain. On the floor is an Oriental rug infused with soft greens, browns and gold. Framed plans and photographs of houses his company has built, paintings and a flat screen television hang on the walls. He says random width red or white oak floors remain popular although consumers are becoming more acquainted with a wider variety of hardwoods. Recently he installed a cinnamon colored exotic hardwood in a home for what he described as an exquisite effect. When using hardwood floors in an office, an Oriental rug or other area rug is a good way to help absorb sound as well as to introduce colors into the room or to tie together colors from the wall, upholstered furniture or window treatments. But Rocky Pusateri says most of his clients choose carpet over hardwood, primarily for the sound absorption benefit. Even if carpet covers the floor, an area rug may be placed over the carpet to provide another layer of color and texture. Because so much time may be spent in an office, Dyer believes it's important to personalize the space. "I think a home office should reflect the personality of the inhabitant and should give visitors a sense of who the person is and what he's/she's about. One neat way to do that is to create an ego, or accomplishment wall, where photographs, plaques and awards are displayed," he says. "If there's a room that's designed only to serve as an office, you're going to be working all the time. Personally, I like a work station instead of an entire room. I don't take too many things home because there isn't any place for them. I can check email and do some work, but I don't burden myself with so much work that I can't get finished that night. Having an overpowering amount of work only sets you up for defeat," says Robinson. Remember the adage, Everything has a place and everything in its place? For Robinson, those are words to live (and work) by. "An office should be clean, serene and spare, with a lack of clutter. None of the visuals should be overwhelming. There shouldn't be a lot of stuff to process mentally. Commingling leads to nothing working efficiently. I like the desk to be a clean palette. The desk top needs to exist only as a workplace. There should be a separate area for the printer and fax machine. And have a pencil drawer instead of putting the pens and pencils in a cup on the desk. The home office may not be the best place to express personal style. Keep it clean and simple because you don't want objects to distract. You want to spend as little time there as possible," says Robinson. He continues to say that even though an office may be designed for work, it should still be an environment that appeals to each of the five senses. He's particularly adamant that the office, like the rest of the home, should be filled with fragrance. "Go ahead and light a candle and nurture yourself. You'll be more productive. And by all means, play your favorite music, maybe something tranquil or something energizing, whatever suits you best. For me, it would be Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughan." His final word of advice for feeling at home in your home office? "Sit down and enjoy a glass of wine." * Cut the clutter. Before you begin to design your home office, decide what types and how much storage you'll need. Remember, creative office storage isn't confined to file cabinets. Think in terms of other types of cabinetry, including drawers, pull out shelves and bookcases. As you think about organization, forget about plastic bins and milk crates. Good looking boxes with lids, perhaps wicker or leather, are great for hiding the messy stuff. Or in atypical office fashion, how about an ottoman that opens up. It will give you storage and seating all in one. More Tips from the Trade... Our design pros have even more advice about designing your office for maximum eye appeal and maximum functionality. Take their hints and get to work! * Wallpaper or a faux finish can almost magically transform a room without breaking the bank. * Dress it up, light it up, dim it down. Gone are the days when chandeliers were found only in the dining room. They're sneaking into some offices for a decidedly dressed up look. If you hate the idea of canned lights, you may hate them less if you do as Lee Robinson does and put them on dimmers. He also likes to use a desk lamp to make a statement, saying that pottery or ceramic lamps are excellent choices. But don't use just any shade. To illuminate the desk area for writing, he uses black or tole shades because they direct the light onto the desk, not directly into your eye, as does a silk shade. * People who butt a desk against a wall probably haven't taken the advice of Rocky Pusateri who says to move it away from the wall and float it in the room. Who wants to look at a wall when there's a view out the window or there's interesting design going on in the room? * Since you're probably going to be spending a considerable amount of time at the computer, Marvin Dyer points out that the height of the desk is critical and should fit your height while sitting down. Also, he says the placement of an ergonomically correct key pad is often overlooked until the user begins becoming uncomfortable after continued use. * You may love your grandmother's Chippendale chair, but you it won't love how it makes your back feel after sitting in it for a few hours. Comfort is key for your office chair. Take interior designer Lee Robinson's advice and buy an ergonomically designed office chair. No, it probably won't be much to look at, so take his second bit of advice and have it upholstered in beautiful fabric. * According to Jason Black, without proper wiring an office can't be as functional as most people need. CAT 5 cable can be wired under the floor so there are no visible cords. You might want to consider putting another set of wires in a wall, possibly for a second work station. And don't forget to wire for high definition television and perhaps even link it to the computer. He says one way to hid a jumble of wires is with a wall of built in furniture.
Pusateri notes that homeowners with a story and a half house many times opt to locate the home office in the loft area to provide privacy and keep office clutter separate from other living spaces. He also advises clients to have the home office in an area away from a children's play area so that business may be conducted with minimal distractions.
"Working out of a home office may be difficult because there can be so many distractions, such as laundry, kids, pets and everything that goes on in a home. That's why it's so important that the home office be well organized, comfortable and inviting to the person who works there," says Julia Campbell, interior designer and manager of the Westport Village store of Hubbuch & Co. "Beautiful pieces of furniture that are also functional can help turn an ordinary room into an office that you actually enjoy working in."
