Home Office Furniture

Home office furniture can run the gamut from a traditional desk to an armoire that folds into a desk, but stows office equipment and papers away from sight when the "office" is not in use. Home office décor varies with the individual, but most offices require the basics of a desk and some sort of storage.

Home Office Furniture

Home-based businesses are an increasingly popular trend. In addition, many employees enjoy having a place at home to work on office projects on the weekends or evenings. Sure, you can work on your dining room table with your laptop next to your kids' homework, but it's more efficient, not to mention relaxing, to have a room – or a corner – all to yourself.

The most important piece of home office furniture is the desk or work surface. The desk can be a traditional massive wooden piece or a sleek modern aluminum and glass one. Requirements will vary with your needs, but those shopping for a desk should consider the surface space required, storage needs, and – of course – space constraints.

In addition to a useful desk, it's important to have a comfortable chair. You'll be, presumably, spending a lot of time at your desk and there's no sense in ending up with a back ache. Good, ergonomic chairs start at around $40 and go up from there. It's also usually helpful to have a chair that adjusts for height, especially it you are sharing your office with your spouse or partner.

Every home office needs a place to store files, extra printer paper, and all of those little things, like paper clips and pens. Storage pieces range from traditional filing cabinets to wooden credenzas with space for books, awards, and other office paraphernalia.

Most home offices have to work with severe space constraints. Many such offices are corners of an existing room or even hidden within a cabinet or armoire. Because of this limited space, it's important for furniture pieces to provide as much use as possible. For instance, a desk can be housed in a storage cabinet and fold up when not in use. Shelves, storage bins or baskets for papers, accessories, or computer components can be mounted on the wall to free up floor space.

In addition to a desk, a chair, and storage, other desirable pieces of office furniture include chairs for clients, bookcases, and a cabinet for computer equipment.

Finding home office furniture is relatively easy. Most home office "big box" stores, such as Staples and Office Max, carry a line of chairs, desks, file cabinets, and other office features. Online retailers, such as Overstock.com, and discount retailers, such as Target and Wal-Mart, often offer an array of discount furniture.

You can even construct basic office home office furniture by using a large wooden slab or a discarded door and attaching legs to it. Using unfinished furniture and painting or staining to suit your décor is another way to save on furnishing your home office.

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