Projects: Interior Home Office Design

If you need a more symbiotic workspace at home, add this to your list of home improvement projects: interior home office design.

Is your current home workspace unorganized and cluttered? Do you find yourself frazzled and unable to concentrate? If this describes your current situation, make a list of the things you can do to work more effectively and efficiently. At the top of that list should read--projects: interior home office design.

Great interior design ideas come from clean canvases.

• Clean out the clutter – Go through all of your stacks of paperwork, bills, receipts and whatever else is gathering dust in your home office and throw away what you don't need. Start by purchasing a filing cabinet (if you don't already own one) and hanging file folders. Label the folders accordingly, for example, tax-deductible expenses, contracts and bills to be paid.
• Remove the furniture from your office – Removing the furniture from your office will allow you to come up with new design ideas for your new home office.
• Make a list of things you need – Think of things that will help you stay organized like: stackable paper sorters, "in" and "out" trays, pencil holders and compartment trays for small office supplies like paperclips and thumbtacks.
• Make a list of what you want – After you list the things you need to have a more efficient home office, list the things you want. A good way to begin is to ask yourself what you would like to have in your home office that would make accomplishing your work easier.
• Sketch out a floor plan – You don't have to be a modern day VanGogh to do this. Draw the shape of your office space and use squares or rectangles to represent furniture.
• Take measurements – This will help you when you are shopping for larger furniture such as credenzas, desks and large filing cabinets.

• Shelves – These can be store bought but if you are handy with a hammer and nails, custom build your own shelves. No matter what, make sure the shelves are relatively tall. Tall shelves provide additional storage space above your desk level. The website askthebuilder.com has some great ideas if you are building your own shelves.
• Storage – Aside from your shelves, you will need additional storage for items you may not want to put on display, like reams of paper, printer ink and extra office supplies. A credenza is perfect for storing such items, but credenzas can be very expensive. If you are designing on a budget, consider buying a long vanity dresser (sans mirror) and re-purposing it for office supply storage as opposed to clothing storage.
• Accessories – Adding accessories personalizes your space. Choose a few of your favorite pictures of your loved ones to hang on the walls and sentimental pieces to adorn your shelves. Having these things around will help to remind you of the reasons why you work so hard when you are having an off day.
• Things that organize –
  • Buy a wire organizer to hide unsightly wiring. These organizers are widely available at electronics stores and office supply centers.
  • In and Out trays. Label them anyway you want: "To Do" and "Done", "In Progress" and "Finished", it doesn't matter. Having these trays will help you keep abreast of work that has to be finished and work that is already completed.
  • Stackable letter sorters – Usually sold in sets of 2, buy these sorters for items such as bills and frequently referred to paperwork.

Proper furniture placement is of the utmost importance in interior home office design.

• Refer to your measurements and drawings – Sketch out a couple of different placement schemes for your furniture. For example, if your first draft has your desk on the right wall, draw another sketch with it placed on the left or center wall.
• Consider placing your desk facing toward the door of your office – Position your desk facing the door in the same manner you see desks at your local banker or investment brokers office, for example. Flank either side of your desk with shelves and/or a credenza.

• Plants – Adding a few large plants will create a warm and inviting environment. Find a couple of large plants and maybe a few smaller ones to place around your home office.
• Paint – Don't settle for cold white walls. Consider the affects of the following colors:
  • Blues – Soothing
  • Yellows – Calming
  • Greens – Vigor
  • Oranges – Vibrant energy
  • Purples – Wisdom

Whatever you decide, the final touches you choose for your home office should reflect the same warm and inviting feeling as the rest of your home.

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