Home Office Furniture & Decor

If you decide to work out of your home, you should have a separate phone line installed for business purposes only. If one of your family members answers a business call, not only will it seem unprofessional, but you may never get the message. If there are young children in the house, you may want to think twice about running a home based business. It is extremely hard to get a 2 year old to stop crying when a business call is waiting on the line.

Items you may require for your office will include the following. Depending on your line of work, you may need special equipment. Don't forget the home decor items to make the space your own!

• Comfortable desks & furniture
• Shelving and filing space
• Computer & printer
• Fax machine
• Copier
• Business phone line
• Internet connection
• Adequate lighting and electrical outlets
• Miscellaneous office supplies

If you use a traditional desk in your home office, the following minimum clearances will help you lay out the furniture to make sure that you have the space necessary.

You may wish to use systems furniture in your home office, the following diagram shows two workstations and names some of the components available.

If you have a separate room, you may want to go with a traditional desk and chair. Many people have to set up their work area within another area, whether it is the Dining Room, Living Room, Den or Guest Bedroom. In this case, opt for a compact computer desk armoire that has doors that will close to conceal your "desk" when you aren't working. These home office armoires range in style from contemporary to traditional, so you should be able to find one that blends in with your decor. Also, look for one that has a built in task light over the worksurface. The one drawback to these armoires is that the desk top may be dark and in shadows. The models that have a built in task light eliminate this problem.