July 31, 2009

What sorts of issues should I consider before turning my home into a public home office?
from St. Louis Post-Dispatch
By Barb Slavkin, president, of June Roesslein Interiors

The ideal home office combines residential comfort, commercial productivity and an appealing business environment for your clients.

Typically, an extra bedroom or formal living room are two areas most commonly converted into a home office. But it’s important to choose space apart from family gathering areas. Equally important is access to natural light. While a basement may offer quiet and out of the way space, it can also produce a de-energizing “cave effect.”

The office zone should have a color scheme that complements the home, but yet clearly identifies it as a place for doing business. The selection of furniture, flooring and art can also accentuate this distinction. Select furniture that compliments what you already have and strive for optimal functionality and comfort for you and your client. Present a clean and organized look to the office desk, hiding all wires for computers and other technology. Select ergonomic chairs and keyboards. Also consider flat panel monitors and multi-tasking business machines that maximize available space and maintain an uncluttered look.

File cabinets don’t have to be stark metal, but can be part of the desk or feature high design elements like wood that complement other home furnishings. For the cost conscious home business, consider the many beautiful laminates today for desks and file cabinets. If there’s no reason to have files readily available, locate the file cabinet in a closet. A closet is also useful for storing product, especially if you want to guide the customer on selection. If you want the client to fully absorb and make all selections, simple shelving in the office will suffice for product displays.

Barbara Slavkin is president of June Roesslein Interiors in Chesterfield, Mo. She has more than 20 years experience in residential interior design.