Regardless of the colors, furniture styles or tech equipment you ultimately choose for your home office, there are some generic design dos and don’ts that apply to any space. These guidelines will help you create a space that meets your imagination:


Do:

• Strive for flexibility to meet future needs. The more options you give yourself for arranging and rearranging your space, the better.

• Understand your work style and cater to it. If you file reams of paper, load up on cabinets or file carts. If you surround yourself with books, plan for shelving to support the mass and weight. If you work best with piles of materials, make sure flat surfaces abound in your space.

• Design your entire space in relation to your primary work surface. Your work surface is the hub of the home office. Know exactly what items you need for your office and where each must be located in relation to your work surface.

• Incorporate items that bring you joy as well as those that serve a function.

• Measure, measure, measure. Outside dimensions. Inside dimensions. Make sure everything fits the in space just the way you want.

• Check your power. Be sure you have enough electrical outlets, and that the layout of your office gives you access to those outlets. Also make sure that your telephone jacks are positioned to serve your computer and fax machine well as your telephone.

Don’t:

• Scrimp on equipment. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) will someday save you headaches and heartaches. Flat screen monitors and notebook computers take up less desktop space. Telephone headsets prevent neck strain that comes with hours of cradling a handset.

• Settle for a cheap chair. If you’re going to splurge on one item in your office, this is the place. Fork over the big bucks. Your body will thank you.

• Dismiss ergonomics. Home office pros are as susceptible to workplace injuries as their corporate cousins.

• Underestimate necessary space for equipment. Computers, monitors, scanners, fax machines, printers, power supplies, telephones, lamps. Add to that the cables, cords and plugs needed to run the equipment. They all gobble up valuable home office real estate. Plan carefully to accommodate them.