Buildscape - Printer-friendly version of Designing A Home Office

Designing A Home Office
An expert offers pro design tips -- plus photos of six hard-working home offices.
Neal Zimmerman
December 26th, 2000

Article location: http://www.atworkathome.com/buildscape/index.htm

By day, this home office is the nerve center of a thriving dental practice.

At least one feature of 21st century life — the long-predicted phenomenon of at-home work — has already arrived.

Low-cost computers, fax machines, the Internet, and telecommunication services such as call waiting and voice-mail have made it possible to set up a full-featured office almost anywhere. Estimates of the number of people working at home either full or part time currently run as high as 50 million.

As companies awaken to the potential cost savings of a telecommuting work force, and as workers taste the freedom and flexibility of working at home, the trend may well accelerate.

And while electronic devices such as computers, copiers, and fax machines are essential to most home offices, improvements in design and miniaturization have made them easier to incorporate into the home environment. As a result, designers can concentrate less on the needs of the equipment and more on such issues as spatial separation between living and working areas, productivity, and comfort.

Still, because they introduce a commercial function into the home, designing home offices differs from designing other rooms. Special considerations include permitting, siting within the house, and heavier-than-normal utility requirements.

And because offices pack many functions into a small space, designers must work closely with their clients — much as they would in designing a kitchen for a serious cook — to locate and choreograph these functions.

In this story, we will look at the concepts that will allow you to design a functional and elegant home office in the new homes you build, or the houses you remodel.

And then we'll look at six examples that meet the test.

— Neal Zimmerman, AIA, Zimmerman Architects, West Hartford, Conn., is a specialist in home office design and author of Home Office Design.

Page 1 of 12

Where to Put It

An Attic Office

Choosing a location for an office in the home is a matter of balancing work space needs with privacy, access, and available space. Though almost any existing room can be converted to an office, each has its strong and weak points.

Attic. Attics are often underused extra space, and their remote location makes them appropriate for private offices that do not require a separate entrance. However, attics present structural considerations both underfoot and overhead. You may have to beef up the existing floor to handle the live loads imposed by the new use or add dormers to meet code ceiling-height requirements for habitable spaces.

Garage. On-grade access makes a garage perfect raw material for an office that requires a public entrance or separate parking. Garages with no living space above can be opened up with skylights or a cathedral ceiling. But check with local code officials before investing design time in such projects. Because they eliminate a covered parking space, garage-to-office conversions can run afoul of local codes.

Family room. Family rooms and dens can make good home office locations because they are typically at ground level, often have a separate entrance, and are usually among the larger rooms in the house. They may also offer architectural features — such as a fireplace, a cathedral ceiling, or access to a deck — that make for a pleasant place to meet with clients.

These rooms, however, are usually located near the center of family activity. Even if your client can devote the space to a full-time office, noise and traffic may make this location impractical, especially for those with children at home.

Bedroom. A spare bedroom is already prepared in most ways to accept a home office. The space is usually regular in shape and has natural light, ventilation, and some electrical power. Bedroom closets can be easily converted for office storage. A bedroom also can be closed off for privacy.

One as small as 80 square feet can serve as a modest office for one person; larger bedrooms can usually accommodate two workers. Unless it is far from other bedrooms in the house, though, a converted bedroom is most appropriate for a private office that does not serve employees or visiting clients.

Basement. Basements usually have large areas of open space and easy access to electrical panels and other utilities. Walk-out basements offer the additional advantages of outside access and natural light.

Make below-grade basements more hospitable by opening them to the home’s main level where possible, adding windows, finishing them in light colors, and installing a well-planned system of electrical lighting. Be sure to address any water problems in the basement before you proceed with an office conversion; a damp work space is both unpleasant for people and potentially damaging to office equipment.

Other spaces. A wide hallway, a walk-in closet, even a standard 24-inch-deep closet can serve as a small, functional work space. Because they occupy circulation space, hallway offices should be configured to minimize clutter. Closet offices may need additional cooling and ventilation to handle the heat generated by office equipment and lights in a confined area. Access to natural light, via a window, skylight, or transom light from an adjacent space with a window, will make extended hours of work in a small space more pleasant.

Page 2 of 12

Power Up

A reliable supply of electrical power and sufficient telecommunication connections are critical to any office. To make sure your client will have enough power and phone connections — and in the right places — you should conduct a thorough needs survey.

Tally the electrical requirements of each device your client now uses and of any equipment he expects to add in the future (amperage draws can be found in the user’s manuals or on the rating labels at the back of equipment). Note also which devices require a telephone jack.

From this information, draft an equipment power list and consult with your electrician to determine the adequacy of the existing wiring and the distribution of outlets in the new office. For a small office with two computers, a printer, a telephone, and a fax machine, a single electrical circuit should suffice.

In laying out the electrical plan, remember that the office landscape is subject to continuous change. Equipment, too, is evolving rapidly. Err on the side of too many outlets and phone jacks rather than too few.

Suggest wiring the space for additional phone lines and computer networking, even if your client doesn’t anticipate a need for them. Consider also installing coaxial cable, in case cable information services take off.

Putting all this equipment in one room creates another concern: heat. Everything that uses power generates heat, and running several devices simultaneously can raise room temperature beyond the comfort level. The machinery itself is also sensitive to extreme temperatures and humidity. High ambient temperatures can do permanent damage to equipment components. And paper doesn’t move through printers and copiers well in humid environments.

If your client’s house is air-conditioned, you may need to rebalance or expand the system. If you add cooling capacity to the area, consider putting the space on a separate setback thermostat to take advantage of the predictable hours it will be used. If you add a room air conditioner, it should go on its own circuit to avoid damaging electronic equipment.

Computers and other office equipment are also vulnerable to static electricity. If you choose carpet for your client, select a product designed to minimize static.

Page 3 of 12

The Ideal Home Office

The ideal office has a private entrance opening into a dedicated space large enough for all office functions.

Most clients, though, must compromise, accepting some overlap in working and living spaces. The entrance to the home office, for example, may be through another part of the house or apartment. The office itself may be in a family room or bedroom.

Work and family life can coexist successfully in spite of such compromises but only if the office space can be “privatized” — cut off to the desired degree from family activity — and protected when it is not in use.

Although a basic home office might need no more than a phone and a bulletin board, it pays to analyze in depth the work your client plans to do before designing the office itself. Because workstations are at the heart of the home office, it is often useful to think in terms of what type of workstations the client will require.

The acronym CAMP will help you remember the four basic workstation types: computer, administrative, meeting, and project. Depending on the nature of the work, your client may need one or more of these workstations, and his work style or space limitations may lead you to combine two or more workstation types.

But before any final decisions are made, carefully assess how much work surface of each type your client needs and how much active storage space to include with each (long-term storage can be combined with general household storage elsewhere in the house).

Computer. Because they house computers, printers, and other peripheral devices, computer stations have the greatest power requirements of the four workstation arrangements. Some types of work require long periods at the computer, so designing a station that is also ergonomically correct is critical to your client’s health and comfort.

Administrative. Administrative functions include handling mail, invoicing clients, paying bills, making phone calls, copying, and bookkeeping. Figure in the space, power, and communication feeds for the telephone, answering machine, fax machine, and copier. Consider, too, the counter heights that will make these machines most convenient to use.

If the client uses a portable computer, the administrative workstation can double as a computer workstation. This station should also include storage for day-to-day shipping and mailing.

Meeting. If the office will host only one or two visitors at a time, the administrative station can double as a meeting place. For larger groups, conferencing could take place in a nearby room that can do double service, such as a dining room.

Project. The project workstation is where the core functions of the office take place. Because job functions vary, project workstations require the most individualized design. Graphic artists, lawyers, claims processors, salespeople, and accountants all have different project-related requirements.

Even within the same line of business, individual styles and needs vary. Learn as much as you can about your client’s work — what she does, when and how she prefers to do it, and what equipment she uses — before determining the size and configuration of the project station.

Page 4 of 12

The Human Element

It may take some adjustment to view an office as a hazardous work environment, but repetitive stress injuries are a real threat to people who do desk work. Even if your client is not at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome, a little attention to workplace comfort can make the difference between a mere office and a high-performance, ergonomic work environment.

As a rule, the more positioning flexibility you can design into a workstation, especially a computer workstation, the more user-friendly it will be. By starting with a work surface 30 inches off the floor and adding an adjustable keyboard tray, mouse tray, and monitor arm, you can build a station that will comfortably accommodate almost anyone. For a system that fits your client like a tailored suit, follow these guidelines:

The workstation should allow your client to sit squarely, with back straight and thighs parallel to the floor.
Position the top of the monitor at or below eye level and 18 to 24 inches away from the user.
Sitting with upper arms relaxed, the user should be able to reach the keyboard with wrists straight and lower arms parallel to the floor.
To avoid glare, locate the face of the monitor perpendicular to the main source of natural light. Also plan for blinds or shades on all windows to control light throughout the day.
For artificial light, include a combination of ambient — or overall — lighting and focused task lighting. Recessed cans on a dimmer provide general illumination that can be balanced for brightness as needed. Units with a deeply recessed lamp and a nonreflective baffle will minimize glare.
Fluorescent strips with warm-phosphor tubes supply task lighting with broader dispersion and lower reflectivity than that of incandescent lamps. Mount the fixtures under wall cabinets or in wall-mounted baffles so the light emanates from below eye level.

Page 5 of 12

Permit Me

Many municipalities now require homeowners to obtain a permit to operate a home office. If the business will have outside employees or if clients will be on the premises, they may be more restrictive.

Depending on the intended use, a home office may also come under the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you have any doubt about the rules that apply in your client’s situation, set up a brief meeting with your local code official so you can plan the project to meet any legal constraints.

Page 6 of 12

San Francisco

Occupying the second floor hall of an 1875 San Francisco Victorian, this office is home to the owner’s political consulting company. The 8-by-24-foot work space is split into a fax-copy-storage center and a bank of computer stations, both housed
in cherry custom cabinetry that matches the house’s trim.

To keep work surfaces clear, electrical, phone, and computer network wires feed through the countertops to terminals hidden below. Undercabinet strips supply task lighting; daylight arrives via a colossal double-hung window and a skylight over the stair.

Location: San Francisco
Designer and general contractor: Patricia Motzkin, AIA, Patricia Motzkin Architecture, Berkeley, Calif.

Page 7 of 12

North Andover, Mass.

The Internet is a driving force in the proliferation of home offices, so it is fitting that the owner of several important Internet businesses does much of his own work at home.

Located in the dormered space above a three-car garage, this office incorporates high technology — ISDN Internet lines, an elaborate sound system, and computer-operated lighting — into a home-like environment with a spectacular view of the Merrimack Valley.

Designed for the comfort of business visitors, the suite has its own full bath and private entrance. Part of a showcase whole-house remodel, the office was home to the owner and his family during the reconstruction of their living quarters.

Location: North Andover, Mass.

Designer: Joseph L. Luna, AIA, Luna Design Group, Lynnfield, Mass.

General contractor: Philip W. Lemire, Lemire Construction, Topsfield, Mass.

Page 8 of 12

Burnsville, Minn.

Running a household can seem like a business in itself. Design/build remodeler Mark Peterson found space for this client’s office/homework station under the new stair of a second-floor addition. The counter provides ample work space for writing letters and paying bills, and the office’s location near dining and family rooms lets the owners keep an eye on their children at homework time.

Making use of every available inch, Peterson filled the low space under the stair with an audio cabinet and a bank of file drawers topped with a roll-out shelf that holds a computer printer.

Location: Burnsville, Minn.

Designer and general contractor: Mark Peterson, M/A/Peterson Designbuild, Edina, Minn.

Page 9 of 12

Los Angeles

Once a basement recreation room, this office remodel for a Hollywood screenwriter is a study in display and concealment. On display are a few of the owner’s treasured objects; concealed behind sandblasted glass cabinet doors are scores of unsightly bound screenplays. Panels in the cherry-clad columns swing open to reveal hidden storage compartments.

Architect Barbara Bestor used three-dimensional models to work out a pleasingly skewed design for the cabinetry and built-in
desk. Her description of the final arrangement — “asymmetrical but balanced” — could apply equally well to the work of her client, who wrote the screenplay for Men in Black in this office.

Location: Los Angeles

Designer: Barbara Bestor, Bestor Architecture, Los Angeles

General contractor: D.J. Catton, Van Nuys, Calif.

Page 10 of 12

Seattle

Because most people don’t want to look at their work after they’ve punched the clock at the end of the day, successful home offices generally draw a hard line between business and personal realms. But for a single photographer who loves his work — and whose work was never meant to be hidden away — the opposite approach makes perfect sense.

The shape of this hallway office, bordered by a loft railing, forms two comfortable workstations: one for viewing images and another for correcting them on a computer. Halogen lights, hanging from track applied directly to the bare concrete ceiling, provide the high-intensity light required for the owner’s work.

Location: Seattle

Designer: Lane Williams, Lane Williams Architects, Seattle

General contractor: David Gray, David Gray Construction, Seattle

Page 11 of 12

Mequom, Wis.

The double-edged sword of working at home is having access to the office at any hour of the day. Determined to make the most of that access, the owners of this office asked for a room that would serve multiple uses.

By day, the office, part of a Prairie style second-floor addition, is the nerve center of a thriving dental practice. After business hours, it serves as a library annex to the nearby master suite. Custom oak office cabinetry stores all paperwork out of sight when the work day ends and blends seamlessly with the window seat and glass-front library cabinets that betray the office’s other life

Location: Mequom, Wis.

Designer and general contractor: Design Group Three, Whitefish Bay, Wis.

Page 12 of 12