I recommend you Google up a lot of photos on "home office", and especially for multi-purpose rooms (guest room/office). Also look up similar themes in deco books in bookstores. Usually what you will find is attention to style, scale, and to using "non-office" items integrated into the group. The ideas above about rolltop desk or antique (repro) secretary, drop-lid types work well. Or maybe a narrow writing desk with trunks or baskets for storage. Above a desk might be some decorative shelves with family photos and collectibles. Attention to a furniture grouping--so, not a clunky desk off by itself against a wall, but perhaps the correct size of secretary piece, an adjacent reading chair, a basket of magazines or books. If you have any area that is a "nook" or set off, that works especially well, but if not you can experiment with creating a vignette of a few pieces that looks like it belongs on a given wall, in a corner, etc. When thinking of these arrangements, you will need to balance form with function-- a lot of non-office office arrangements and unusual storage ideas are cutesy but a pain to utilize. That's important because in a multi-purpose room, you will want to try to keep the area neat, otherwise it won't matter what you have arranged, so you want your stuff to h help encourage your organization. But if you can find a slew of photos as I mentioned, some of them will be in spaces similar to yours, will suggest furniture types and placement and get you thinking outside the box. You would need to complement your existing furniture unless you're doing a big makeover. For example, if you have oak LR furniture, you wouldn't plop a white Techline desk in there. But, you don't have to have a clunky oak piece just to try to "match"; you can integrate other woods, wicker, metal, glass in the right styles. If your furniture has curved legs or some more delicate or ornate style you would use some similar things. Second-hand shops, antique malls and estate sales will sometimes yield pieces inexpensively enough to be painted or re-purposed. Most commercial "computer armoires" are notoriously ugly, so you're trying to find something that doesn't scream particle board/computer. In some cases, your "office" might need to be split up--for example, you might have the table or desk for your laptop in one spot, but use cabinetry across the room for some storage. This idea can be useful if there's a wall or corner that can handle (in terms of look or even wall load-bearing) more extensive cabinetry and shelving but that is not the place you want to sit and work.

Hello. Late response to this so you may have already made a decision. I have the Bedford in white in our home office. We have an older Greek revival home with detached garage and apartment above (now the home office). Decor is beach cottage style as we wanted something happy while we were working. So the Bedford was the style we wanted. We did our own tops. The cabinets themselves look great. Quality is so-so. We have an actual "working" office we run all of our businesses out of. No employees at this location but all the business office items we handle. So they get daily, hard use. Plus store alot of files. We have several sizes of the filing cabinets. All drawers feel "wobbly" when extended, especially the big laterals. Also, none of the drawers are full extension (an annoyance with the children's furniture I have from them as well). So, its very difficult to get to files at the back. FInally, the way they configured the hanging file metal "supports" inside causes you to lose additional space in the front and the back. They are about a centimeter from the front/back exterior "walls" and files will get wedged in that area and they are very diffucult to get out without hurting your fingers. Add to that the lack of full extension and you never see your files in the back. Overall, they look fantastic and we have not had a problem with nicks, etc. as we made our own tops and the faces of the cabinets do not get banged up; however.....practical use annoys me daily. I would have gone with another manuafacturer had I been able to find a similar style. If you just want a place for bills, home reference files, etc...its probably fine but for a working office I would go with someone else. We had Bisley in our old home office which had a more modern feel and they were beyond great. Hope that helps.

LOL!!! SPAM!!!!! If we don't answer, it'll sink away. (I wouldn't say anything but it's still on top...)

This is a great thread for those contemplating building a new home. Clients are often bringing me sketches of floor plans or plans they've found online. Such plans can be helpful as a point of departure but almost always require a complete redo. What helps me more is a detailed conversation about lifestyle, philosophy of art and design, and a deep understanding of the site.