Any design advice on home office built-ins?
2 months ago
last modified: 2 months ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (9)
- 2 months ago
- 2 months ago
Related Discussions
Built-in Home Office Update
Comments (12)kswl: I'm glad to hear it's working well for your DS with the narrower width. With technology changing at such a fast pace and getting smaller and smaller some of these special purpose goodies become redundant. We're opting to skip the CPU cabinet for that same reason. I am putting in a keyboard pullout for me, but not my DH--he wants a pencil tray, but you make a good point about having to scoot out. greenmtn: I agree with that. We do like to open the windows as it brings in a lovely breeze. Lucky we do not get too much direct sunlight as our neighbor has a huge ash tree in his backyard that filters the light without completely shading the room. Tomorrow I will meet with the designer who did the above design. One difference between her design and that of the designer I met with yesterday is the amount of space for seating under the desk and cabinets size. The other designer has more cabinets and less foot room under the desk--which I like, at the same time it could prove annoying. I am also thinking of reducing the depth of the right most upper cabinet to 9" as I don't want to obstruct the window. I am wondering how to treat the upper actually. Do I center it on the wall (which is 33") or line it up so that it ends at the same place as the lower does? If I do the latter it seems to look funny to me -- not centered. If I do a larger cab. and bring it closer to center then it gets closer to the window too--hence why I am thinking of doing the narrower depth. I think I can still store many things there--paper, CDs, smaller books, etc. Hopefully by the weekend I'll have designs from all three. I want to get a custom cabinetry quote as well as I feel the cabinets would be better quality. These three places all specialize in garage/closet/office but the product is all melamine based. They are designed to have minimal backing and they do all the wire management to get power where we need it and hide all the cords. It's a start!...See MoreShould I lower window? Need help with custom built ins in home office
Comments (14)"I could consider facing the slider. Perhaps I could build the desk so that it is T shaped along the wall with the window and I could sit at the desk facing the slider?" I think this is your best solution. That way, you have the view of the outside, but the monitors aren't floating in the middle of the room. To me, I think your best investment is a larger desk. Built-ins are great, but technology change each day and we are using less and less paper with more stored in our computers. You have that closet already, where items (including your printer) could be stored. Also, consider how long you will be in this house. Will a future owner want to use that space for a bedroom, for example? Best to keep things flexible. On the other hand, if you really want built-ins and have the funds, then go for it. But, the way you wanted the desk arranged in the beginning, the monitors will be floating out in the room. No horrible, but something to consider....See MoreShould I paint the wood trim,built-ins? Paint and design advice please
Comments (55)Do you know a fantastically skilled finish carpenter? Or someone who can recommend one? If so, have him/her come in and take a look at your room and see what is involved in removing the scalloped edging from the book case and crown molding and if it can be done without damaging the bookcases and crown molding and what the cost would be, etc, and then you can decide about that. You can have a wood refinisher restore the wood back to its natural beauty if it has dried out and or alligatored, etc. Or you can have it painted. The sage green color Flo Mangan suggested is lovely. Just think about if you want to be married to that green color, because although you love the fabric on the little sofa now, you grow tired of it, or it will wear out and when you replace it, you may want to go for a totally different look, but you will be stuck with green woodwork. If you want to introduce a piece of furniture, say an armoire that is very functional for you but the quality of the wood is not that great, you can paint or stain that one. If the rest of your home is in greens, and if you have been a green gal your whole life, why then go for the green con gusto. If not, please think carefully about doing all the woodwork green. I like a wood floor with a beautiful handmade rug. I am partial to Orientals, and the prices on Persians are very good right now. You could get the paler colored Nain or Isfahan, but a brighter colored rug would look well too as it would stand up to the deep green and the deep coral in the sofa. An allover pattern is a good idea as a central medallion might get lost depending on the positioning of your furniture. An Aubusson (yes, they are still being made) or Aubusson look-alike would look great as well, but this hand-made authentic Aubusson requires a serious $ committment to green. Curtains to the floor would be a good idea. If you are willing to make a long-term commitment to green, then you can pick 1. Medium sized print with a botanical print such as a green leaf such as a fern on ivory, or 2. Green and ivory vertical stripe 3. All ivory with a wonderful embroidered ribbon trim along the inner edge, and the trim should incorporate the colors of green and ivory and one other color from your sofa, you decide. I like something that looks and feels and drapes like silk. I know you thought about about an upholstered desk chair, but you need to really think about the ergonomic aspects of a desk chair. It doesn't matter how beautiful the desk chair is if your back or hips hurt after sitting in it after a while. I strongly suggest going to every office supply place in town, and buy the most comfortable chair you can find, but sit in it at a desk in the store for a while. Even if you despise the fabric. You can always get it recovered in whatever fabric you like, or a supple leather. I suggest having a throw pillow made for your sofa is you think you would use one, and if you like to put your feet up, I would have an ottoman made, with the cushion in a floral print in the colors of the corals and green of your sofa, and a ruffle skirt in a medium green stripe to match the stripe of the curtain, or if you don't do a stripe in the curtain, pick one of the greens of the sofa. (I say sage, you say olive, but you know which shade I'm talking about.) And on the throw pillow and the ottoman you will use contrast pattern welting. And you can think about really going for broke with lavish fringe or tassels, etc. Take a look at the Scalamandre web site under trims. There are no prices listed on the Scalamandre website because if you have to ask their prices, you don't need to shop with them. Seriously though, their products are only available through a designer but you can see what you like there and get the best facsimile that you can afford elsewhere. Pink and green go very well together but a bit Palm Beach Lily Pulitzer. Coral pink and sage green go very well together and are tres chic. So if you really want the room to read feminine, you can paint the walls the coral pink that is in the sofa. But choose the pink carefully, because you don't want the room to look like a nursery. And the choose the green carefully too, because, well, split pea soup. A side table to hold a drink, a book, and a small plate would be useful. If you can corral a somewhat larger table from somewhere else in the house, or buy one from a garage sale that would be useful. You might want to bring up a tray from the kitchen and eat lunch in there or someday have someone in there for tea and to discuss a project and you can keep a tea set if you like on top of the table. So think about a small dresser for storage, or a small table, or a set of TV tables (is that what they are called?) This will be a really fun project, and keep us posted!...See MoreI want to make built ins...any advice on what will look best?
Comments (13)keep in mind its 13 foot high ceilings. so certain things will not look right here. i'm thinking if we add shelf by shelf without adding the sides or back, if we paint the recessed area and the shelves all white, it will look like a unit. trouble is it's a headache to get it all even if we do each shelf one by one. There is space for a cabinet...the place used to have a built in cabinet there before. but we took it out cause it wastn' a nice looking one. if we re-do it, the space is sufficient for me as it was before with the previous unit....See MoreRelated Professionals
Fillmore Furniture & Accessories · Sahuarita Furniture & Accessories · Palos Verdes Estates Architects & Building Designers · Duluth Furniture & Accessories · Alabaster General Contractors · Melville General Contractors · Merritt Island General Contractors · New Milford General Contractors · North Smithfield General Contractors · Rohnert Park General Contractors · Rosemead General Contractors · Gaffney Cabinets & Cabinetry · Lincoln Flooring Contractors · Panama City Beach Flooring Contractors · Virginia Beach Flooring Contractors- 2 months ago
- 2 months ago
- 2 months ago
- 2 months ago
- 2 months ago
- 2 months ago
Related Stories

HOUZZ TOURSHouzz Tour: Office Building Becomes a Designer’s Stylish Home
See how an Australian designer transformed a commercial space into a family dwelling inspired by a boutique hotel
Full Story
OUTBUILDINGS4 Awesome Backyard Home Offices of Architects and Designers
Tour the personalized studios and sheds Houzz pros designed and built for themselves
Full Story
DECORATING GUIDESDesigner's Touch: 10 High-Performing Home Offices
Take a professional designer's advice for getting down to business in style, with a home office that makes work nowhere near a chore
Full Story
HOME OFFICESCreate a Customized Office Look Without Built-Ins
Make your home office highly functional and gorgeous with flexible, affordable freestanding shelving
Full Story
HOME OFFICESWorld of Design: 11 International Architects in Their Home Offices
Thinking about relocating your office to your home? From Sydney to Copenhagen, these architects share their insider knowledge
Full Story
BACKYARD STUDIOSSee Why This Architect's Office Has a Built-In Safety Net
A Maine backyard studio gets high marks for energy efficiency, and its safety-net hangout adds low-tech fun
Full Story
THE ART OF ARCHITECTURESound Advice for Designing a Home Music Studio
How to unleash your inner guitar hero without antagonizing the neighbors
Full Story
LANDSCAPE DESIGN10 Creative Deck Designs With Built-In Bonus Features
Sunken seating, creative curves, clever railing ideas and more elevate these deck designs
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDESKey Measurements to Help You Design the Perfect Home Office
Fit all your work surfaces, equipment and storage with comfortable clearances by keeping these dimensions in mind
Full Story
RedRyder