Home Office Life: Making a Space to Work at Home [Hardcover]

I started looking through the book and discovered that the author's valuable advice is plentiful. And so are gorgeous full-color photos of examples of the designs and approaches the author recommends. The book is best suited for someone contemplating developing a home office, but it can be just as valuable for someone who already has a home office but is thinking about making improvements. Prepare to take copious notes; you won't want to write in this book.

If you look in a bricks-and-mortar bookstore for this book, you may have some difficulty. The publisher has categorized the book as "Home Decoration/Interior Design." OK, I acquiesce. It is a beautiful book on decorating and design, and it is related to the home. But this is a business book, make no mistake about it. The volume does, however, demonstrate that it is possible to have an efficient workspace that also looks really good.
And that bothered me about Home Office Life. Everything is so neat and pretty in those pictures. I'm not sure our home office looked that good on the first day of operations! I suppose you have to make everything look pretty and sterile for such photos, though.

Lisa Kanarek covers the waterfront for us. The first chapter deals with How to Make a Better Business at Home. Some of us really need this! Included are planning, set-up, and organization. You'll learn things about how to carve out a space for yourself and how to design the office that will work for you. And you'll get lots of tips along the way.

The second section of the book talks about Getting Down to Business. You'll learn how to put your home office to work, setting up shop and getting settled in. The third section deals with reality, presenting real examples of how home offices can work. This section has the information needed by people considering a makeover of their home office. A resource list and an index make this book even more valuable.

With the movement toward home offices, this book is a winner. You might suggest your architect buy one, too. If you use an interior decorator, get yet another copy.

The pictures alone will change the way you think about an office at home. Whether you need to create a niche in your little corner of the world, find furniture that doesn't crick your neck, or design a space that fits your lifestyle, Home Office Life will guide you every step of the way.

The book starts by helping you identify your needs and determine what type of worker you are. By using this information you can establish a home office plan. It also helps you choose the right location, exploring the pros and cons of different rooms.

Office design is next. Here the book guides you through choosing materials including flooring, wall-coverings and window treatments. It shows you a variety of floor plans and assists you in planning a your workspace arrangement. Selecting the appropriate lighting and purchasing furniture follows. There is a useful ergonomic tip sheet and a chair buying guide. Creative storage solutions, filing secrets and the basic home office supplies you will need are also covered. There are even small sections on décor and creating a client-friendly office.

The final chapter shows you real world offices including guest room and laundry room makeovers. Other offices, including those of an interior designer, a web designer, a researcher, a writer and literary agent are shown as well. Other examples feature a wide range of styles. I loved a funky black & white office with an "S" shaped bookcase and offbeat variety of wallpaper. I found an office under a metal bunk bed interesting as well. Whether you have a whole room or just a tiny corner to work in this book will help you.