FIDDLEBACK OAK HOME OFFICE FOR TWO

The Space: A gutted rectangular room overlooking the water in an older Victorian home.

The Need: A home office for a retired couple with two distinct spaces to accommodate a work and storage area for their respective computers, multiple printers and other audio equipment. The clients wanted the room to house a large collection of books, sheet music, and CDs with a hidden bookcase/door that opens into an adjacent guest room. They looked to InHouse to determine the aesthetics of the design.

The Space: A recently purchased home less than a year old.

The Need: To design and build a traditionally inspired comprehensive home office for a retired client incorporating an entertainment area with state-of-the-art equipment in a large lower level space. An overly wide and long hallway adjacent to the space was to be integrated into the solution.

The Solution: InHouse worked with the clients on dividing the large room into three distinct areas with one complimentary “look”. One area houses the office itself which was configured in a “U”. The office overlooks a second area devoted to seating and entertaining. This area is centered around a flat screen TV which is visible from the office as well. A large cabinet under the TV hides the speakers and subwoofers.

The perimeter walls contain open shelves which house part of the clients’ library.

The multi-media equipment is housed in a third space, an empty niche adjacent to the office. The nearby hallway was redesigned to become an extension of the larger space and houses the balance of the clients’ library. Cherry wood with a distressed finish. InHouse designed the lighting and electrical improvements and consulted on the room color. Electrical, cabinetry and sheetrock improvements were all facilitated by InHouse.

RIFT OAK HOME OFFICE:

The Space: used as a children’s playroom, exercise room and home office, this long rectangular space is located adjacent to the master bedroom on the ground floor of a home. The far end of the room provided access to a rear yard and was the only source of natural light.

The Need: The clients asked InHouse to design and build a professional home office for the wife combined with a custom playroom for the children with an Asian influenced design solution.
After careful analysis of the clients’ needs and the layout of the home, InHouse suggested an alternative use for the room. By relocating the children’s playroom upstairs in the current library/guest room, the redesigned space could become an “adult suite” serving as a combination home office/library which could also accommodate the occasional guest on an existing sleeper sofa. This revised solution allowed the room to be a quieter space than it would otherwise have been had it remained a playroom which was important considering its location near the master bedroom. The clients agreed with the InHouse analysis and asked for the room to house a home office with a separate area for a library and sofa. Additionally, they requested a design for a storage/bar area (see Custom Furniture & Built-In Cabinetry) for the small entry area adjacent to this new office/library.

The Solution: After considering various layouts for the library and new home office, a light Rift Oak office was designed for the rear of the space next to the windows and door to the yard in order to take advantage of the view of the garden and the natural light. The solution provides ample display space above the desk in rectangular niches. A custom designed organizer accommodates individual file folders, bills and letters as well as providing a closed compartment for the client’s numerous chargers for her camera, phone, and personal organizer. Drawers and cabinets offer ample space for files and other personal storage needs. Wire management is integrated throughout the design.

Low dividing walls containing “windows” of resin with embedded reeds separate the home office from the library. This solution serves several purposes: it keeps the space visually unified, allows natural light to penetrate into the entire room, and provides privacy for the “U” shaped home office. The front of the room now houses a sleeper sofa surrounded by the clients’ collection of books on existing shelving units from their formerly upstairs library. InHouse also consulted on the lighting design, electrical work and colors.

CHERRY HOME OFFICE/ART STUDIO FOR TWO

The Space: An underutilized room in a single family home used as an occasional home office and art studio with "make-do" furnishings.

The Need: To create a special space for an office for two and an art studio which resembles more a home library than a work space. The need was to maximize storage, book shelves, files and computer equipment while creating a welcoming warm environment as this room is in a highly visible location.




Photo: H27

THE HORIZON DESK SYSTEM

The Space: A Doctor’s Office in a professional building.

The Need: A computer friendly desk system consisting of an executive desk which has the potential to accommodate a desk top computer, as well as a secondary computer work area with a conference table which could also serve as an additional work surface. The client wanted a contemporary, masculine, possibly Asian aesthetic in a darker wood. He also wanted the potential to add onto the system in the future. A system of modular components which could be reconfigured as his office grew was requested. He wanted to house or hide as much of the computer equipment as possible.

CONTEMPORARY MODULAR WALL UNIT

The Space: A bedroom in a loft containing a bed and makeshift desk area. The room lacked an organized closet and adequate storage for both clothes and files.

The Need: To organize the room to allow for a home office/bedroom with adequate space for a computer, general storage, clothes, files and numerous VCR tapes (the client is in the arts and has numerous footage of his work). The room was not large but had high ceilings. The client did not want the design to look like a library nor did he want large, heavy pieces built in but expressed an interest in a contemporary "high tech" look.

The Solution: InHouse designed a "floating" wall system suspended from iron brackets which span from wall to ceiling. The numerous storage units are of various sizes and depths to accommodate different uses and are placed so that there is a lot of open space between them. The idea was to create an interesting pattern of wall hung storage units; some with doors, some with metal backs, some shallow and some deep in order to create visual "rhythm" on the main wall. White washed Birch cabinetry with brushed steel aluminum accents on drawer and door fronts.

MAPLE DESKSYSTEM

The Space: A room located between a hallway and a master bedroom currently used for storage and an occasional home office. This room was an addition and was designed with no right angles.

The Need: A contemporary home office for occasional use that will house a laptop but no other equipment. The look was to be “clean and light” with a lot of storage, room to spread out, and space for the display of some sculpture. However, the client did not want the space to be overwhelmed by the cabinetry. The challenge was to design a built-in solution that would act as both an attractive entry to the master bedroom as well as a home office/sanctuary for the owner in an odd shaped space now used mostly as a passageway.

The Solution: InHouse designed, built and installed a contemporary bleached maple built-in home office. The solution consisted of a series of upper cabinets on the main wall facing the corridor. These cabinets “flowed” from left to right with each one becoming shallower as it approached the window wall. We carved out two niches in these cabinets with recessed lighting to spotlight the client’s sculpture collection. The cabinet doors wrap around the niches. The lower cabinetry was designed to accommodate both ventilation needs and to house ample file and small drawers. A fabric covered tackboard between the desk surface and the upper cabinetry added both color and a needed space for displaying sundry notes. A large “L” shaped desktop completed the design.

CHERRY DESKSYSTEM

The Space: A very small room a few steps up from the main living level that was wedged between a hallway and the living room. The bulk of the storage space in the room was located in a small cabinet area built in over the stairway ceiling from the adjacent hallway.

The Need: The room was used as a full time home office and needed to be completely revamped to house two workers, a multitude of computers and equipment (the Client’s profession), CDs, books and misc. storage. The Clients wanted a soft, warm contemporary look. All equipment (except for one monitor) was to be out of site with ample room provided in adjacent cabinetry for misc. equipment and wire management. The Clients wanted the space to be “special” yet utilitarian and as inviting as the rest of their home since the new office was easily visible to visitors.

MASTER BEDROOM HOME OFFICE SUITE

The Space: A master bedroom in a single family home.

The Need: This couple was expecting a child and they had to give up the existing home office for the child’s bedroom. The only place they could accommodate a part time home office for two was in the master bedroom. They removed a sofa in a square bay and asked InHouse to build the office in that spot. They wanted the solution to hide the printer/fax/scanner and the shredder as well as house a CD burner and a file and pencil drawer. They needed a lot of additional file storage space as well as nightstands, book space and an area to display some of their personal items.

CUSTOM STORAGE CREDENZA

The Need: An attractive storage unit to house a printer, printing supplies and files.

The Solution: InHouse created a natural maple credenza with adjustable pull out shelves for the printer and/or fax with wire management capability. Two complementary file drawers for either legal or letter files complete the design.

LOFT HOME OFFICE AND BEDROOM CABINETRY

The Space: The second floor of a two story loft. The clients, a couple from the suburbs whose children had left home, were now trying out loft living in the city. They found that their new home did not have sufficient storage nor did their existing furnishings complement the new decor.

The Need: The husband was starting his own consulting business and needed to find a place for a full time home office. They wanted the Master Bedroom to be given a "presence" or a "focus" with appropriate furnishings. The Bedroom design had to be sympathetic to that of the home office as they were not only adjacent to each other but were not separated by any walls.