Home Offices

Home Office Design from InHouse Design Studio

Home Office Designer “Home offices differ from traditional offices — they are scaled-down, softer, “friendlier” and need to feel more like a part of your home. People want their personal work spaces to house all their equipment yet be as nice as the other rooms in their homes. That is where my expertise comes into play.” – Mark Dutka

Every home office designed by Mark Dutka is exquisitely crafted with the lifestyle, work style and tastes of its occupants in mind. Whether you are a dual career couple needing close proximity for ease of collaboration yet enough personal space for your technological devices, an owner of a small home wanting to combine a home office with a guest bedroom, or an executive desiring an up-to-date home office/entertainment room, Mark Dutka can design an environment to match your needs and taste.

Mark Dutka‘s home offices feature rich natural materials, such as oak, cherry, walnut, mahogany or exotic veneers. Ergonomics is always key, including: the right lighting, desk height and placement of printers and other equipment for ease of access. Cabinetry and furniture are completely customized to make the best use of available space while allowing for both wire management and changing technology.

We invite you to view these examples of Mark Dutka’s exquisite home office designs:

Contact Us

If you would like more information about Mark Dutka’s custom home office design services, please contact InHouse Design Studio at: (415) 824-9266 (San Francisco Studio) or (707) 785-1928 (Sea Ranch Studio).

Contemporary Storage/Home Office Wall of Cabinets

The Space: A wall across from the kitchen in a new, open-plan condo in San Francisco. The wall is in a narrow area which provides access to the rear of the home where the dining and living spaces (as well as to two secondary bedrooms, a bathroom and laundry area) are found.

The Need: The clients wanted InHouse to design a contemporary storage/home office wall of cabinets with one cabinet specifically devoted to a computer station. The solution had to be clean, contemporary and integrate natural walnut. The design could not intrude (visually or practically) into this narrow space which is both part of the kitchen and a “pathway” to the rear of the unit.

Before

The Solution: A new wall of cabinetry, painted to match the rest of the condo, provides a distinguished yet almost invisible solution. Prominently centered amidst the white cabinets is a walnut bookcase with three drawers. The tall cabinet on the extreme right houses the computer station and was designed to house a monitor, a pullout keyboard shelf, and one adjustable shelf. To maintain the desired clean appearance all hardware was hidden. This contemporary Storage/Home Office Wall is framed in walnut, making it look like the cabinets are “wrapped in a walnut box”. The adjacent walnut wall in the living room adds color, warmth, and personality by helping set this space apart from the rest of the condo. The design is simple, functional yet dramatic. The new cabinets compliment the nearby kitchen cabinets and dignify the transition from the front of the front of the condo to the rear.

Photo H-78: New Wall of Cabinets as seen from living room

Photo H-79: New Wall of Cabinets as seen from entry

Photo H-80: Computer Work Station

Contemporary Home Office in Marin County

The Space: A home office in Marin County in a recently built luxury home with a commanding view of the surrounding hills.

The Need: Create a new contemporary home office for a multi-media executive that could accommodate a work style which necessitated accommodating the best and latest computer equipment in a contemporary upscale yet relaxed setting. Ample storage was needed as well as a small communal worksurface where members of the Client’s family could occupy themselves while he worked. The Client preferred to integrate unusual species of woods and materials in any solution.

Before	Photo: H-24 After
Before	Photo H-25: After
Before	Photo: H-26 After

The Solution: InHouse designed a contemporary home office with a partial perimeter solution of cantilevered eucalyptus shelves for display. The main desk consists of two components: a central Makore work area (which holds a tablet, a large monitor and an articulating keyboard tray) and an oval shaped cylinder made of eucalyptus with a butterfly veneer pattern on top. This cylindrical worksurface appears solid from one perspective but actually opens up to provide knee space should one or two family members choose to pull up a stool. Ample storage and workspace is provided for the Client’s multi-media equipment and camera collection with a specially designed velvet lined drawer to accommodate numerous lenses. The existing carpet on the floor was replaced with a wenge wood floor to highlight the custom designed Makore and Eucalyptus cabinetry. Color and lighting consultation services were also provided.

Rift Oak Home Office In Noe Valley

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.

Before

Before

The Solution: After considering various layouts for the library and new home office, a rift oak home 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.

Photo H-46: New Home Office
Photo H-47: New Desk Area Ph	Photo H-48: Organizer and charging station

Contemporary Oceanfront Home Office

The Space: A large hexagonal room encompassing the entire top floor of a contemporary home overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Mismatched home office furniture was centered in the room with the perimeter space occupied by built-in shelving units and cabinets (including a former dumbwaiter). An oceanfront home office renovation was needed.

Before

The Need: To provide an organized and multi-functional full time home office for a husband and wife who are also business partners. Each wanted a separate space to spread out and accommodate their numerous technological devices and personal memorabilia without forfeiting proximity for ease of collaboration. The mandate was to begin from scratch and reinvent the whole room. Ample storage, wire management, adjustable height desks and organizational components were to be integrated into the new design. The aesthetic was to be contemporary, clean, warm, earthy and unusual. They wanted to incorporate their love of plants into the solution.

The Solution: All existing cabinetry and furnishings were removed. The new home office was given more privacy by replacing an open railing at the home’s top landing with a half wall to create a visual barrier from the home’s entryway. This wall is capped in douglas fir and contains a copper planter box on top and a built-in bookshelf on the side facing the interior of the room.

Photo: H-1 Overview After

Stairway Before

Photo H-2: Stairway After

The office was then divided into several subareas, creating a hierarchy of spaces. The new design provided for: a library filing/display area with a copper sink inset in the mahogany countertop; two separate height adjustable desks on opposite sides of the room with individual storage and organizational options; work areas positioned to take maximum advantage of the dramatic views out the windows; a central conferencing area defined by a hexagonal table with a butterfly patterned burl wood inlaid top and a hidden outlet in its support column.

Photo H-3: Conferencing Area

Photo H-4: File,Organizing Cubbies and Copper Planter

Photo H-5: Outlet Detail

Photo H-6: Copper sink

Photo H-7: Sit-Stand Adjustable Height Desk

Another feature was a recessed “den”/seating area, defined by a new archway, for relaxing and reading. One wall of the “den” contains a large inset cabinet that houses all the data wiring, printers and other equipment while providing general storage for the larger home office. All cabinetry is mahogany, stained in two tones. The design reflects a monochromatic “Mondrian” aesthetic composed of rectangles and complementary inset handles of various sizes defining the face of the cabinet doors and drawers.

Den Area Before	Den Area During Renovation
Photo H-8: Wall Unit Den	Photo H-9: Wall Unit Open

Copper boxes for the clients’ plants, pop up electrical outlets and wire management options are integrated into the design solution. New carpeting and recessed light fixtures were installed and the entire room repainted. InHouse was responsible for all aspects of the home office’s redesign including project management.

Home Office With A Hidden Door

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

The Need: A home office for a retired couple that had to accommodate two distinct desk/work areas along with the clients’ computers, multiple printers and audio equipment. The clients also wanted the room to house their large collection of books, sheet music, and CDs. A hidden bookcase/door which was to open into an adjacent guest room was also requested. They looked to InHouse to determine the aesthetics of the design.

Before

During

The Solution: A home office with a hidden door was not an everday request and posed an exciting challenge for InHouse. We began by designing a room where every surface, including the ceiling, is covered in fiddleback oak panels and rails with a natural finish. This home office features cabinet drawer and door faces which reflect an asian influence that also pick up the Victorian vocabulary of existing details in the home. Rift Oak cabinets and work surfaces hug the perimeter of the room providing ample work space to spread out while accommodating files, multiple printers and other equipment as well as miscellaneous storage. InHouse provided lighting and electrical consultation as well.

Photo H-27: Hidden Bookcase/door closed

Photo H-28: Hidden Bookcase/door open

Photo H-29: Printer cabinet #1 closed

Photo H-30: Printer cabinet #1 open

Photo H-31: Printer Cabinet #2 closed

Photo H-32: Printer Cabinet #2 Open

Photo H-33: Detail of panel, rail and crown molding

Mahogany Home Office

Mahogany Home Office design consisting of a built-in storage/wall unit and a matching free standing desk which fits into a bay window.

The Space: A spare room devoted exclusively to a home office.

The Need: To provide a professional home office for intensive use when the client is in town (they split their time between another city and San Francisco). The clients were relocating to the City from the suburbs and wanted a home office which reflected the quality and style of their other furnishings in the newly rehabilitated home. They needed file and regular drawer space as well as general cabinet storage and a place for their computer and all the associated peripherals. They wanted an elegant, sophisticated look with a “mid century modern” sensibility.

Photo H-10: New Home Office

Mahogany Home Office Designer - desk view

Photo H-11: Custom Desk in bay window

Photo H-12: Custom Storage/Printer Armoire

The Solution: After discussing numerous layouts with the clients, InHouse designed a built-in mahogany wall unit with a complementary free standing desk which fits neatly into the adjacent bay. When closed, there is no hint that the wall unit “hides” the equipment and files. The shape of the desktop reflects that of the surrounding bay window. It is softened with a tapered edge. The desk’s oval legs further soften the overall look of the piece. No hardware is visible on the curved drawer fronts. Wire management is integrated into both units. InHouse also provided color consultation services. Stained mahogany, solids and veneers.

Traditional American Quartered Walnut Home Office/Library

The Space: A den in a San Francisco suburban home with a painted brick fire place on one wall and a pair of French doors which open out to a rear yard on another.

The Need: A home office/library for one person with ample space for the client’s books. The client is very tech-savvy and wanted a desk for two monitors and a versatile storage cabinet for one large printer. Wire management was extremely important and needed to be integrated into any solution. The client asked that InHouse create a warm, traditional design with a lot of character. Initially the task was to create only a home office on one wall but the scope of services grew to include reworking the fireplace wall to give the entire room a unified, warm appearance.

Photo H-13: Home Office

The Solution: InHouse designed a home office for one wall with ample bookshelves and storage in a traditional motif featuring cabinetry of American Quartered Walnut with panels of Karelian Burl. The tall storage/printer cabinet houses a printer on a pull-out shelf behind a pull-up door. A ventilated compartment to dock a laptop was created below the printer and adjacent to the ancillary work surface. The tall cabinet includes two file drawers and a pull-out “bread-board” to provide additional work space while copying/printing. The peninsula desk, situated to face the backyard, was given a curved end to soften the feel of this otherwise rectilinear solution. Hidden under cabinet LED track lighting was installed and pop-up electrical outlets and slots for wires were strategically placed on all work surfaces.

Photo H-14: Home Office Peninsula

Photo H-15: Printer Cabinet

The fireplace wall was paneled in quartered walnut to match the home office cabinetry. The windows were covered with flush walnut framed “hammered” glass doors which were designed to disappear into the walls as the client wanted to minimize the appearance of the windows. A beautiful custom walnut moulding which matched that of the home office, replaced the original crown while the brick fireplace surround and hearth was sheathed in marble and surrounded by a new mantle to complement the home office cabinetry. On either side of the new mantle walnut bookshelves were designed to run the length of the room. InHouse designed and facilitated the installation of the cabinetry and electrical work and provided the color consultation for the room.

Before

Photo H-16: Fireplace Wall After

Photo H-17: New Mantle

Sea Ranch Great Room Home Office

The Space: The Great Room in a second home in the coastal community of Sea Ranch in Northern California. This home had been used as a vacation rental by the former owner. The tired condition of the room and its furnishings reflected this use. The focus of the Great Room was a stone fireplace.

Great Room Before

Photo H-18: Great Room After

The Need: A built-in home office to accommodate a part time occupant and his occasional guests with a desk top long enough for a couple of people to work simultaneously on laptops. The solution had to be ergonomic, have wire management capability and provide a well ventilated space for a laptop which would be docked and connected to a printer, scanner, large monitor and wireless keyboard.

It also had to include an accessible yet hidden space for a large printer, a modem, router and multi- media equipment which connected to a TV on the other side of the fireplace. Shelf space, file drawers, regular drawers and an additional cabinet for storage were also a must.

Home Office Area Before	Photo H-19: Home Office Area After
Photo H-20: Tall Printer/Storage Cabinet	Photo H-21: File Drawers

The Solution: InHouse designed a custom oak home office with a cerused finish and a dark red/brown stain to complement the Saltillo tile floor of the home. This design was part of a larger, whole-wall solution which included a remote controlled wall bed and entertainment center on the other side of the fireplace.

A tall cabinet which hugs the right side of the fireplace houses: files, several drawers, a compartment with a pocket door for the printer and scanner on a pull-out shelf, a ventilated space for the multi-media equipment and general storage. To the right are recessed shelves which complement those on the other side of the room.

In the corner, built into the desk top, is a ventilated, wire-managed compartment for the docked laptop and all the wiring necessary for connecting the peripherals. A long desk top (which can seat up to three people) faces a window on an adjacent wall and terminates with a divider that separates the home office from the entrance door to the home, providing privacy while at the same time letting light in through the divider’s inset glass panels.

Built into the desk top, under the window, there is a full length wire management trough which “swallows” all unsightly wires and channels them to the appropriate sources.

Photo H-22: Hinged Wiring Compartment Open & Closed

Photo H-23: Glass Paneled Divider

Compact Contemporary Cherry Home Office

The Space: A long hallway on the ground floor of a newly renovated home in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco.

The Need: The Client wanted a clean, contemporary home office that did not look like it was part of the hallway. The office had to be compact yet have sufficient shelf space for books, drawer space for files, and cabinetry to house and hide a printer, peripherals and office supplies.

Photo H-34: Cabinet doors closed

Photo H-35: Cabinet doors open

The Solution: InHouse created a room out of one end of the hallway by adding a wall with a pocket door which matched a similar door across the hall. The entry to the new home office was positioned to allow for a compact contemporary cherry home office to be built along an entire wall of the former hall. An armoire with pocketing doors provides storage for the printer/fax/scanner on a pull-out shelf, space for supplies and two lateral file drawers. Adjacent to the armoire is a desk for computer work, additional file space, all purpose drawers and a CPU cabinet for a desktop computer. “Floating” shelves run the length of the wall above the desk. Wire management is integrated throughout all components. Color consultation services were also provided.

A Cherry Home Office With An Industrial Motif

The Space: A 30 year old condo in Walnut Creek, CA that needed updating

Before

Photo H-68: Home Office After

The Need: The clients wanted to modernize their condo by creating a comfortable den/home office and by replacing a dated dual-sided fireplace with a new fireplace insert and updated mantles (See “Walnut Creek Fireplace Renovation” under Custom Cabinetry & Furniture in the portfolio).

Photo H-69: Before

Photo H-69: Home Office After

The Solution: This cherry home office was designed with a quasi-industrial aesthetic. Tarnished metal facing on the bookshelves was juxtaposed against the colorful red casing of the bookcases which added vitality to the newly paneled cherry room. The cherry wood base cabinetry integrates wire management and provides ample storage for files and a hidden printer. “Cubbies” were created for the clients’ bills and letters while fabric covered tackboard allows the clients to post notes and photos in a convenient yet attractive location. The cherry home office, along with the new slate fireplace across the room, made this small space one of the most used rooms in the clients’ home. InHouse was also responsible for the selection of the room’s lighting.

Photo H-70: New Desk Area

Photo H-71: Tarnished Metal Facing on Red Bookcase

Traditional Cherry Home Office and Library

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

The Need: To design and build a traditionally inspired comprehensive home office and library for a retired client incorporating an entertainment area for 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.

Before
Photo H-36: Office Cabinet doors closed
Photo H-37: Cabinet doors open

The Solution: InHouse worked with the clients on dividing the large space into three distinct areas with one complimentary “look”. One area houses the office which was configured in a “U”. The office overlooks a second area devoted to seating and entertaining which is centered around a flat screen TV and visible from the office. A large cabinet under the TV hides the speakers and subwoofers while the multi-media equipment is housed in an adjacent niche.The perimeter walls contain open shelves which house part of the clients’ library. The remainder of their books was moved to the hall which was transformed into a library with an aesthetic that reflected that of the larger room. This traditional cherry home office and library met all the clients’ needs and more. InHouse designed the lighting and electrical improvements and consulted on the room color.

Photo H-38: Media Room “After”

Hallway Before

Photo H-39: Hallway (now library) After

Before

Photo H-40: Media Cabinet doors closed

Photo H-41: Media cabinet open

Cherry Home Office-Art Studio

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

Before

The Need: To create a special space for a home 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 H-49: Curved cabinet closed & open

Photo H-50: Art Area

Photo H-51: Second Office Area

The Solution: InHouse designed a a new cherry home office-art studio that met all of the clients’ criteria. An entire new room was created within the former space. All electric, HVAC, lighting, electric, flooring and windows were replaced. The removal of a closet provided an ideal niche for the new art area which features a tilting laminate (for ease of cleaning) work surface, built-in laminate storage shelves and cherry cabinetry. The remainder of the room houses two separate computer work spaces, files and shelving. InHouse created a playful design for all storage/file cabinets as they serendipitously protrude/cantilever into the room beyond the shelving. The computer equipment is housed in a curved central cabinet with custom wood knobs that hug the curved surface. Within the storage unit, the two printers sit on pull-out shelves. The docking stations are hidden at the top of this cabinet in small compartments near each desk surface. Ample storage is also provided as is under cabinet lighting. InHouse designed a lit entry archway surrounding two French doors (not shown) and provided the carpeting and color consultation as well.

Contemporary Home Office and Guest Room

The Space: A guest bedroom and home office in a San Francisco home.

The Need: The clients wanted to replace a free standing desk and sleeper sofa with a cutomized home office solution that could accommodate a printer, scanner, multiple file drawers, lots of books and office supplies. A new queen sized bed was also to be housed in the room for the occasional guest. It was important that each component of the design solution be appropriately scaled so that the room would not look too busy. They wanted a warm, inviting space for both themselves and their guests.

The Solution: InHouse designed a single-wall home office solution that was long, low and contemporary with simple beveled edges on the drawer perimeters to make it appear as if the drawers “float” within the outer frame of the cabinet. The cabinetry was painted white in order to blend in with the white woodwork of the home. A solid walnut desk top with a beveled edge provides a dramatic link between the two home office storage cabinets. The home office houses: a printer in a pull-out drawer; a shredder on a pull-out shelf in its own cabinet; numerous files and many smaller drawers for office supplies. Wire management and power outlets were also built into the cabinetry. A complementary tall storage cabinet on an adjacent wall houses books and provides deep drawers for bedding, guest clothes and additional files. Additionally, this wall unit has a bar for a removeable ladder to access items on the upper shelves. When not in use, the ladder is hung on a rod in the corner behind the entry door. InHouse also assisted with the selection of the color for the room, the bedside lighting, and the bed.

Before: Former home office with sleeper sofa

Photo H-72: New Home Office

Photo H-73: Walnut Desk Top Detail

Photo H-74: Beveled perimeter edges on drawers

Photo H-75: File Drawer

Photo H-77: Shredder Cabinet

Photo H-76: Printer Cabinet

Photo H-78: Built-in power outlets

Photo H-79: Wall unit with ladder

Dining Room Home Office and Storage Solution

The Space: A dining room in a large modern home in Portola Valley, California.

Dining Room Before

The Need: The Client, a physician, often works from home. She enjoys working in her light and airy dining room and wanted to continue to do so but she also wanted her new home office to “disappear” when she was not working. The challenge was to create a functional, ergonomic home office that could close up and look “at home” in the dining room. Ample file storage (“that did not look like files”) was requested as well as drawers for misc. items which were needed when entertaining guests.

Photo H-64: New Home Office, Cabinet Closed

Photo H-65: Office Cabinet, Open

Photo H-66: Printer Cabinet

Photo H-67: Files Drawers in Cabinet

The Solution: InHouse wrapped two walls in rift oak cabinetry. A tall cabinet, which complements the verticality of the 16’ H. angled ceilings, houses the home office. In order to reduce the “mass” of this large cabinet and create additional visual interest, the design plays with the direction of the oak veneer of the cabinet doors. When folded back, these doors reveal an internally lit, completely functional home office with articulating keyboard tray, wire management and data/electrical connectivity. The adjacent lower cabinets wrap around and define the dining area, providing both storage for office equipment and much needed serving space for entertaining family and friends. In addition to the cabinetry design, InHouse provided assistance with the lighting and the selection of colors.

Compact Cherry Desk System For Two

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.

Photo H-63: Compact Custom Desk For Two

The Solution: InHouse demolished the existing cabinetry and expanded and rebuilt the closet area to maximize use of the space with a new cherry desk system. On one side shelves were created for CDs and tech books while an adjacent cabinet housed two computers with associated wire management and electrical outlets included. Another cabinet (not pictured) was created to house a printer on a pullout shelf as well provide additional storage, making use of “dead” space located above the adjacent stairway ceiling. Book and CD shelves were added in an existing niche as well. The primary work area was designed as a working “jewel” for two people. The Cherry desk system was made of Cherry wood with a solid, bowed edge detail which sweeps from right to left. The two work areas are bisected by a stepped storage cabinet which provides drawer, file and cabinet space for both workers. Glass shelves cantilever from each side of the upper cabinet and are highlighted by recessed cabinet lights. The whole area is capped by a niche for books. Across the room, a cantilevered bow shaped shelf (not shown) mimics the main work surface and was installed to hold artifacts. InHouse also provided other services including: color consultation, lighting and electrical design and carpeting selection, purchase and installation.

Contemporary Wall System and Home Office

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 reorganize the room for a contemporary wall system and home office with adequate space for a computer, general storage, clothes, files and numerous DVDs (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 “tech” look.

The Solution: InHouse designed a “floating” contemporary wall system and home office 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.

Photo F6: New Wall Unit

The Horizon Desk System

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

The Need: A computer friendly horizon 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.

Photo H-58: Horizon Custom Walnut Desk

The Solution: A modular walnut horizon desk system based on a Japanese “Tansu” motif. The executive desk is configured in an “L” shape with side cabinets (for files and printer storage) stepping down. All cabinetry is free standing and therefore interchangeable and expandable for maximum flexibility. Each cabinet has wire management built in and the secondary computer desk has a rear door to access the CPU compartment. Handles are custom designed to compliment the overall aesthetic. Walnut solids and veneers, medium dark stain.

Photo H-59: Horizon Computer Desk

Photo H-60: Horizon Conference/Work Table

Combination Wall Bed & Home Office

The Space: A medium sized room in an older single family home currently serving as the husband’s home office/computer workshop. The room had not been updated in at least 20 years and needed a thorough remodel.

The Need: The clients wanted to combine an occasional guest room with a full time home office. The home office cabinetry had to house multiple CPUs and related computer and audio equipment. Since the husband often disassembles and works on his computers onsite there needed to be plenty of counter top space to spread out. Additionally, the cabinetry had to be sufficiently versatile to accommodate the ever-changing needs of newly purchased equipment. Ventilation, wire management and ease of access were paramount. The home office needed to be attractive and provide ample storage so that if guests arrived they could use a new built-in wall bed and feel comfortable in the room. Additionally, a new closet needed to be integrated into the final design.

The Solution: InHouse provided the clients with several potential layouts for a new built-in closet, home office and wall bed. The chosen design positioned the bed and home office on opposite walls to maximize the available circulation when the bed was opened. The wall bed cabinet was designed to mimic the existing window casings in the room. It was painted the same color as the walls in order to “disappear” and make the room feel larger. “Hidden” storage and a pull-out nightstand are positioned to the left of the bed while the right side of the cabinet has a lit display niche with shelves below, providing an attractive first impression of the wall bed cabinet as you walk into the room. The birdseye maple home office was built in an “L” shaped configuration that butts up against the new closet. InHouse also consulted on the lighting and paint color.