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My Dream Office

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Accommodating Work and Play

So, inside my dream house, along with my dream kitchen, here are some ideas for my home office. I did a lot of textile design in my grad school years and love to do "wet work" (dyeing) but this space is about my "dry" work, i.e. writing, web design, art/paper stuff, reading and movie watching.

I'm also interested in the concepts of tiny housing, so the idea that spaces would be multi-purpose and not single-use is something I consider.

mapping the home office

The Work Zone
All Work And No Play...
The Hardware
Interiors
Accents and Accoutrements
Now here's an office environment to aspire to!
For the Love of Books
What's the Most Important Thing For You in an Office?

The Work Zone

a blend of working and entertainment

I don't want a conventional desk in this space, more like an area where I can sort of spread out and think. Science fiction writer Spider Robinson once said he always appreciated how when his wife saw him lying on the sofa with an open book on his chest, staring at the ceiling, she recognized he was working. As someone who writes a lot, I know what he's talking about.

I like my interior backgrounds to be darker than most people. I've often lived in rooms that got the nickname "the cave." I still see skylights and some really nice bay windows in this house though, and I'm never at a shortage for house plants. I also like the blended look of antiques with modern and Eastern with Western. Like a gentle setting from the movie "Bladerunner."

All Work And No Play...

All these links are to articles or web sites that talk about setting up work environments in ways that support creativity and flow.

A New Year, A New Home Office: How to Set Up Your Professional Space: Part One of a Two-Part Series from the Creative Group eZine
When Form Meets Function: Designing Your Home Office: Part Two of a Two-Part Series from The Creative Group - eZine
Creative Workspaces: For optimal creativity and getting the best from people, you need spaces that encourage creativity.
russell davies: creative spaces: And I think 'creative spaces' demand a lot more thought than they normally get. (Incidentally, I also hate myself for using 'space' this way, like a gallery owner, to mean, really 'place' but 'place' doesn't quite seem right either.)
10 seeeeeriously cool workplaces: Physical space matters. It's easier to be productive, creative and happy at work in a colourful, organic, playful environment than in a grey, linear, boring one.
DG Creative Offices - Welcome: DG Creative Offices is an independent office interiors provider delivering solutions for office specializing in making the challenges of office refurbishment, fit out and furniture selection, purchase and installation a trouble-free process - no matter how small or large the project.
An Office for Creativity: An article from Flexibility, the online journal of flexible work, about a flexible approach to cutting absenteeism.
The Dirsmith Group: World-renowned architecture, landscape, engineering firm dedicated to blending the environments of man and nature.
For rent: Reversible Destiny Lofts (w/ video): Designed to stimulate the senses and force inhabitants to use balance, physical strength and imagination, the lofts feature uneven floors, oddly positioned power switches and outlets, walls and surfaces painted a dizzying array of colors, a tiny exit to the balcony, a transparent shower room, irregularly shaped curtainless windows, and more.

The Hardware

I think it's time to do away with multiple large screens and just have one huge one, since I so rarely watch any broadcast tv. It's almost all DVDs, with the occasional VHS tape, or whatever it is will be on my computer. I'd like to get the card to bring the tv signal into the computer and just run all that through there.

"They don't work for money anymore, or to earn a place in heaven...They are working and inventing because they like it! Economics has become a spiritual thing. I must admit it frightens me a little bit. They don't seem to see the difference between working and not working. It has all become a part of one's life. Linda! Larry! There's no concept of weekends anymore!"

-- Earl Culver (Spaulding Grey), TRUE STORIES

Interiors

These links are to web sites, design firms and architectural solutions that that I find to be creative and out of the ordinary.

Livingstones, les coussins galets - Decoration interieure et exterieure: Fancy French pillows that look just like rocks. This really makes you start to rethink the living room.
sakura adachi_product&furniture designer: collection: This two-sided bookcase with a seat built-in is just the thing for partitioning space in a dome house!
DB Fletcher Design: DB Fletcher, Designers and manufacturers of exclusive and innovative furniture
Steel Casey - Vintage Steel Furniture - Home, Office, Prop Rental: this company reconditions and repaints steel furniture. Awesome retro looks!
cape schank house, paul morgan architects at materialicious: Within the living room the ceiling wraps down to an internal water tank. The tank cools the ambient air temperature of the living room during summer, supplies rain water, and structurally carries the roof load.
Apartment Therapy New York | AT Europe: London Close-up - The Amazing Staircase: Limited by space, we melded the idea of a staircase with our client's desire for a library to form a 'library staircase' in which English oak stair treads and shelves are both completely lined with books. With a skylight above lighting the staircase, it becomes the perfect place to stop and browse a tome.
DIY Vinyl Wall Art - Instructables - DIY, How To, art, home: I do like having bright, interesting spaces, so I was brainstorming on creating a large art piece that I could maybe mount on the wall, or other types of removable decor, and the universe smiled on my with inspiration from one of my favorite blogs: Nest did a neat post on using contact paper to make wall decals.

Accents and Accoutrements

Adding to the flavor and look of the main living and work space.

Now here's an office environment to aspire to!

For the Love of Books

No matter what I do, I can't seem to ever get enough bookcase space. I just love books. Here are some fun and functional ways to cram more bookcase space into your home office.

Fishbol bench/bookcase: A neat bench/chair with built-in book storage.
mareike gast...BROKEN SHELVES: a more natural way of shelving books. the new structure that appears through the broken shelves gives space to differently sized books. one element provides a place to sit and read inside the shelves.
Flexform Oltre Sofa: The backrest metal frame coverd with polyurethane padding and a protective fabric lining seat cushion in down with a resilient inner core or with polyurethane and dacron back cushion filled with down available in different dimensions bolster on the back filled with dacron Shelf/Case modular with function of armrest /backrest - metal frame covered with hide leather on top armrest in fabric with metal insert covered with polyurethane padding and a protective fabric lining upholstery removable fabric or leather covers.
Nils Holger Moormann : Bookinist: A self-contained chair and reading space, and mobile too!
BathTub With Book Storage For Bookworms - Born Rich: This Corian rectangular bathtub is meant for serious bookworms who don't feel like parting with the book even if for taking a shower. The bathtub includes back rest, automatic drainage, combined bath spout and overflow.
bookcasebedroom: See akamé's bookcase bedroom in Tokyo.

What's the Most Important Thing For You in an Office?

Tell us about the features that help you work more efficiently, stay productive and comfortable, or add that touch of whimsy that sparks your creativity.