Work at home in comfort and style

Gary Carnivele
Special to FineLife Home
Photos by Ryan Lely

Telecommuting or working from home full time can save a lot of time and money. If you design and equip a home office that meets your every occupational and ergonomic need, say the experts, you’ll be happier and probably more productive.
“First, I determine what type of work the client will be doing in their home office, how much equipment will be required and whether they will be sharing the office with another family member,” said Don Gross of Don Gross Design Associates in Sonoma. “Next, I work with the client to locate the perfect room or space for the home office. If serious work is to be done, that little corner in the kitchen just isn’t going to be enough.”
Gross often needs to remind clients that a home office doesn’t require a large room, but can be as small as a 6-by-6-square-foot cubicle. Hallways, second-floor landings, basements and even closets can be converted for the purpose. He says that as long as the client has everything he needs to work, the office works.
“I encourage clients to take a look at the space first and ask themselves how do they want the new office to work,” said Susanna Otteman of Organize This! “If they are starting with a blank space they need to make zones, such as a supply zone, a filing zone, an equipment zone and, most importantly, a work zone, where their desk and chair will be.”
“The chair is probably the most important piece of furniture and I urge clients to get out there and really test drive office chairs before buying one,” said Gross. “Plopping down in a chair in the isle of a big box chain store isn’t really going to let you know what sitting in it for many hours at a stretch will feel like. Aeron ergonomic chairs are the best to come along in decades and are extremely functional.”
Gross considers ergonomics to be extremely important when selecting a desk. He said it is important to remember men and women require different desk heights. Often clients need a space to do both computer work and hand-written tasks. He recommends that the top of the keyboard be as high as the writing desk, so that there is a comfortable flow from one surface to the next.
According to Otteman, “The new desk must have space for everything needed to do the required work, and the goal is to keep it as clutter-free as possible. Personal items are a wonderful way to make the desk more lively, but don’t forget to leave desktop space for necessary elements like desktop supplies, current file storage and lighting.”
“It is very important to have good ambient light that allows the whole room to be lit at the same level, which also works to eliminate eye fatigue caused by continual computer work,” said Gross. “Task lighting mounted under wall cabinets and desktop lamps should be positioned to create shadow-free illumination.”
Shop at Sonoma Valley Office Supply in Sonoma for spiffy desk accessories. Rolodex makes a black leather-and-mahogany collection that includes a desk pad ($44), business card holder ($10.70), pencil holder ($15.50) and tray ($34.50). Eldon offers metal mesh accessories in silver and black that includes a three-tier shelf ($19.95), a two-drawer cube ($19.15) and a magazine file ($12.98).
Gross and Otteman agree that when designing a home office, form should follow function – i.e., it is more important to have office equipment at hand than it is to store unsightly copiers in a beautiful antique cabinet that fits the design scheme.

Don Gross Design Associates, 19404 Hwy. 12, Sonoma; 707.933.8601.
Susanna Otteman and Organize This! 707.996.2120; organizethis@vom.com
Sonoma Valley Office Supply, 551 Fifth St. W., Sonoma; 707.938.1141. Hours: Mon. – Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.