Home Workspace Inspiration

Did you know that 17.2 million Americas worked from home for an employer in 2008? That was a 74% increase since 2005! And it doesn't include the freelancers, self-employed or those folks looking for work. 

Bottom line? That's a whole lot of home offices.

With that in mind, finding clever workspace design is more important than ever. So I thought I'd share a few favorite solutions.

Have fun...

Imagine, instead of driving to the office, you just have to open the curtain and POW, a big ole dose of fun via the wallpaper! I'm inspired!

(But she needs a mirror or reflective surface to see behind her for good feng shui!)

Here's a past post about creating an office in a closet.

Photo courtesy realsimple.com

Think outside the box...

Katy of Sloane Home put cork on the wall and then wallpapered over it. Put me down for a "Why didn't I think of that!!!" Beautiful, fun, useful and clever. Thumbs up, Katy.

Be organized...

Keeping everything in it's place becomes more important when your workspace is in the home. Matching containers helps it look even more organized. These are repurposed juice jars. Go green!

Hide the details...

Work Area...

Need the space to quickly convert when guests arrive? Martha & Co have a great idea for a crafter's workspace made from two bookcases that are hinged together so they can close up when it needs to virtually disappear. Here's a link to the instructions.

(Again, she needs a mirror or reflective surface to see behind her for good feng shui!)

Cords...

There is nothing pretty, exciting or inspiring about a wad of tangled cords. If your home office is in a public area such as the living room, even more important to keep it hidden.

Whomever tied up the wires in the photo above is a genius in my book.

Photo courtesy outlawdesignblog.com

Files...

Leave it to the people at Martha Stewart to find this clever use of space in a kitchen office.