I’m thinking about having a wall unit and desk custom built for my home office instead of settling for something not quite right from a local furniture store. The office is basically square with french doors and two windows on the right side (as you look in from the doors) leaving two walls open. I’ll have my desk facing out the windows to avoid glare on my screen and I’d like to run the wall unit/bookshelves across the back wall, leaving the wall behind me open for framed photos, etc.
I’m thinking about something like this (click for a larger image):
A = Top View
B = Front View
C = Front View (with whiteboard visible)
It’s a basic three section bookshelf system with the desk extending from the middle section. Here are some of the details:
- The left hand unit has a white-board that splits in the middle and hides along either side of the shelving and can be pulled out and closed over the shelving when needed (figure C).
- The shelves below the desk level on either side are hidden by doors.
- The area in the middle section above the desk is open as a place to put framed artwork/photos.
- The area below the desk in the middle section is open shelving.
- Guide tracks for cables need to be run throughout the system, mostly hidden but still accessible.
- The lower section and perhaps the upper section of the right side is deeper than the left to allow for a printer/fax/etc. that is deeper than normal shelving.
- Little 20 watt halogen lights are placed along the top shining up at the ceiling.
- The middle section and perhaps the top of the left and right sections also have lighting installed.
- There needs to be a keyboard tray or something to keep the keyboard at the proper height.
- Some type of area to hold a standard sized desktop machine (under the desk in the middle section?) where it still gets good air circulation but can dampen the sound.
What are some other things I should be trying to include? What are things you like about your workspace? What are things you wish you had? Bring on the ideas. 
UPDATE: I’ve decided I should have a drawer for hanging files on the lower level of the left side unit (behind the doors).
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echeng adds this Comment:
Get a bias light installed behind your monitor. I find that mine helps me to stay accurate when I work with colors, and eases strain on my eyes.
April 12th, 2004 at 7:45 am
Geof adds this Comment:
echeng’s got a good idea … I’d generally go for indirect lighting at all costs.
April 12th, 2004 at 9:13 am
StickyC adds this Comment:
I take it you meet with people (hence the desk sticking out in the middle)? I never seem to have enough storage, so I’d go for a horseshoe arrangement with the desk right under the windows and another set of bookshelves behind.
That’s just me though.
With the desk in the middle, you’ll need to spend some extra effort hiding the cables as well.
April 13th, 2004 at 11:39 am
Alex adds this Comment:
Yes, there is a chance I will be meeting with people there in the office. I’ve got ‘guide tracks for cables’ listed above.
April 13th, 2004 at 1:08 pm
Alex adds this Comment:
I’ve decided I need a file drawer behind doors on one side too.
April 17th, 2004 at 1:15 am
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Home Office, As Designed
The home office unit I designed was installed today. I’m quite pleased with the way it turned out and I highly recommend Jim Mason (yes, he’s working on re-doing his site) if you need custom furniture made in the Denver area. He was responsive, c…
May 22nd, 2004 at 7:44 pm
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October 19th, 2006 at 10:28 pm
Andrew Charnley adds this Comment:
Lighting is the key to the whole design. If you have the light coming in behind the screen it will cause eye-strain as you eyes are adjusting to any overall light. This will reduce the size of your eye-pupils and casue the screen to be lacking in overall brightness. This would be particularly true if the window has strong bright light entering the room behind the screen. Additional lighting is good near the screen, as is recommended with a TV screen but be wary of flourescent lighting as the frequency clashes with the frequency of the brain and is why the world of office workers has headaches. I hope your design proves sucessful. Andrew (Ex IBM Agency Director - installing in large corporates gave the experience)
June 9th, 2007 at 6:03 am