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Home Office Decorating, Part 2

© L.C. Dumke

(This is the second in a two-part series.)

My home office is much more than a room to me. Similar to my office during my work-outside-the-home years, it is well equipped with a computer, a fax machine, two phones line, office supplies, everything I need to do my job. Unlike my former office (in a 50-floor tower in the middle of Atlanta), my home office means a lot to me. It is part of my home, the first room you see when you step through the front door. I have a fish tank and a few of my collections (china, books) surrounding me. I play classical music there as loud as I wish, and no one tells me to turn down the volume. If it is too cold or too hot, I adjust the thermostat to suit me.

If you work at home full time or part time, you have plenty of company. The Business Know-How Web Siteestimates there are between 23.3 and 34.7 million U.S. households with people working at least part-time at home.

When I setup a home office, it was specifically for running a home-based business, so efficiency was a must. I eventually found ways to make it wonderfully functional, and even inject a little fun and personality into it. Here are some ideas I hope you can use:

* Task Lighting - I like to have a bright, overhead light fixture because I do a lot of proofreading and editing and my eyes need it. But most of the time, that main light fixture is "off" and two lamps are "on". And there's no need to go for office-style lamps, either. I have an antique floor lamp with a prissy, fringe-edged shade that I picked up at a country antique shop for just a few bucks. My other lamp is a tall skinny one I got from the Pottery Barn that fits on my desk without taking up much room. (I grabbed that one on clearance.)

* An innovative desk alternative - After nearly a decade of cheap, hand-me-down and yard sale computer desks, I decided to treat myself to something I always wanted -- a large desk for my office. I searched antique stores and flea markets for an antique dining room table (since it would be larger than most traditional desks) for months before I found one that fit my budget, but it was worth the wait. Now my desk is the focal point in my office -- it's an inexpensive antique-looking new piece that is green, huge and wonderful. Best of all, it was a great bargain.

The copyright of the article Home Office Decorating, Part 2 in Budget Decorating is owned by L.C. Dumke. Permission to republish Home Office Decorating, Part 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.