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My new blog, Tracy DeCarlo's Home Building Lessons is live! For more practical ideas for building your home, click the above link.
Building or Remodeling? Do yourself a favor and increase your knowledge of the construction process and your options. Being informed can have a direct positive effect on the bottom line, the conveniences inside your home, and the future cost of the running the home.
The Difference is in the Details: The Homeowner's Planning Guide to Building a Functional Home not only provides hundreds of tips like these, it also provides lives links to suppliers and organizations. This photograph-filled e-Guide shows you how to adjust the building sequence to your financial advantage while helping you create a healthy, energy-efficient home that works for your family—inside and out, from the foundation to the rooftop. “With dozens of “how to build
your new home” books available, what could be left out? Plenty, as author DeCarlo shows in her
practical approach to topics often left out, forgotten, or given scant attention. Readers will thank her
for raising subjects to consider in the earliest stages of planning a new home.”
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Your New Home Office – Partner or Competitor? If you work from home, did you ever stop to think that you probably spend more time in your office than in any other room of the house? This can be a rather eye-opening realization and a good reason to give considerable thought to planning this work space in your new home. It’s no secret that a functional and comfortable office designed for your specific needs will allow you to work more efficiently and more productively. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Location, Location, Location: Lighting your Way: If you’re building a custom home, talk with your architect about the proper location for the office as well as the number and location of windows and options for lighting your work areas. Appropriate lighting is a strong contributing factor to your daily comfort. Office lamps and/or under-cabinet lighting provide the most precise light for your work space. Overhead lighting should be located directly over your work area to avoid working in your own shadow. Even the color of the walls plays a part in your comfort. Lighter colors brighten a room; darker colors absorb light. Heat and Air: Speaking of comfort, will the office be located on the opposite side of your home from the air conditioning/heating equipment? If so, less conditioned air may reach the room. Printers, PCs, and lighting all give off heat. Talk with your architect and builder about ensuring the proper amount of airflow to your office. Electrical Elements: In addition to the electrical and cable needs associated with your computer, don’t forget to consider floor outlets and outlets in the closet. Do you have an infrequently used piece of equipment that could be placed in the closet and kept off of the desktop or out of the main working area? Would one or more outlets just above the desktop come in handy?
I’ve found that locating the
computer in an angled corner of the L-shaped area functions very well.
This design provides The small cubbies above the work area in the photo provide access to the stapler, tape, and hole punch. Think about your storage and work-surface requirements before meeting with the cabinet designer. Will you need cabinets for product storage, a mailing counter, a drafting table, or a table to spread out plans? What staples do you need within reach? Where will the wastebasket be located? What quantity and size (legal/letter) file space do you need? Which files do you need within reach of your work space? Do you have binders that you refer to frequently? Will an upper cabinet just above your work area be deep enough to accommodate these binders, and will the shelving adjust for their height?
The vertical slots shown above the filing cabinets provide storage for large envelopes, and the adjustable shelving offers flexibility for storage of other office supplies. The outlet just above the filing cabinets can be used for charging cell phones or other electronics. It’s important to consider these types of storage needs before meeting with the closet company.
I discovered this little jewel a few months ago at Costco and I love it! Take time to really think about how you work, what your needs are, and what office features will contribute to your success. You’ll be rewarded on a daily basis when your well-thought-out office becomes your working partner, offering comfort, storage, and increased productivity. IS THERE A SUBJECT YOU'D LIKE ME TO COVER? Let me know by sending an email to tracy@tracystips.net. WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? All past issues of this ezine are in the Ezine Archives on our web site. Click here for Ezine Archives ! WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Tracy DeCarlo, author of "The Difference is in the Details" publishes the idea-packed, monthly e-zine "Tracy's Home Building Tips." If you're ready to learn how to plan a more durable, energy-efficient, and easy-to-live-in home, get your FR*EE tips now at www.DetailedSolutions.net.
By working with homeowners to focus on their daily habits and preferences, she helps them create living spaces that support and compliment their lifestyles, while at the same time teaching techniques to manage the bottom line. 
I’d love to hear from you:
Tracy DeCarlo, Detailed Solutions, Inc. P.O. Box 161644 Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, United States Phone 407-814-2328 |
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Not
sure what room should become
the office? Whether building a custom or production home, consider orientation to the sun when
making this decision. For example, in a southern climate, an office with a southwest exposure will
have sun glaring through the windows, perhaps into your eyes or onto the computer screen. Plus,
you’ll be spending your day in the hottest room of the house. To protect yourself from the glare and
heat, you’ll need to keep the blinds closed during part of the day. Blocking natural light means
you’ll need to rely more on artificial light, which will increase your electric bill. You might also
find the lack of natural light rather disturbing.
accessible work space on either side of the computer, as shown in the photo to the right. Files,
a pencil drawer, the printer, supplies, and reference materials can all be within easy reach.
Tracy
DeCarlo owner of Detailed Solutions, Inc. and One Stop Green Home Certification, has more than fourteen years'
experience in the residential construction industry. As a Home Building Function Analyst,
Certified Green Professional, Green Certifying Agent,
and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, Tracy addresses the functional aspects of home
construction, design, and usage, including items such as energy efficiency, disaster mitigation, air quality,
aging in place, green building, plumbing, electrical, lighting, and storage. 