Steps in Planning a Home Office

The mystery of how to plan a home office can be untangled in three steps, says Dave Higgins, owner of Higgins Custom Cabinetry. Here's his solution:

Consider basic uses:  Who will use the office? Just you? You and your spouse? The kids?  Will you need more than one work station? Will the room be an extension of your office at work or strictly a home office?

Assess your needs. Basic requirements include a desk and storage space. How big do you want your desk to be? How much storage will you require and what kinds -- open shelves, closed shelves or a combination? How many file cabinets do you need? How much countertop space?

What's your style? Which look do you like: den, library, all-business or another? "You're wide open in what you can do," Higgins says.

"A lot of things enter in, but planning a home office is basic and simple."  Mystery solved.

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