Old Bedroom, New Office

Are you an empty-nester with bedrooms left behind by your grown kids? Then perhaps it's time to give Junior's room a new identity.

One possibility is to turn an old bedroom into a home office. Whether you intend to work full-time from home, or just use the space to pay the bills and browse the Internet, bedrooms can make great home offices, according to architect Neal Zimmerman , author of At Work, At Home: Design Ideas for Your Home Workplace (The Taunton Press ).

"A bedroom usually has insulation, heating, lighting and electrical [wiring], compared to a garage or attic," Zimmerman says. "Furthermore, it's easily privatized." Shut the door, and the office is all yours.

Here are Zimmerman's tips for turning a bedroom into a home office:

• Consider the kind of work you'll be doing. How many people will be using the room , and what sort of equipment will they need? For instance, a seamstress or artist would need specialized gear, while someone who primarily works on a computer requires different equipment. If you're setting up a home-based business, be sure to obtain any required permission or licenses before setting up your space.
• Think in terms of work stations. Zimmerman has an acronym, CAMP, to cover the bases. "C" is a computer station; "A" is an administrative station (for paying bills and handling paperwork); "M" is a meeting space and "P" is a project station for specialized work, such as weaving, woodworking or composing music. Which letters describe your needs? "Not everyone is going to need all four," Zimmerman says.
• Make the space healthy and comfortable. "Get a good chair, no matter what," Zimmerman says. And make sure you have appropriate lighting and a work area that is ergonomically correct. For instance, take care to set up your computer keyboard in a way that protects your wrists.
• Get organized. Build your storage needs into your home office. Providing room for your supplies, files and other necessities will help you to be more efficient .
• Give the room some spirit. "I believe it's really important that you feel good about being there. It shouldn't simply be a place to suffer work," Zimmerman says . Paint the walls, bring in art or family photos, and make the office as personal and delightful as possible.

Your career just might benefit from the extra details and pleasant environment . "A space that is set up to be enjoyable and productive for its user will ultimately produce better work," Zimmerman says.

Photos from At Work At Home: Design Ideas for Your Home Workplace by Neal Zimmerman, copyright 2001, by permission of the publisher, The Taunton Press.