Designing home office with plenty of space... suggestions ..

External Since: Aug 12, 2003 Posts: 50

Hi folks,

This might be kinda off topic, but I'm designing a computer desk or
room layout for my home office... and I'd like suggestions of others
who have tackled this.

I do web programming, so I have 3 computers with 4 monitors plus a
laptop. The room is 16 feet by 16 feet, and I have two closets.
Idealy the desk will take-up almost two full walls (including corner)
with desk space plus shelves. I also want to pull-up the carpet and
put-in a wooden floor so my chair will roll easier.

Can someone suggest a book or website that covers such projects? Or
if someone has done something similar, can you send suggestions or
photos?

I can do the wood work myself, but the planning is what I'm having
trouble with. Thanks in advance, and take care,

Alex.

External Since: Oct 23, 2003 Posts: 226

"Alex" <alex RemoveThis @totallynerd.com> wrote in message
news:2ba4b4eb.0402200801.4160faa4@posting.google.com...
> Hi folks,
>
> This might be kinda off topic, but I'm designing a computer desk or
> room layout for my home office... and I'd like suggestions of others
> who have tackled this.
>
> I do web programming, so I have 3 computers with 4 monitors plus a
> laptop. The room is 16 feet by 16 feet, and I have two closets.
> Idealy the desk will take-up almost two full walls (including corner)
> with desk space plus shelves. I also want to pull-up the carpet and
> put-in a wooden floor so my chair will roll easier.
>
> Can someone suggest a book or website that covers such projects? Or
> if someone has done something similar, can you send suggestions or
> photos?
>
> I can do the wood work myself, but the planning is what I'm having
> trouble with. Thanks in advance, and take care,

You might want to check out the "cheap jewel case" section of your local
software store (or big electronics store if they have one) and look for some
of the cheap CAD programs out there (usually run you less than $15)

You can then pretty much enter the dimensions of your room, closets, where
windows and sockets are placed, etc... and then work on a layout using
different sizes/shapes of desks, filing cabinets, etc

Without knowing exactly what you do, its hard to suggest too much...

You can save alot of space by getting a switch for your monitors... if you
do most of your work on the laptop and use the PCs for hosting and running
applications then you probably just need 1 monitor and a switch that will
let you view all 4 screens at once (the 3 PCs and the 1 laptop) and then if
you need to, you can switch to a specific monitor if that computer needs
your attention.
If you do most of your work on a PC, use the laptop for presentations and
the other 2 PCs are used as servers, then you probably just need to set up
the server PCs on a switch so you can monitor them, keep the laptop aside on
a shelf for when you need it and then another monitor for your actual work.

By using either 1 monitor and the laptop, or 2 monitors and putting the
laptop aside, you can save alot of desk space and so you would only need a
desk that is 6' wide at the most (maybe more if you have a bunch of desktop
folder items, lamp, etc) and then everything else you can pretty much put on
shelving in the corners or closet.