In plain sight: three home-office centers that carve space from other rooms - Home

Sunset, Sept, 2003 by Ann Bartelsen, Mary Jo Bowling

As computers become the norm for doing homework, many parents want to supervise their children as they surf the Web--some even miss helping kids with assignments. The home-office setups on these two pages address this change in different ways, ranging from retrofitting a hall closet to designing multifunctional workstations in or adjoining the kitchen. All tuck into rooms that get plenty of traffic. In addition, each uses durable, easy-to-dean work surfaces that coordinate with surrounding rooms. The stations also double as message centers for notes, to-do lists, or a calendar.

For the family

When this kitchen was remodeled to accommodate a family of five, one of the major priorities was to incorporate a homework center with room enough for three computers. The parents wanted to interact with their teenagers when they were on their computers, says kitchen and bath designer and general contractor Iris Harrell, who reconfigured an 11- by 4 1/2-foot closet with senior designer Beth Leibbrandt, creating this homework center on one side of a kitchen and family room.

A large skylight delivers natural light to the desks, a bank of cabinets keeps messy papers behind dosed doors, and fabric bulletin boards function as message/reminder centers. "The space is close enough for the mother to supervise homework and chat with the kids while prepping and cooking," Harrell says.

DESIGN: Harrell Remodeling, Mountain View, CA (www.harrell-remodeling.com or 650/230-2900)

Kitchen classic

Interior designer Kathleen Navarra designed this elegant workstation to blend into the kitchen without giving it an "office" feel. "This space is near the entrance to the kitchen, so we wanted to make it a pleasant place to pass by," Navarra says.

To achieve this, she made the built-in desk and shelves look as much like furniture as possible, using molding at the top of the cabinets and staining the natural wood. She included open shelves for displaying books and art, as well as closed storage for papers and fries.

Although compact, there is enough room for two people to sit at the desk and review assignments together. The desk functions as a family center where kids can catch up on homework and have easy access to the Internet. "This is where anyone in the family can use the computer or the phone," Navarra says. "We included a large blackboard. I think that in a busy family, that's a great way to communicate."

DESIGN: Kathleen Navarra, Navarra Consultants, San Francisco (www.navarradesign.com or 415/409-6280)

Tansu-inspired

A beautiful tansu (Japanese-style cabinet) in the family's dining room inspired designers Nancy Satterberg and Kirsten Dumo to create this two-child homework center, located in a large open area that includes the living room, dining room, and kitchen.

"This is a very narrow space just off the living room," Dumo says. "The doors slide, which saves space and allows some areas to be open for display and others to be closed to hide clutter."

A row of small open shelves creates space for school papers and mail, making a family postal center. Framed tackboard hangs conveniently on an adjacent wall to function as a large bulletin board.

DESIGN: Satterberg Desonier Dumo Interior Design, Seattle (www.satterbergdesign.com or 206/232-1830).

Making a good workstation

* Blend the workspace with its surroundings and keep it free of clutter.

* Consider enclosing a home office in an armoire or closet, adding a phone jack and outlets.

* Use file cabinets designed as furniture.

* Buy decorative containers or shelves for extra storage that looks stylish.

* Provide good task lighting, such as under shelves, or consider a lamp that doesn't look too officey.