Dens, studies and home offices
“What I really want for an office,” confided one home owner “is the world’s largest roll top desk. One of those old fashioned. Aristotelian type affairs with a pigeon hole for every conceivable category of office chore. Then I could let the desk systematize my work and I could roll down the top when I couldn’t stand looking at it. Maybe it would do my bookkeeping for me.”
We agree. A gigantic roll top desk would make a splendid home office. Especially if it’s could turn out paper work for you. While you await the advent of such a prodigy, look at some of the alternative in this chapter. A snug den might be to your taste. Or perhaps an informal library could meet your needs.
This chapter covers the spectrum from casual dens to hard working office. Some of the situations are complete rooms isolated from the rest of the house; others are desk areas shoehorned into closet size places. You’ll also find a special section on bookshelves, desk organization and lighting.
The word “den” suggests a private lair where you can retreat for quite activities. As a room the den is a recent invention, coinciding with the decline of the formal library and the rise of more casual life styles. Most dens retain some flavor of the library study and have a desk as well as room for books. In addition you’ll usually find a television and a comfortable chair.
A small extra bedroom makes an easy transition to a den. Décor and furniture arrangement, rather than any special architectural features, will give room its character. Plan to have a good reading lamp by the easy chair, task suited lighting over the desk and good general lighting. And don’t forget displays shelves for that trophy engraved “To the Best Dad in the World” and the clay cat your third grader made for you.
