Home office ideas for the entrepreneur come in many forms. While some of these may be obvious, others are less so. When looking for inspiration for your new home office, first and foremost, consider the space available. Do you have a large room with plenty of space to stretch out? If so, you have a lot of freedom – and potential to make mistakes. Larger rooms with more flexibility require less careful planning.

Living rooms, on the other hand, are often crowded and small. They need more careful planning and focus to give off the right impression. Consider the current layout of your home office ideas for living room: are you going to have one large open wall for a computer monitor? Or are you going to use a “pin striping” technique where you paint one wall white, leaving a colorful border around the entire room? The answer to this last question will give you tons of design options.

Another important aspect of home office ideas for living rooms is your desk. Will it be placed against a wall or atop a table? Ideally, a desk should be at eye level so that everyone can read without squinting or standing too close to a monitor. If you are using a pin striping technique, however, you will need to place your desk somewhere between two angled walls – a wall that separates two work triangles is a great place to put your desk.

Once you have your desk selected, you’ll want to start thinking about home office storage options. How much paperwork does your home office need? Will it be file cabinets, a bookcase, or a combination of both? If you plan on storing paper documents, choose a color to match your office furniture – bookcases should match your desks. If you choose to file cabinets, however, they must compliment your wall color and design. Here again, pin striping is an option, but if you plan to use bookcases, you may also want to consider decorative displays.

Lighting is one of the most important elements of a functional and effective work space. Depending upon your purpose, lighting will either enhance or detract from the design ideas you choose. Do you need a desk with adjustable illumination? Are you trying to create a mood with colored lamps or candles? Natural lighting, such as that provided by a window, is a great home office idea for a laptop computer. It’s also a good idea to install a dimmer switch so that you can adjust the brightness to suit your needs.

Last but not least, in order to make your home offices as functional as possible, you should invest in some durable desk and other office furniture. Whether you choose an entire office set or just a computer stand, be sure to choose furniture pieces that are built to last. In addition, remember to paint the walls in a neutral, natural color. This will help give the room a cozier feel.