The good old home office...

traditional home office design by san francisco architect Rossington Architecture

In all our houses we have built, we have never built one with a designated home office. Many people have commented on our new house and said, "But you have no office?" and they are right! We did that on purpose!

For many people a home office is a place of organization. A place for bills, projects, computers, and all those papers that you just aren't sure what to do with. But for those who use the home office for their job it can become a trap, a time eater, and a place you spend more time than you should. For us, being business owners, we have decided that we don't need a home office as it can be too tempting to hide in there instead of spending quality time as a family.

The picture above is from my favorite design website, Houzz, and it got my thinking about what is really important for an "organization centre". That is why in at the acreage I created a, as I like to call it, "pocket office". We got the main floor layout for the acreage from a show home we visited in Calgary which was being built by Thomson Luxury Living and they had this beautiful wine cellar off the kitchen. (Take a look at their beautiful homes - such amazing detail! You can see the house we based our main floor off of in the photo gallery) I hate wine so I had no need for a wine cellar but what would I put in that space? After looking at many website and design books I fell in love with the pocket office. Just enough space for a desk/workspace, some cabinets, and a chair. PERFECT!

There are many ways to add an office space (or as I like to call it "organization centre") in your home! You just need to be creative! For example, take a closet not being used and turn it into your organization space. Add some fabric cork boards, fun storage units, a splash of colour and you have yourself a great space! A home office doesn't need to be a whole room, just enough space to get the job done!

For us we don't want the office tempting us to focus on work instead of family. It is just one more thing that can get in the way of creating an atmosphere of love in your home. If you have a home office in your house I encourage you to be wise in the time you spend in it and don't let it become a time eater or a trap. Remember that your family will appreciate it when you leave your job at the office and give 100% to making your family time important.