I want to convert our front bedroom into my home office. It measures 8’x12’ and it has three doors! One door leads to my bedroom, the other to the family room and the third to the veranda. There is one window facing north. How do I place the furniture? My husband and I would be the only ones using the space.

Shelly, via e-mail

(This is tricky because I don’t know where the doors really are but I’ll give a general idea)
I’d place one desk on the wall with the window then I would “Float” the other desk out into the room by placing it perpendicular to one of the walls. You could place narrow open shelves on the other walls with the doors, and consider placing mirrors behind the shelves, visually it will open up the space and reflect light.

It’s important to keep in mind when you’re designing a home office to carefully plan it out so it will function for you efficiently and you’ll be able to function in it! Sit down and make a list of all the items you need access to all the time and items you only need available every now and then. If you’re using storage bins measure the bins and then plan your shelving to accommodate those sizes, in a small office you don’t want to waste a single inch.

Also make it a comfortable room, use a large low pile rug (like a berber) that office chairs can roll on, put lamps on your desks and paint it a cheery color, you want it to be an office but you also want it to be a place you’re happy to be in!