How to Create a Home Office in Your Kitchen
Finding Space
Larger kitchens quite often have an unused area or an area that could be reworked to accommodate a kitchen office. Even smaller kitchens can be used to your advantage when you need to create a kitchen office. If you have space for a small desk, or if you can spare a small area of counter space, you can create a kitchen office that will take care of your needs. With a little extra hardware and creativity you can make a kitchen office that is every bit as good or better than an enclosed office in a private room.
I had a kitchen office in my last home, and I took advantage of unutilized space and a corner seat at the breakfast bar. I turned a portion of my kitchen into an office that I used to write hundreds of articles, and although this area of my home was somewhat busy, it was a better choice than the living room or family room where the television was constantly blaring. The little corner I chose to create my workspace met my needs, and my kitchen office didn’t look out of place or the least bit messy. Because it was located in a small corner of my kitchen, I was better at keeping it organized and uncluttered.
Helpful Hardware
It’s easy to create a computer center in the kitchen with mounting hardware. A single-axis mount will enable you to hang your computer monitor on a wall or under an upper cabinet. This type of mount rotates 180 degrees, and will allow you to view it from practically any angle. With glides and a pullout desktop just large enough to accommodate a keyboard, you can easily tuck it away beneath a cabinet or countertop. Checkout Rockler.com for more great ideas to fit your lifestyle as well as all of your cabinetry and hardware needs.
Wire Solutions
Are you concerned with having a number of cords and wires running across a countertop? With grommets and specialized covers to hide and protect wires, they’ll remain tangle-free and contained. You’ll be amazed by the accessory options available to those wanting to create an organized office area. Before I began searching for hardware and accessories for my kitchen office, I had no idea these products existed.
Lighting Options
Sufficient lighting is important in any work area, and lighting a kitchen office can be a challenge. If your available space doesn’t have extra room to accommodate a standard desk lamp, consider task lighting that mounts under cabinetry. Consider installing Xenon lighting instead of ordinary cabinet-mounted fixtures. These types of bulbs last far longer than incandescent bulbs, the color is more natural and easier on the eyes, and the bulbs create less heat in a room that is typically warmer than other areas of the home.
