It's no surprise that home offices are a growing trend in metro Atlanta. According to the state Department of Transportation, 7 percent of metro Atlanta commuters worked at home more often than they drove to the office last year, and the number of occasional telecommuters also rose.
As more employers are embracing telecommuting and homeowners are finding their office work hours extending beyond the usual 9-to-5, why not revamp some unused space into a home office -- especially when you could qualify for a home office tax deduction?
"People are working more from their homes even if they have a corporate job," said Tom Dwyer, owner of Harbour Towne Construction in Dunwoody. After 31 years in the industry, Dwyer said he is doing a brisk business in home offices, often for clients working in the insurance, project management and accounting industries. His home offices range from $2,500 for a straightforward conversion of a room to $25,000 for a home office in an unfinished space with hardwood floors, built-in cabinets and bookcases.
"It is unusual for us to work on a home that doesn't have some kind of home office space," said Mike Minutelli owner of the Macallan Group, a custom home builder whose homes range from $400,000 to $3 million. At that price point Minutelli said home offices are virtually a requirement — as essential as a guest room. A new trend in home office design is privacy and sound proofing, Minutelli said.
Peachtree Hills residential designer Rodolfo Castro has seen an uptick in the number of clients tailoring multi-functional home offices to their own needs and preferences. He recently completed a Sandy Springs custom home in which the owner's charity work coupled with the incessant laundry demands of three young daughters translated into a home office/laundry room. Castro said he can create home offices in an existing space for as little as a few hundred dollars to upwards of $50,000 for an office incorporating built-ins and wood paneling.
Popular options for home offices include reclaiming an unused formal living or dining room, or conversions of above-garage rooms, basements and attics, which give a sense of privacy by setting the office apart from the usual flow of the house. Karen Comer Lowe, director of Chastain Arts Center, recently included an office in a $25,000 basement remodel of her Smyrna home. With children and a busy home life to contend with, Lowe said, "I wanted a space where I could focus and not be distracted by what was happening in the house."
Fred Summers, owner of Tucker's Summers and Sons, has done both attic conversions of home offices and second story additions such as a Decatur project that included two bedrooms, a master suite, bathroom and home office. Summers, whose attic conversions or additions range from $150,000-$200,000, recommends homeowners include a closet in their office conversions so that when it comes time for resale, they can market the room as an additional bedroom not just a bonus room. "That gets them a little down-the-road extra value," he said.
Oakhurst residents Tom Murphy and David Gittelman did just that when they had Home Forge Remodeling incorporate two closets into the office in their second-story addition. "We've made the assumption that when we sell the house, it would be a perfect nursery," said Murphy.
According to "Remodeling Magazine, " homeowners can expect to recoup about 48 percent of the cost of a mid-range home office remodel when the house is sold.
Another new trend in home office design is to make the room look more like an extension of the homeowner's style rather than a totally utilitarian environment. Interior designer Erika Ward achieved that look by incorporating homey touches like settees for lounging in the office she completed in her College Park home in 2009.
Interior designer Roy Otwell, co-owner of Switch, a modern furniture and accessories store on the Westside, recommends creating a space that flows with the rest of the home.
"Clients are no longer looking for the out-of-the-way-home-office-on-steroids that was popular a few years ago," Otwell said. "Now, people are looking for a space that is completely functional but also elegant enough to be a part of their daily living spaces."
SIDEBAR
Interior designer Roy Otwell of Switch (www.switchmodern.com) offers these tips creating a home office.
Practice cord control. Nothing can ruin a sense of elegance like unruly cords and chargers. Grommets in surfaces and ample electrical outlets placed just under a desk surface work wonders to this end.
Go wireless. Make it so that you can grab your laptop and send that email or print that spreadsheet from any room.
Make it beautiful. In this complicated, fast-paced, overworked world one should not sit, hang out or work in an environment that does not nurture their soul. As with any room in your home, don't put anything you don't love in the space.
Think outside the box. Take a personal inventory of your needs. Many of us are more comfortable working from the kitchen or near that great window with a view. The home office does not necessarily have to be a separate room. Enjoy the freedom that technology and a changing work model afford.
SIDEBAR
Interior designer Erika Ward (www.blulabelbungalow.com) shared these tips for a functional and beautiful home office.
Repurpose existing furniture. For example, use an old dresser for storage and add new hardware for an updated look.
Banish clutter. An unorganized space can impact your creativity and also rob you of your productivity. One solution that helps me from becoming overwhelmed is to assign projects I am working on to storage boxes. Ikea has stylish, affordable boxes that come in numerous colors to coordinate with your decor.
Personalize the space. Place photos of your loved ones in colorful frames to evoke positive feelings and combat stress. For instant artwork, consider framing your favorite quote, scripture, or whatever gives you inspiration.
Inject some whimsy. Golden paper clips or colorful thumbtacks make tedious paperwork a little less mundane.
