Carving a Space

Planning a home office means finding a place to set up shop, a task that may require less space than you think. Before you start, ponder these possibilities.

 

Upwards of 50 million Americans currently work at least part time from their homes, and millions more have created stations for paying bills, keeping track of finances and investments, pursuing hobbies, and e-mailing family and friends. And offices aren't always for adults; kids use them too.

 

These days, the central figure in most home offices is the personal computer. Even though computers have gotten smaller and smaller, they still require space. In most cases you don't have to dedicate a whole room, but can just carve out a corner or design an office that also serves other purposes. Take a look at what these eight families have done.