Budget Ideas for a Home Office

Take advantage of natural light by placing the desk near windows.

How to Get the Look:

-- Coat wood floors in cream paint to brighten the space.

-- Put a slipcover over a retired dining room chair for fresh color and homey style (put casters on the bottom for mobility).

-- Build your own desk by attaching a flat door to stock leg posts bought at a home improvement store.

"Why didn't I think of that?" ideas keep the budget low and the style quotient high.

How to Get the Look:

-- A garden urn and vase hold pencils and pens.

-- Tall table lamps shed more light than short fixtures would have, plus, there's no installation hassle.

-- Buy inexpensive woven baskets for extra storage.

Work board or work of art? You decide.

How to Get the Look:

-- Attach inexpensive molding to a dry erase board and paint to match the rest of the room.

-- Add new drawer pulls to painted file cabinets -- put several units side by side for an impromptu credenza.

You're only as organized as your shelving system.

How to Get the Look (and learn the system):

-- Spray paint dark shelving white.

-- Be firm with your labeling system -- it will force you to edit things you don't use or need.

-- Look for a unit with adjustable shelves so you can tailor your containers to ever-evolving storage needs.

An awkward nook becomes a useful space with an old coffee table pushed into it, but click to the next slide to see an even better use of the space.

Voila! A cozy seating area appears thanks to cushions placed on the coffee table.

How to Get the Look:

-- Buy box cushions for cushy seating (and don't forget throw pillows).

-- Add wall art and a long, woven basket for storage.

Assign each drawer one type of item, such as CDs, folders, and magazines to keep the spot uncluttered.