Niche Work Spaces: Nooks and Alcoves within Larger Rooms
A home workplace doesn't have to be large. In this excerpt from Chapter 3 of his book At Work, At Home, architect Neal Zimmerman offers examples of niche work spaces tucked into odd and unused areas of the house.
This alcove work space is set apart from the rest of the room by an impressive archway with bookshelves on either side, clearly indicating that this is a separate space. The partition wall is used for overflow storage on the non-work side.davidduncanlivingston.com
A nook, or an alcove, within a larger common area is subject to the same privacy issues we talked about in Chapter 2. Even so, a nook offers you more protection than a workplace in a shared space because it has physical definition and is distinct from the surrounding living space. Once a workplace is established within it, the space is more clearly your territory. There may also be the possibility of closing off the niche with sliding doors or placing a screen in front of it. This will provide your workplace and its contents a degree of protection (and maybe even a little privacy) not afforded in openly shared space.
If you’re thinking of working in a tight niche, don’t forget the space you’ll need around your equipment. For example, copy machines have paper-feed trays on the side that take up space, and you’ll need additional room to remove them. You may need an additional surface or bin to catch the paper that rolls out of your fax machine. Remember, also, that most office equipment produces heat that is ventilated from the sides and top. If you jam equipment into tight spots and prevent air circulation, you can damage the equipment.
Do you have enough space?
In situations where more privacy is desired, sliding doors can be used to close off a work space from the connecting room.Willow AyersThe extra step places the owner at a comfortable level to enjoy the view out to the side yard. Another window over the desk provides a view to the dining room and living roomCharles MillerIf you’re going to set up a workplace in the kitchen, the ideal is to cordon off a niche. This office nook is separated from the galley kitchen by a perforated wood screen and by a step upCharles MillerBuilt-ins wrap around this odd-angled niche, creating a workplace that’s a model of efficiency with everything within easy reach. Tackboard surfaces and carpeting are color-matched and custom-fit into the irregular shape.davidduncanlivingston.comGetting enough natural light into a niche can be a problem, but this second-floor work space presents an effective solution — even without windows. The work space overlooks the living room through a large opening that borrows light from windows on the opposite wall. The hole in the ceiling draws additional natural light from an atrium on the floor above.E. Andrew McKinneyDividing a room with shelves to form an intimate book nook adds a significant amount of storage space.davidduncanlivingston.comThis little cubbyhole, equipped with computer, fax, and phone, is well positioned relative to the front entry of the house. The owner can receive overnight deliveries and greet visitors without having them come into the more private parts of the house. A half-wall provides a partial barrier between entry and workplace and offers storage for active files and records.davidduncanlivingston.com
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