Creative use of space: Kitchen offices

Stand-up station

For folks on the run, a stand-up message center like this one designed by David Raymond of Fairfield, Conn.. may be the answer. Messages and reminders are tacked on the cork backsplash, and three-ring binders containing calendars, recipes and take-out menus are stashed in open bookshelves (not shown) recessed in both sides. The three center drawers of graduating depth hold pencils, papers "and everything my kids need to get out the door in the morning: hair clips, teachers' notes and money for pizza," says the owner of this armoirelike kitchen unit. Cell phones and other portable electronics are recharged via outlets built into the backsplash.

• Twitter users: Follow MSN Real Estate
  
  
• MSN Lifestyle: Make a small space feel big

Design center Get ideas for your home with our inspirational rooms and direct access to real products. Click here to begin exploring.

Bonus built-in

Chicago designer Mick DeGiulio shoehorned this message center into a "blind corner" of a breakfast bar by rotating a cabinet so that the door opens onto the bar instead of into the kitchen prep zone. A false door panel on the side helps the unit blend seamlessly with the other cabinets.

DeGiulio placed the electrical outlets and phone jack inside the cabinet to keep electronics safe from spills. Also hidden inside are shelves to corral cookbooks and baskets to stow odds and ends. Two small drawers in the 36-inch-high base unit contain phone books and notepads, while a large one on the bottom is fitted with a wire frame for hanging files. The back of the cabinet door is lined with cork to post snapshots, as well as a calendar for jotting down appointments while on the phone or e-mail. If the message area is close to where food is prepped, consider easy-to-clean metal magnetic or dry-erase board instead of cork.

• Video: Building a home office
  
  
• ThisOldHouse.com: Our favorite home offices ever

Get budget home-remodeling ideas

Corner command center

A sit-down desk in a calm corner offers extra space outside of the bustle of the work triangle. This office designed by Norwich, Conn., architect Michael Stein is a natural landing place for keys and mail, and a place where family members can sit comfortably. Designers generally recommend a desk height of 28 to 30 inches and a knee-hole depth of 25 inches.

Deep drawers in this maple base unit — painted moss green to match the island — are fitted with hanging folder frames, and the 7-foot-long granite countertop is perfect for spreading out textbooks. To hide clutter, the upper cabinets' glass fronts are frosted and supplies are stashed in boxes and baskets. With eight electrical outlets, a telephone jack and a cable port for high-speed Internet access all located above the counter, powering up electronics is easy.

• Twitter users: Follow MSN Real Estate
  
  
• MSN Lifestyle: Make a small space feel big

Design center Get ideas for your home with our inspirational rooms and direct access to real products. Click here to begin exploring.

The catch-all

When kids are in the picture, the kitchen office can be part writing desk, part high-tech hub, part first-aid center. That's the case with this multitasker designed by Greenwich, Conn., architect Jay Haverson: The lower cabinets in the teak-topped desk store office supplies, phone books and recipes. Emergency supplies, including medicines and flashlights, as well as electronics, are hidden up high behind touch-latch cabinet doors. The homeowners work on their laptop, which is connected via a cable port in the wall to a modem hidden in the basement. To coordinate the style, Haverson accented the white-painted maple desk with the same turned table legs that he used on the nearby island.

• Video: Building a home office
  
  
• ThisOldHouse.com: Our favorite home offices ever

Get budget home-remodeling ideas

Side-by-side seating

Kitchen designer Elsa Kessler devised this dual workstation for a New York City mom who wanted a space she could share with her 12-year-old son. Key features include outlets for two computers, a cordless phone and a printer; undercabinet xenon lighting; and a dividing column of drawers to stow craft and office supplies.

• Twitter users: Follow MSN Real Estate
  
  
• MSN Lifestyle: Make a small space feel big

Design center Get ideas for your home with our inspirational rooms and direct access to real products. Click here to begin exploring.

The handsome assistant

Use finish details to make a desk look like heirloom furniture. New York City kitchen designer Rita Luisa Garces was inspired by an Arts and Crafts-style hutch, creating an office that's as good-looking as it is functional. The hutch, constructed of rift-sawn white oak using dowel joinery, was custom-made by Rutt Handcrafted Cabinetry, which also built the kitchen cabinets. It rests on wooden feet rather than a recessed toe kick and shows off ornamental bead board and recessed paneling along its back surface. Decorative brackets adorn either side of a mail sorting station and small drawers for storing stationery. The deep desk drawer on the right side holds hanging files, while a smaller one above it stows pens and pencils. The desk cabinet hides a hard drive or wireless modem.

• Video: Building a home office
  
  
• ThisOldHouse.com: Our favorite home offices ever

Get budget home-remodeling ideas