TV's Linda Barker looks at how to create the perfect home office

It's fascinating how rooms evolve, isn't it? Once upon a time nobody would have dreamt of eating anywhere but the dining room.

Now, I don't even have one in my house!

Next on the evolutionary list seems to be the living room. It wasn't long ago that this room did exactly what you'd expect. If you weren't cooking, eating or sleeping this is the room where you lived your life.

Nowadays the living room has a much more undefined role in the home.

For some it's become a media centre from which to communicate with the world.

Where?

More and more people are working from home these days and a home office is becoming a "must have" for many workers.

So, the first thing to decide is where you're going to put it. If you're lucky you may have a separate room but, if not, you can make use of whatever space you do have.

It could be on the landing or in a corner of your evolving media centre living room!

Check whether the space has enough electrical outlets and phone jacks. You might need to have extra wiring or phone lines installed.

Wherever it is, think about the atmosphere you want to create in this new working environment.

Do whatever it is that works for you.

Gone are the bosses who dictate the look of your office. Now, this is your own. Do you like loud music or silence while you work?

Paint the walls with a lively orange colour or a calming pale blue to set very different tones for your work space.

Furniture

If you don't have to buy new furniture you'll save a lot, so look around to see what you can use in your new home office.

You can make an instant desk by putting a board across two small sets of drawers! Spend time staining the board and painting the drawers a matching colour. But it is worth investing in a proper office chair so that you can adjust the height to suit your desk. You don't want to end up with backache!

Your desk must be able to hold your laptop or computer and your printer and fax machine must be easily accessible nearby.

More importantly, your phones must be within arm's reach so you're not constantly running down the hallway to answer them. Otherwise, get a cordless phone!

If you're going to buy furniture, make sure it's got all the space you need for various items and equipment.

For instance, make sure your files fit into the filing cabinets you've fallen in love with before you buy them!

Remember to sort through your files every six months and get rid of anything that you no longer need. You don't want to turn your office space into a clutter zone! Put some inspiring pictures in your workspace.

This doesn't need to cost a lot. Instead of hanging a picture in a frame, paint a frame directly on the wall around the picture. It can look really effective and a little bit different.

Think it through and you're more likely to end up with a working environment you can easily live with.

Enjoy!