3 Inspired Home Offices

Far from shoving a computer into a cramped corner and calling it a day, these three women created comfortable and personal HQs at home.
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These three women created comfortable and personal HQs at home that make getting a job done a pleasure.

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photography by DOMINO.COM

Far from shoving a computer into a cramped corner and calling it a day, these three women created comfortable and personal HQs at home.

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photography by MELANIE ACEVEDO

GINA HARRELL | NYC
How do you maximize your small space? By keeping it as uncluttered as possible, which means having places to tuck things away. I'm a magazine nut, so I always have a bin close by to keep the stack organized. And my kitchen cabinets hold more office supplies, DVDs, scripts and video treatments than pots and pans!

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photography by MELANIE ACEVEDO

What are your tech tricks? Lighting is essential. Most of the lights are on dimmers, to make the room feel homey.

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photography by MELANIE ACEVEDO

Any workday pleasures? I work best with a lot of things going on, so an office facing the street is great for me: The constant distraction of little kids peeking in the window keeps thing interesting. When I'm stressed, I like to burn incense and candles.

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photography by MAX KIM-BEE

KELLY RUTHERFORD | Los Angeles
Why a home office that's separate from the house? It's so freeing to have a place that's completely private and away from the distractions of my life--a little oasis where I can read a script or write a note to a friend.
Rutherford converted a 300-square-foot garage into an office studio; a winding garden pathway connects it to the house. (P.S. Her son was born not long after this photo was taken.)

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photography by MAX KIM-BEE

How do you stay organized? I love to make collages, so I had shelving built across the back, and put my materials in white IKEA storage boxes. Before, I'd keep things stacked in piles and get overwhelmed, but now I can just choose whatever project I want, take the box down and do it.

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photography by MAX KIM-BEE

What's your favorite touch? My desk. It's a family antique. I modernized it with bright white paint (my favorite color!) and topped it with a sheet of glass cut to flow with the curves.

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photography by MAX KIM-BEE

LARA SHRIFTMAN | Los Angeles
How do you use your space? I have three corporate offices, so I like to use this one to just think and generally get inspired. I write all my personal notes here, usually late at night or early in the morning. I love stationery--I actually collect it--and it's nice to have all my favorites at my fingertips.

Inspired by a photo of the Baccarat Crystal showroom in Paris, Shriftman hired designer Tim Andreas to turn the former maid's room into a loungelike office.

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photography by MAX KIM-BEE

How do you avoid clutter? For me to be inspired, everything has to be organized, so I converted a closet into my desk area and added built-ins for my stuff. When the tufted custom-finished doors are shut, it looks like a decorative wall--no mess! Plus, I hide not-so-glam things like the stapler and paper clips in mirrored boxes.

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photography by MAX KIM-BEE

What's the secret to creating a lounge-y feel? Sexy lighting, of course! I use amber lightbulbs in my lamps.

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