A recent national survey about home improvement projects indicates that more people will be renovating or establishing home working spaces and play rooms this fall and winter. So I tapped a couple of experts on the subject, who will convey some important tips and ideas in the next two columns.

The team at Lars Remodeling & Design (larsremodel.com) in La Mesa, CA suggest homeowners begin their home work space installation or renovation by deciding on the main purpose of the space and who will be using it.

If there’s more than one person involved, the space can be divided by wall or enclosures. There should be plenty of room for a desk, seating for meetings and perhaps a lounge area.

Then decide what special items are important for a comfortable and functional workspace. You might need items such as a drafting table, separate computer workstations, countertop and table space, special machinery or a large screen for videoconferencing or webinars - and don’t forget space for storage and files.

According to the folks at Lars, one of the drawbacks of having a home office is the ever-present sound of home and family, which can sometimes overwhelm the background of a telephone conversation.

So soundproofing the office walls and doors can prevent screaming children and a loud TV from filtering into your businesses day while keeping your confidential discussions and financial conversations confidential.

When choosing your floor and ceiling materials, select those that absorb sound rather than make it echo.

Builder Scott Stonebreaker (stonebreakerbuilders.com) says homeowners should begin their project with a floor plan.  Get some graph paper and draw the setup you want.  

On paper, Stonebreaker  says you can move elements around a number of times until you find the fit that is right for you.  Remember to include the locations of electrical outlets, phone jacks and other hookups in this planning stage.  

There are also computer software programs available if you prefer a mouse to a pencil.

In our next segment, we'll tackle repurposing space for a children's play space.