Designer tips to fit a computer into any corner

Incorporate a computer into the décor of any room

By Donna Paris

The kids need the computer to do research, your husband wants to play backgammon with his buddy in Denmark, and you want to log on to e-mail your mom. You probably need more than one computer: a home network linking all of them solves the problem. Next dilemma: where do you put all those computers? Here are a few tips from our design experts.

In the kitchen

• A monitor can sit on a microwave shelf or hide behind an appliance garage or bifold doors. The mouse and keyboard can be tucked into a pullout drawer.
• Check e-mail or pull up a recipe on the LG Electronic Internet fridge. A built-in screen doesn’t take up any extra space.
• Warm up the high-tech look with a painted-finish cabinet to house a computer.

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Include an innovative addition. If you are updating your kitchen, plan for a communication centre that has a small desk for a computer. Then you can do online banking instead of watching the water come to a boil.

— Linda Camlot, interior decorator, Interiors by Design, L.C., Montreal, Que.

In the living room

• Many computer desks come with wheels, or you can put wheels on a desk of your choice. Roll it behind a screen when you have guests. Or you can hide the hardware in a cubby hole with sliding doors in a bookcase.
• Think of what you need. For instance, if you only want to get online and pick up e-mail, HDTVs also have computer capabilities.
• Stow software and games in a hassock with storage, a trunk that doubles as a coffee table or even colourful hat boxes.

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Let your computer out of the closet. A small worktable with a flip-down drawer for the keyboard and bookcase can be finished in the same way as the rest of your furniture.

— John Swainson, cabinet maker, Hodges Landing Urban Country Furniture & Kitchens, Hawkestone, Ont.

In the bedroom

• A wardrobe or armoire can double as a desk, with shelves on one side and a TV and computer on the other side. Or, customize a wardrobe to suit your needs.
• You don’t need an overwhelmingly large desk in the bedroom, which should be a quiet, restful place. If you have a laptop, you can set it on a small bedside table or even a vanity table.
• Computers that let you listen to music, watch TV, surf and access e-mail cut down on hardware. If you have a small bedroom, prop a screen up at the end of the bed — some furniture comes with a built-in stand.

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Build one in. Convert a closet into a computer station with book storage and filing areas. “Furniture closets,” armoires with shelves and drawers, handle clothing and personal items.

— Lynne Charest, decorator, Charest Associates Interiors, Oakville, Ont.

In the kids’ rooms

Kids love computers, but experts advise keeping them in a shared space such as a family room or the kitchen. If you must place a computer in a child’s bedroom, then look for bedroom sets that are computer compatible, with desks large enough to hold computers and shelves for books and games.

Make the computer part of the room: computers in funky colours work well with a chest of drawers painted in bright hues.

Plan your layout carefully: make sure cords and wires are tucked away so kids aren’t tripping over them and that the electrical outlets are properly grounded. Keep telephone jacks close to the computer to avoid tripping on wires.

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No room? Get creative: a small area under the staircase, for instance, makes an ideal little computer nook.

- Lynne Charest, decorator, Charest Associates Interiors, Oakville, Ont.